vivere per mangiare (live to eat)

So we heard that there's this little Italian haven right at the heart of Cubao. Being Certified Foodies (TM), we had no choice but to check it out. One Saturday (August 9, 2008), a little before noon, we strolled into the sleepy Cubao Expo (formerly Marikina Shoe Expo) complex. The place, which hosts an assortment of quaint counter-culture-ish shops complete with tarot card readers and various curios, felt like it was still yawning from activities of the previous night. Since this is not a shopping blog (Abi should not be writing about the prickly heat powder she bought which comes in a vintage tin can with the words "The British Dispensary" on it, nor should She write about the dirt cheap pair of Janylin sandals that she got which had funky ruby-red gems), we must stay focused.

The dark cool interior of Bellini's provided a respite from the relentless heat of the sun outside. We picked a table (covered in crisp white tablecloth) near the windows and admired the fully painted walls and ceiling, while nibbling bread sticks that had a hint of parmesan cheese in them. We ordered the quatro formaggi (four cheese) pizza, and the pasta with shrimps, tomatoes and broccoli.

More deserves to be said about the pizza. When Abi suggested that we order the quatro formaggi, She was skeptical. What could be less exciting that pizza dough with just cheeses on it? (What? No pepperoni or mushrooms?). But when the thin-crust pizza arrived, it had rectangular blocks of authentic cheddar, balls of roquefort or blue cheese, embedded in melted mozzarella plus another white cheese. We had about two slices each when Abi suggested trying the chili oil on the table. We must say, that chili oil did something to seal in the flavor of all the cheeses and make them explode in your mouth.

Bill amounted to Php575 for the two dishes, including service charge. Don't forget to ask for your thimble-sized sweet wine (which sort of reminded She of cherry-flavored Vicks candy back in the late 1980s).