THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.  Lola Maria Coffee Shop and Restaurant raises home cooking to new heights.

WHEN it comes to dining, there’s no place like home or, at least, a place that feels like home.  And Lola Maria Coffee Shop and Restaurant is just that perfect place for intimate gatherings with your family and friends.

There, one can relax in a setting much like a provincial home and partake of the kind of cuisine that used to come out steaming from grandma’s kitchen.

Lola Maria Coffee Shop and Restaurant is at The Legend Villas in Mandaluyong City, where it used to cater exclusively to in-house and corporate guests, but is now open to the public and is a great place for special parties such as baptismals, anniversaries, despedida de solteras, birthdays and small weddings.

Lola Maria’s Old World setting is perfect for those who opt for worldly elegance, along with a warm and cozy atmosphere that feels so much like home. It can accommodate 95 people in the main dining area, and 25 guests in the function room. Wood finishes, hand-painted murals, capiz-lined ceiling, hand-woven chairs, Venetian mirrors, large outdoor-looking windows, and friendly and efficient attendants add to the charm of the place. Aside from Pinoys, the restaurant hosts foreign guests mostly from the US, Europe, India, Japan and Korea.

“Home-style cooking is what Lola Maria Coffee Shop and Restaurant is all about,” says Chef Calvin Paul Hizon. Pancit bihon is one of the bestsellers and customers order big quantities to take home with them.

Among the mouthwatering recommendations are Prito Trio (a platter of three kinds of fish cooked in three different ways), and inihaw platter that comes with grilled chicken, pork, fish and vegetables, as well as the sweet-smelling pandan rice. Lola Maria’s old-time favorites are kare-kare and kaldereta, known for their rich and yummy sauce. 

House guests, as well as regular customers, enjoy for only P299++ the daily breakfast buffet that includes homemade longganisa, tapa and other familiar morning favorites. Lunch buffet is served on Wednesday and Friday with an array of Filipino and international dishes at P600++ per person. Those with a sweet appetite can fill up on halo-halo, native kakanin, Brazo de Mercedes, or Lola Maria’s hot chocolate cake, all of which are included in the buffet.

Since Legend Villas is in the heart of a business district, the restaurant also serves an executive lunch daily. One can choose from Hainanese chicken (the popular Singaporean dish, gently simmered chicken in light broth, served with steamed rice), beef pot roast (slices of tender beef, braised in tomato sauce and spices served with pasta and buttered vegetables), or stir-fried fish fillet with black bean sauce (lightly battered fish fillet, stir-fried with black beans, bell peppers and tofu served with steamed rice and prawn crackers). The executive lunch is only P350 to P400 net, inclusive of soup (cream of mushroom or oriental crab and corn). Fresh fruits in season or the delicious blueberry cheesecake are the choices for the dessert.

Lola Maria Coffee Shop and Restaurant is at The Legend Villas, 60 Pioneer corner Madison streets, Mandaluyong City. It is open from 6 am to 10 pm daily.

For inquiries: 633-1501 to 10, www.legendvillas.com.ph.

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