I've been addicted to tapas and good wine just last year. I know that I may be a late bloomer when it comes to drinking wine and savoring tapas, but it's never too late to enjoy it, and discovering places like Black Olive makes it more interesting.
Black Olive Cerveceria is one of the famous watering holes at Capitol Commons, Pasig. It's by Chef Carlo Miguel, the genius behind Draft Gastropub.
To kick off our lunch, we started with a glass of refreshing Montrogue Sangria. It's sweet and light, a perfect drink to beat the heat outside.
It's no fun getting buzzed without something to munch on, so we got tapas to pair with our wine.
Grilled Octopus with Green Romesco & Black Olive Salsa (P230)
This was my favorite among all the tapas that we tried. The Grilled Octopus has the right amount of chewiness that won't make your jaw hurt and the sliced and diced veggies adds crunch and freshness to the octopus.
Burrata with Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Marinated Olives (P485)
If you're looking for something to really munch on, this is it. The walnuts adds a good crunch to the Prosciutto, and the Italian cheese binds them all perfectly together.
Crispy Boneless Chicken Wings with Mojo Picon (P280)
The Crispy Boneless Chicken Wings are for people who are too lazy to eat chicken wings with bones. And I'm part of that crowd. The Mojo Picon is a bit too spicy for me though.
Black Olive's Barbecue Pork Riblets (P280)
The ribs are a bit oily considering that it's barbecued, but it's still good. Be prepared to have oily fingers after eating these.
Squid Ink Battered Prawns with Honey Aioli (P390)
The Squid Ink Battered Prawns looks very unusual yet the taste is familiar, it tastes like tempura but wait until you dip it in the Honey Aioli, then it changes everything. It's also very pretty to look at since the orange tail really pops out of the black battered prawns.
The bartender showers the inside of the glass with very cold water to make it chilly before filling it with a cold beer of your choice from a tap that is also covered in ice.
There are a few draft beers to choose from at Black Olive, so pick your poison - Stella Artois, Chimay, St. Thomas, Hoegaarden, Beck's, or Paulaner Munich Bier. I've always been a fan of Hoegaarden, but when I tried the St. Thomas, I had a new favorite.
Stracchi with Lamb, Black Olive, and Sage Ragu (P430)
I'm not really a lamb person, but this was an exemption. The cut of the pasta were thick which makes it very filling and the sauce is just about right.
Brick Oven Pizza: Prosciutto, Arugula, Tomato, Mozzarella (P495)
A very light and fresh pizza. Some people want to have their pizza filled with all sorts of toppings to the brim, but I prefer my pizzas like this. Simple yet very tasty.
Risotto Verde (P605)
It's another simple dish but packs a lot of flavor. The Salmon is a bit crispy on the outside but still soft and tender on the inside. The Risotto goes perfectly well with the Salmon.
Porchetta with Rosemary Roast Potato and Caponata (P490)
This is the mother ship of all the mains that we had. This Porchetta is huge, it's a stack of lean meat, fat and the star of the dish: crispy skin, which everyone went for. The sides adds a fresh taste to the Porchetta and blends perfectly well with it.
Chocolate, Almonds & Raisins Torte with Vanilla Ice Cream (P200)
Tiramisu (P230)
The desserts were pretty straight forward. The chocolate, almonds, and raisins torte is not as chocolaty as it looks, the raisins overpowers most of the flavor but its a good mix of chocolate, fruit, nuts and vanilla. It's like a deconstructed Cadbury Fruit & Nuts chocolate bar. The Tiramisu is good for sharing because it's huge. It's really moist on the inside with a hint of rum.
The Black Olive Cerveceria is a great watering hole with awesome Mediterranean food. It's the perfect place if you want something laid back and not to loud. The place looks amazing, it can be a date place or a place where you bring all your friends for a night of wine, beer, and awesome tapas. Chef Carlo Miguel did an amazing job with Black Olive, it's definitely worth the drive all the way to Capitol Commons from the south.
Black Olive Cerveceria
+63 917 507 3512
Unit R3A & B,
Camino Verde Avenue, Capitol Commons,
Meralco Avenue cor. Shaw Boulevard,
Brgy. Oranbo, Pasig
Open Daily: 11am - 1am
