Paullene Joy A.

Yumang
paulleneyumang@gmail.com
09178433353

Sptzle brings German and Swiss flavors to the Philippines
by Paullene Yumang

EUROPEAN food is something that doesnt really get famous in the Philippines. Just by
looking at Filipino food culture, the foreign cuisines that dominate our palettes are that of
the American, Spanish and Chinese. Sptzle Euro Market Caf offers a new splash of
flavor by bringing Swiss and German food into the Philippine restaurant arena. The
business, which started at 2010, gets its name from the German staple sptzle which that
is a type of pasta made from soft egg noodles or dumplings. With only a single branch in
the country, Sptzle is located in the corner of the fifth floor of Shangri-la Plazas East
Wing.
The menu of the restaurant ranges from salads, sandwiches and pasta to potato
pancakes and tarte flambs. There were a couple of dishes that stood out from the menu.
One of Sptzles bestsellers and must tries is the Sptz Burger. The Sptz Burger is made
of 200 grams of homemade US burger on a brioche, topped with cream cheese, lettuce,
mushrooms and lots of crispy onion strips. This tender meaty goodness is definitely one
of the best dishes of this restaurant. Plated with potato chips at the side, every bite of this
tender burger is a symphony of sweet, salty and spice.
Next on the menu is also Sptzles bestseller. Imagine strips of tenderloin steak on
a bed of potato pancake served with a gracious amount of gravy. This is Sptzles Swiss
Alps. The whole dish is served with a gracious serving of their signature gravy. Another
specialty and a definite must try too is the Monte Blanc Tarte Flambe. It is a pancetta
bacon spinach mushroom and cream sauce based tarte flambe appetizer topped with
freshly made sliced potato chops. The combination of the chips on top, with the saltiness
of bacon and the creaminess of the sauce makes this dish worth the money. Sptz Cake in
a Jar is one Sptzles House Desserts. Customers can choose whether they want Apple
pie, Cookies & Cream and Mango Lime. All cakes are satisfactorily delicious. Their
Apple Pie, although not their specialty, still did not disappoint. It had the perfect sweet
crust and a balanced apple and cinnamon mixture inside.
However, some dishes failed to hit the mark. An example would be their Roast
Chicken Sausage on Mushroom Sptzle. This dish is composed of a chicken roulade
stuffed with sausage mixed with some herbs and seasonings. It is served on a bed of
freshly made sptzle, mushroom and gravy. The chicken roulade itself is a bit of a
downer as it lacked flavor. The seasoning on it is not spot-on and it tasted bland. The
sptzle also fell flat on the seasoning department. The saving glory of this dish is
probably the mushroom gravy thatwhich allowed to provide a little more flavor to an
otherwise weak dish.
The service in the restaurant is on point and quite impressive. The servers are all
attentive and fast. For the whole duration of the meals, the waiters remained alert and
observant. Upon entering the restaurant, customers are greeted happily and warmly.
Delivery of the food is also on pointe. The dishes are served on time and the waiters even
asked first if we want anything else, like water or extra seasoning.
Sptzle probably has one of the most charming designs among the restaurants in
Shangri-la Plaza. Its architecture and designs are very modern, as seen through the
smart combination of wood and glass. The overall vibe of the restaurant is very homey
and comfortable as the color scheme design focused mainly on earthly tones. The design
and color of the restaurant also came from the chalk design written on the black boards.
This added a bit of quirkiness to the restaurant. Blackboards were filled with cute designs
and lively colors which made the restaurant more lively. Just from afar, one could already
see the quaint and picturesque architectural design of Sptzle. The place is surrounded
with decorative plants, blackboards with chalk designs on them, and stools with quirky
aesthetics. The look of the restaurant itself is already a treat for the eyes. If one were to
pass by on this floor, just looking at the design of the restaurant would definitely attract
them. The design of the restaurant is both creative and clever.
What I lik most about the restaurant is that the presentation of the dishes is
surprisingly very creative. All of the dishes were plated in such an intricate and delicate
manner thus making them look more appetizing. The interior design too is the most
outstanding characteristic of the restaurant aside from its signature dishes. The coolness
of the design made the dining experience more delightful.
What I dont like about Sptzle is that they dont have a bathroom inside the
restaurant itself. The location of the restroom is 20 to 30 meters away from the restaurant.
Having one inside the restaurant would be both strategic and convenient.
Sptzle is a must try if you like trying European flavors. It does not fall short on
delivering dishes with great presentation and great flavors. Although not all the dishes are
worth the praise, there are still those that stand out. Their bestsellers live up to their
names and they are surely something you cannot find in any other restaurants. Sptzle
had pretty dishes and is a restaurant that serves good food however it offers a dining
experience not worth coming back for.
Rating: (3/5) Excellent! Grade: A. Kudos for spelling the restaurants
name correctly.
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