It's Back: Mesa Rockwell is Now Open ~ Simple Delicious Food Recipes

Complex flavors and different influences make Filipino cuisine very interesting. There are several restaurants that offer great Filipino dishes and one of the best ones in town for me is Mesa Filipino Moderne.

Hello, Mesa Filipino Moderne.

The well-loved Filipino restaurant, Mesa, is back in Power Plant Mall!

Situated at the newly renovated wing, one could easily spot Mesa with its well-lit space that could comfortably fit 90 guests.

Mesa first opened in Greenbelt 5 nine years ago and since then, it became a household name for satisfying Filipino food cravings. With its aim to be a brand that provides accessible and affordable dishes complemented by luxurious overall dining experience, Mesa now has 41 branches nationwide offering mouthwatering dishes at pocket friendly prices.

I was invited to a sneak preview of its newly opened Power Plant branch last Friday and was treated to a feast!

We got crowd favorites Baked Tahong with Cheese (PHP305), Baked Scallops with Garlic Butter (PHP240), Daing with tons of garlic (PHP330), Baby Squid in Olive Oil (PHP330), Gising Gising (PHP195) and Kare-Kare Beef and Tripe (PHP325). We also indulged in Crispchon (PHP1,100, one-sixth | PHP1,500, quarter | PHP2,600, half | PHP4,995, whole) which can be served two ways, wrapped in pandan crepe or tossed in chili garlic with three sauces--Rikki's Choice, Garlic Mayo, Spicy Pork Liver.

It was my first time to try Baby Squid in Olive Oil as it's always out of stock whenever I visit Mesa. Yes, it's that popular! And true enough, it was indeed good. Cooked to perfection, the baby squid had that delectable snappy texture and its light taste allows you to enjoy its fresh flavor.

I've been a big fan of Mesa's Baked Scallops as it is always covered in garlic bits.

And this plate was just like all rest I've wolfed down.

But I prefer Baked Tahong with Cheese as each bite has more texture and flavorful. I also adore how Mesa drowns each mussel in cheese. R prefers that it gets a light film of sugar though for a lovely contrast against the sharp and salty cheese.

Gising Gising is another Mesa favorite of mine. Fresh winged beans, crisp in every bite, beautifully complemented by flavorful ground pork, chillies and coconut milk is nothing short of delicious.

And when Mesa puts "tons of garlic" in its menu, it delivers! The bangus belly served to us was topped with garlic bits giving the slight tangy daing an addicting taste. All it needs is a sunny side up egg and this would have been an epic breakfast dish.

I was already full when the big bowl of kare-kare was served. Its aroma was so enticing that I just have to make space for some. And I was glad that I did.

The thick peanut sauce had this slight sweet taste that went pretty well with shrimp paste. The tender beef chunks and tripe were excellent too.

The Crispchon was amazing too! The skin was light and crispy and I had fun rolling it in pandan crepe with some of the sauces. My favorite is still the classic liver sauce.

And in celebration of Heritage Month, Mesa launched Heritage Meal Bundles--set meals good for 5 persons-- with heritage-influenced dishes like Shrimp Tofu Salad inspired by our Oriental neighboring countries and Pochero from our Spanish ancestors.

Sets start at PHP1,100. Visit Mesa Filipino Moderne's Facebook page for details.

We were too full to have desserts but if you still have space for some, do try Mesa's Crispy Leche Flan. Or pair your meal with one of Mesa's refreshing coolers.