Chef Benjo Tuason of Relik comes back to PI from OZ to share his family style cooking. His philosophy goes “cook with love” and I say, it works!  Together with other partners, he built Relik.  Relik opened as a bar during Halloween of  2011.  Now it is a full pledged restaurant and bar, available from lunch ’til you drop.  The place is relax and most of the displays come from their houses, thus “Relik.”

Relik owner

Lunch time in a tapas bar seems odd but wait ’til you see what they offer.

For appetizer, we were served with a Tasting Board (P490) with baked Australian brie (P530) and deep fried Manchego cheese(P300).  The tasting board consists of Jamon Serrano, 15 months boneless “Diego Martin.”  It also has chorizo Pamplona “Casedemont,” stuffed “Serpis” Spanish olives and Manchego 6 months “Artequeso.”  While the baked Australian brie is a creamy Yarra Valley Brie wrapped in jamon and lightly glazed with honey.  The deep fried Manchego cheese are Manchego cubes in panko bread crumbs with honey and cayenne pepper. Oohlala…!  This serves 4-6.  It is an excellent tapas choice for a group.

Tasting board

I highly recommend the Relik’s beef tenderloin salpicao which is Australian beef tenderloin sauteed in garlic and Worcestershire sauce.     There is a difference of being served Australian beef.  You could just taste freshness in every bite.

Relik’s Beef Salpicao

We can now get serious with the entree.  Relik’s mixed paella (P820) should be ordered a day in advance.  It serves 6-8.  This is a home cooked tradition by Chef Benjo’s family passed on to him.

Relik’s Mixed Paella

My fave dish here and truly delish is Mother Ann’s braised Ox-tail.  It’s a slow braised Australian ox-tails served with pomme puree and buttered carrots.  Yes, its totally tender and the flavor is buried in the meat.

Mother Ann’s braised Ox-tail

The Cochinilllo was also served but I did not have a share of it.  My friends told me that the crunch was to die for.

Cochinillo

Don’t leave without a happy ending.  Vanilla and Amaretto Panacotta (P160) is a perfect treat for two.

Vanilla and Amaretto Panacotta