Relive the good old days at Casa Marcos

MANILA, Philippines - Casa Marcos opens its doors again to old and new patrons at Burgos Circle, Forbestown Center, Bonifacio Global City.

This historic resto began way before its Gilmore Avenue and Tomas Morato branches, with the story beginning in the ‘40s at the old Dewey Boulevard when a Spanish pelotari (pelota player) named Señor Marcos de Guisasola established a restaurant in his name. He crafted the menu and created the dishes himself, which were thoroughly enjoyed by the restaurant patrons, including his peers in playing jai alai.

At that time, banker Ben del Rosario had Señor Marcos for a client, and it wasn’t long until the former became a frequent patron of the restaurant. When the latter needed to return to Spain for personal reasons, he passed on ownership and management of Casa Marcos to Ben, who had by then become familiar with the restaurant and its operations.

Ben eventually got into government work, and thanks to the proximity of government offices along Roxas Boulevard to the restaurant, it quickly became the favorite of many government officials. Many patrons would have their lunches, dinners, and business meetings there, with Casa Marcos’ VIP rooms available to cater to more private gatherings.

Wax nostalgic: Casa Marcos has finally reopened after 11 years at Burgos Circle, F121 Forbeswood Heights, Rizal Drive, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Metro Manila.

The family of Ben decided to open a branch in Gilmore Avenue in Quezon City. It was also here that a bakery solely for the famous Casa Marcos pandesal was established. More than a decade later, the restaurant relocated from Gilmore Avenue to Tomas Morato, its final location before it closed its doors in 2000.

The reopening of Casa Marcos was partly brought about by patrons of The Bread Bag Pandesal Bar at the Ortigas Home Depot, open since 2008, and was the third generation’s take on a more casual Casa Marcos. 

At Bread Bag old patrons, relatives, and friends began asking about Casa Marcos again. It was this clamor for the reopening of the restaurant that the family considered the possibility, and turned the reins over to its third generation to make this possible.

At Casa Marcos, start your trip down memory lane with the saucy, tangy gambas with fried garlic cloves, coupled with the almejas, a plate of baked clams with melted cheese and garlic bits paired with the unmistakable tang of their homemade Marcos Sauce. For your main course, have the melt in your mouth prawns Thermidor, a medley of tiger prawns cooked with cheese and butter, then close your eyes and take a bite of their steak ala pobre, seared perfectly in oil and garlic cloves which will be sure to send your memories and your tastebuds right back to your last Casa Marcos experience. Seal your meal with their hearty paella Valenciana cooked in a rich tomato sauce and topped with a chicken and seafood combination and authentic Spanish chorizo.

Casa Marcos is open from Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Bread Bag Pandesal Bar at the same location is open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Casa Marcos is located at Burgos Circle, F121 Forbeswood Heights, Rizal Drive, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila. For more information, call 703-7784 or 552-3781 or log on to www.casamarcos.ph.