Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge at The Fort

Stepping inside Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge during dinner time could give you an illusion that you are transported in some place where mafia-like gentlemen on their sleek coats hold a glass of hard drinks on one hand, and the rest of the world on the other. Although tagged as one of the hippiest place to party come late night where beers and cocktail drinks come in a full swing to take center stage, when it comes to food, Relik means serious business.

Tucked at the second floor of Commercenter Building at The Fort, Relik exudes an aesthetically pleasing ambiance in a rustic kind of way. Its interior laden with vintage stuff which further makes the place classy without overbearing. Truth be told, the place can be a bit intimidating at a glance, but once you settled on your seat and start the feast of the palate, in a blink of an eye, it is suddenly there ~ the sense of belonging.

Our dinner started with the Tasting Board. Chunky wooden board filled with thin slices of Jamon Serrano, Chorizo Pamplona “Casedemont”, boneless “Diego Martin”, stuffed “Serpis” Spanish olives and Manchego "Artequeso." Each has a unique flavor when eaten on its own, but the blending rhyme with each other to produce something enough to tease one's appetite.

Tasting Board (Php490)

Slice into Relik's Baked Australian Brie wrapped in jamon and you would feel the slight resistance of the thick layer of its covering. But a little pushing through the core would be well worth it as your knife would be welcomed by the warm melted creamy goodness of the cheese with a texture sticky enough to cling to the utensil, and taste mildly intense enough to cling to your memory ~ even days after. The push and pull of salty taste brought about by the jamon covering the cheese and the sweet taste of the honey drizzled to the entire block of cheese made the interplay of flavor more interesting.

Baked Australian Brie (Php530)

The tranquility of a marine life and the primal sense of meaty kingdom was beautifully represented through Relik's Mussels and Spanish Chorizo. An unlikely combination ~ well at least in my book. But the marriage of two strong willed component tempered by the garlic cream sauce produced a unity of flavors that would nudge one into biting one juicy and plump piece of mussel after another.

Mussels and Chorizo (Php330)

One need not to dig into Relik's Mixed Paella to have a haunting fill of the bottom part (Socarrat) where all the flavors settled in, because every spoonful speaks of myriads of flavor. Every grain of rice has the subtle intention to fill and satisfy one's cravings for such Spanish dish.

Mixed Paella (Php820)

If one is to judge a restaurant by the goodness of steaks it serves, Relik can do away with their perfectly cooked 300g Benny’s Certified Angus Rib-eye. Generously cut and well seasoned, the meat was tender to the bite with its juices oozing out of its morsel. I've had enough steaks that blew me into oblivion, but Relik's version is equally worth raving and craving for.

300g Benny’s Certified Angus Rib-Eye Steak (Php1,150)

Prior to digging into what was to become my favorite for the night, my friend Rochelle of Hearty's Heaven Blog told me that Mother Ann’s Braised Ox-tail was a sure win. True enough, I found myself cutting into chunks of the meat with reckless abandon of blissful bite after another.

Mother Ann’s Braised Ox-tail (Php450)

With choices among garlic shrimp, pulled pork, and barbecue chicken, Relik's Quesadillas is a meal in itself. This palate pleaser I find surprisingly good with its slightly crispy flat bread and generous fillings can do away without the guacamole and the tomato salsa that comes with it. But for the experience sake, those were surely an added treats. Chorizig is Relik's own rendition of the classic Sisig topped with crunchy chorizo for a good measure. The sacredness of Sisig in my book made me a tad apprehensive in trying out this dish at first. Little did I know, the twist that the Relik's team made with it isn't really assaulting, rather, it only intensifies how good and utterly savory the dish was.

Quesadillas (Php300) Chorizig (Php295)

I wasn't expecting that a tapas bar such as Relik could render a heart warming desserts to boot. Surprisingly, their Vanilla and Amaretto Panacotta with berries campote garnered an approving nod among my dinner mates. Its perfect creamy consistency combined with the mixture of sweet-sour taste from the berries campote made the entire dinner all the more well worth staying for.

Vanilla and Amaretto Panacotta (Php160)

Liquors and cocktail drinks are one of Relik's strong point, but if you have an alcohol tolerance of an infant, like I do, variety of drinks are available to suit every diner's preferences.

Visit Relik's Facebook page and chances are, you would be seeing photos of hardcore night time partying.While it can be one of the coolest place to party the night away, it can also be the best place to visit to during lunch and dinner time when the ambiance is toned down making it more conducive to a peaceful dining experience.

Rarely do I encounter a bar lounge in which food are taken seriously. The gravity of importance which are normally laid for the goodies that party goers usually order commensurate to that of the importance they dish out to the diners who just wanted to have a decent meal. Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge definitely deliver in that aspect.