Cyma (see-mah)

Last Friday, a day after that idiotic episode at Manila Pen, my Dear and I ate at Cyma in Trinoma (for those who don't know, Trinoma is a new mall in Quezon City, near SM North Edsa). Cyma is a Greek restaurant owned by a Filipino chef, and apparently it has already carved a name for itself. I actually wanted to go to a Persian resto last Friday, but my Dear wasn't too keen on it so we compromised on Greek cuisine. And it turned out to be a good decision indeed.

First, the non-food review. Cyma has a casual and relaxed ambience, and the decor captures the flavour of the Mediterranean. Being on the 5th floor of Trinoma, an unobstructed view is an added bonus. Service, I should say, is friendly in the American hi-my-name-is-XXXX-and-i'm-your-server-for-today style. But unlike American restos, they don't kick you out the minute you're done with your meal and are unlikely to order anything else. One thing they can change is the layout-- the bathroom door is in plain view of the dining area and it ain't a good sight.

As for the food, here's what we ordered:

Melitzanosalata (P100)-- basically a roasted eggplant and tomato salad served with whole wheat pita bread. Think of a Greek-style ensaladang talong, with olive oil and lemon juice instead of vinegar. Good, actually, although not as "Greek" as I expected.

Dolmadakia (P195)-- grape leaves stuffed with baked rice and pine nuts, served with yogurt. Very tart. And I mean tart. I had something like this when I was in Baku (also called dolma), stuffed with rice and mutton, but it was not so tart as Cyma's version. And for extra tartness, they serve this dish with a wedge of lemon. I don't know if it was supposed to be that tart, but if it was, I strongly prefer the Azeri version. Oh, did I say this dish was tart?



Roka Salata, solo (P295)-- arugula (roka), sun-dried tomatoes, and walnuts with shaved parmesan cheese and a sweet dressing. This was the gem of the meal, and I'm pretty sure we'll order this every time we eat at Cyma. Although parmesan cheese isn't really Greek, it was a very good addition to the salad. Don't let the "solo" fool you-- this salad is good for at least two.

Mixed Meat Gyros (P180)-- a gyros of pork, beef, tomatoes, onions, and some reddish sauce, rolled in whole wheat pita bread. It is very big and filling-- think of an oversized shawarma. It's so big that it's unwieldy-- I suggest against it if you're on a first date. But if you want a hearty meal and don't mind making a mess, I strongly suggest it. I ordered my gyros with a side of roasted potatoes sprinkled with parsley and parmesan cheese (P80), which I barely touched on account of being too full.

Chicken Gyros (P140) with a lettuce wrap (P25)-- my Dear's order. Same as a regular gyro, but replace the pita bread with lettuce. Not bad, but I still prefer bread on my gyros. My Dear also ordered her lettuce gyros with a side of roasted potatoes (P80), which she barely touched.

Refillable iced tea (P80) and lemonade (P80)-- thankfully, not that saccharine mixture that usually passes for iced tea and lemonade.

As it was our first time at Cyma, we got carried away with our orders and ended up spending almost P1,400. A sane meal for two can include a salad, a gyros, and maybe some entree or pasta, costing around P300 to P400 per person, even less if you'll share the hugely-portioned dishes. All in all, a pretty good deal.