July 11, 2012

Cova Tapas Y Sangria - The New Bar in Town!


A new bar just hit the town! Cova Tapas y Sangria along Jupiter St. in Makati is the new face of modern Spanish bar. 

A joint venture between partners Tatyana Guevara and Patrick Hesse, who after graduating from Enderun Colleges flew all the way to Barcelona, Spain to train and learn more about Spanish cuisine.

They finally went home with a bright idea in mind. A plan that came into life with a vision to bring their closest experience in Barcelona to Manila. Hence the opening of Cova Tapas Y Sangria Bar.

Cova means cave which explains the modern and stylish cave-like design of the bar. Its cozy and relaxed ambiance makes it an ideal hangout for people who wants to meetup with friends in a subdued setting.


Cova's menu mainly consist of Spanish appetizers which are called tapas. "Tapa" which means cover or cap is part of the Spanish gastronomic culture.

Moving on with Cova's signature tapas, we learned that Tapas servings are normally good for one to two persons while Racion is provided for bigger groups. 

We started with something that resembles breakfast. A great dish to start and wake up our taste buds.

Huevos Cabreados (P260)


A pile of fried shoestring potatoes topped with crispy chorizo bits and two sunny side up eggs, their Huevos Cabreados truly feels like a breakfast plate in the morning. Freshly made alioli was drizzled on top with spicy brava sauce and pesto dip outlining the plate.

This is definitely my favorite dish in Cova. The right way of eating it is actually mixing everything first to infuse the flavors together. A hearty plate of Spanish comfort food! 

Cap I Pota (Tapa-P250/Racion-P500)

A Catalan specialty that resembles that of the classic Spanish Callos, Cap I Pota is a stew of Ox tripe, cheeks, jamon, blood sausage, tomatoes, sultana raisins and pine nuts.

What I love about this is the meaty and chewy part from the ox tripe and cheeks. Plus, the hint of sweetness and nuttiness from the raisins and pine nuts added to a much tastier and savory flavor to the whole dish. Best paired with rice or some warm toasted bruschetta, this will surely tickle your taste buds. 

Ravioli de Rabo de Toro (Tapa-P240/Racion-P480)


Ravioli de Rabo de Toro literally means Ox Tail Ravioli but Cova doesn't just stop there because inside this golden brown crispy wrappers are premium fillings of ox tail, foie gras and shitake mushroom. The Ox tail jus and balsamic cream gave these mini pockets of mouth-watering ravioli an enhanced and rich taste.

Most of Cova's tapa serving comes in two pieces while racion comes in five. An ideal portioning in a way customers could taste a little bit of everything from their menu without worrying the bill. 

Pintxo de Queso Frito (Tapa-P180/Racion-P360)


Simple and straight to the point. This tapa captured my heart at first bite. Pintxo de Queso Frito is deep fried gruyere cheese topped with caramelized onions on a bed of honey, balsamic cream and Spanish pesto. 

What I love most about this dish is the touch of honey and balsamic cream that gave a sweet and tangy taste to the creamy and nutty gooey cube of cheese. It was like an explosion of different flavors!

And what pairing for this could be better than a glass of chilled fruity Sangria.

Cova Red Sangria (500ml-P447/ 1L-P895)

Summer Peachy White Wine Sangria (500ml-P447/ 1L-P895)


Cova's Sangria are all imported from Spain and surely they got the best. The Spanish wine punch was fruity sweet with chopped fruits afloat the sangria carafes. A refreshing drink that you'll surely enjoy  together with the variety of tapas Cova has on the menu. And don't you just love the nice orange and butterfly touches?

Espuma Bacalao (P380)


No, we are not yet on dessert. This may look like a dessert shooter but believe me, it isn't. This is actually a glass of salted cod foam with potatoes, olives and garlic confit. Espuma is a modern gastronomy technique wherein foam is used in culinary and cooking. Bacalao on the other hand is the spanish term for dried salted cod. There you have it Espuma Bacalao!

Given that it is made from salted cod, this dish was a bit salty with mousse-like airy texture. Bits of cod  could be found at the bottom part of the glass so it's better to dig in deep. 

Crema Catalana (P200)


And here is dessert. We were served with Cova's best-selling dessert Crema Catalana, the Catalonian version of the classic crème brûlée. 

I've been used to eating the Philippine version leche flan and so I thought it would taste the same. Crema Catalana's custard was soft and not as firm as I'm used to but I guess the texture should really be like that. The taste was just a tad sweet with a tang of zesty orange flavor. Finally, the caramelized cracking layer gave this dessert just the right amount of sweetness it needs. 

Cova is a great place to hang out, chit chat with friends over a few glasses of sangria and munch on some delectable tapas they offer. I'm not quite into bars that have loud music, dark lights and strobe lights 'cause it makes catching up with old friends hard to do. So if your are looking for a trendy bar that sets the mood for a long bonding night with friends, Cova is definitely the place to be. 


Cova Tapas Y Sangria
22 Jupiter St. Brgy. Bel-Air,
Makati City
Tel Num: 478-9700

15 comments:

  1. WOAH! I want to try this! :)

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  2. Love MindanaoJuly 12, 2012

    oh my .. am drooling ... very seldom to have a treat like this .... for sure it is on my list to visit on my next trip to the metro....love it .:D

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  3. you should michy! great place, great food! :) 

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  4. Dan Michael SuzaraJuly 12, 2012

    Those spanish appetizers are sumptuous.. I'd love to try that Crema Catalana too,... :) Nice post by the way.  

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  5. Mai_FloresJuly 12, 2012

    Wow, fine dining at its best. I love pa naman Spanish cuisines. A little pricey but this would definitely be a winner for me. :) 

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  6. Mmmm all of it looks delicious!

    ariarhapsody.blogspot.com

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  7. TatsguevaraJuly 12, 2012

    Thank you so much for this ! :) Love the blog 

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  8. Thank you and welcome! :) It was our pleasure to dine at Cova! :) 

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  9. I like the concept of  having a cave and a bar and the spanish dishes that goes with it.  I just leave near Jupiter area and will try to visit this.

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  10. Omg I love Spanish cuisine, I just can't have it as much as I would like as it is most likely quite pricey. But definitely well worth the cost =) Patatas Bravas has got to be one of my favs too, it's just a fail safe choice wherever you go! The dessert at the end looks delicious too ^_^

    Anna @ FEED ME NANA xoxo

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  11. Lance Romel bucoyJuly 13, 2012

    Enticing food with inviting place Perfect!  wanna try  the Pintxo de Queso Frito and the crema catalana, ohhhlala. The bar man! so relaxing for me :)

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  12. Hmmm very nice dishes

    Your blog is very nice ,design looks pretty impressive
    Keep sharing :)

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  13. Wow! The interior is delightfully eccentric! I love it! And your food shots are all so yummy! :) 

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  14. A Possible FantasyJuly 13, 2012

    patatas bravas looks and sounds delicious!  love crema catalana!

    do you want to follow each other (on bloglovin' and gfc)? let me know!
    see you around!

    www.apossiblefantasy.blogspot.com

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  15. Seems like a nice place. But isnt it too pricey?

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