A Spanish celebration at Resorts World Manila

MANILA, Philippines - In the world of gastronomy, Spain is known for its tapas, paellas, bread, churros, dry-cured ham, cheese, and wine. Beyond their cuisine, however, the Spanish have a distinctive and admirable way of enjoying food. They are quite the food lovers, but they know how to savor their meals and integrate it with their dynamic lifestyle. Eating is also closely tied to socializing, especially after work when they go from bar to bar eating tapas.

A taste of that culinary tradition is brought to the Philippines by the country’s “first one-stop, non-stop entertainment and leisure destination,” Resorts World Manila (RWM). For the entire month of June, RWM holds “Gastronomia de España” — a celebration of all things Spanish that includes cooking demos, food expos, and musical and dance performances.

Top-notch bars and restaurants in RWM take the lead in the festivities as they showcase Spanish-inspired dishes in their menus.

Impressions, a French Restaurant headed by chef Cyrille Soenen, offers Spanish ala carte dishes and will have a rare and lavish Spanish Sunday Brunch tomorrow. Meanwhile, Coffee bar and lounge, Café Maxims, has put together a Spanish fusion sampler served in a dainty Spanish high tea stand.

For a unique fusion of Eastern and Western flavors, try chef David Chu Wang Fung’s mini taro salmon with spicy tomato sauce at the Cantonese fine dining restaurant, Passion.

Channeling its Spanish roots, Mediterranean-themed restaurant, The Terrace, serves Spanish entrees in its buffet sets and also features a barbecue buffet every weekend of the month.

There’s no better place to highlight the meeting of Filipino and Spanish flavors than in Mercado. The all-Filipino buffet restaurant serves Fil-Hispanic and Mediterranean dishes every Wednesdays and Saturdays of the month. Some of the must-tries are seafood zarzuela, paella with Chilean mussels, and the lechon de leche — a stuffed suckling pig roasted to perfection. Behind the delectable selection is chef Angelo Timban.

Taking the celebrations in full swing is Bar 360, where friends can have a night of fun and entertainment while downing a Sangria Tower. The 2.5-liter concoction comes with a free choice of special tapas and is available for P988. Patrons are also welcome to get on their feet as Arriba Latin band and the Viva El Flamenco Dancers take the stage.

The month-long festival is a homage to the tight bond between Spain and the Philippines. At the night of its launch, no less than the Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Domecq was present to give a toast to the special occasion. What’s more, guest masterchef Victor Burgos came all the way from Valladolid, Spain to ensure the authenticity of Spanish flavors served to the visitors.

Gastronomia de España will culminate on Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day tomorrow.