Which dish that, when added to your spread, automatically levels up your home celebration?
For me, it’s the paella.
It’s one the dishes brought over from Spain during our colonial days and it has since found its place in our local cuisine. It combines the use of rice (our staple food), seafood (which we have in abundance) and chicken (which makes it a complete and filling meal in itself).
Paella’s origins can be traced back to Valencia in Spain, and is widely considered as one of the regions cultural symbols. It takes its name from the wide and shallow pan traditionally used to cook it.
Local bakery cafe Mom & Tina’s also makes traditional homecooked dishes which also includes paella.
Its version of Paella Valencia has the same basic ingredients: rice, mussels, shrimp and chicken, which are sauteed in olive oil with garlic, tomatoes and chorizo. Squeezing some lemon juice into the cooked paella right before eating adds a zing of citrusy freshness to the dish.
For my fifteenth wedding anniversary celebration at home, I decided to pair it with my version of the Cheesy Baked Salmon, which resulted in a winning combination!
The briny and acidic tones from the paella perfectly complemented the rich taste of the baked salmon.
Well, this combo will definitely be included in my home celebrations from now on!
This Mom & Tina’s branch is located at FRDC Building, 106 Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Avenue (C5), Bgy. Ugong, Pasig City. It is open daily for dine-in, takeout or delivery from 9am to 9pm. For reservations, orders and inquiries, call +63 2 85711541 or +63 999 8850092.
Other branches are found at:
- Tropical Palms Condominium, 103 De la Rosa St., corner Perea St., Legazpi Village, Makati City
- Across ABS-CBN, 58 Sgt. Esguerra Ave., South Triangle, Quezon City
Check out my previous posts about Mom & Tina’s:
Jellybeans in the City 