Via Mare: 40 years living the legacy of Filipino Food

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it gives us a strength for the whole day, and for us Filipino's there are variations of breakfast for us like; tocino, longganisa with sunny side up, dilis with vinegar on side and beef tapa all perfect match with garlic fried rice. *salivating*

Nowadays Filipino breakfast dishes were put aside because of the instant-western fast foods that can be seen in every corner of the city.

Last Thursday, I am very honored to be invited for Via Mare's 40 years celebration held in Greenbelt 1 their first ever branch.

Via Mare started the Filipino food legacy since 1975, after which the Filipino cuisine was never the same again.

Chef Glenda Barretto the heart of the restaurant and her strong belief in the Filipino cuisine potential to be world class, in fact she bought recognition to the sophistication and complex flavors of the Philippines.

We had this lavish breakfast composed by: Milkfish, Longganisa, Adobo flakes, Sunny side-up with Garlic fried rice.

The authentic taste and mixture of this breakfast made me order another round of rice. Lol!

Here is madame Glenda Barretto laughing while she shares her memory way back when she still learning to be a chef. "The idea of adobo flakes was when her mom cooks adobo for her father, I'm the one who will shred the chicken and my mom will fry it."

"The past 40 years is not only the story of the restaurant, it is a story of the Filipino people." Barretto said.

When it comes to hosting dinner for dignitaries, international celebrities, heads of states, international events, there is no other restaurant has been on top like Via Mare.

They're also the top choice of First Lady Imelda Marcos whenever she hosted a gala dinner for dignitaries at the Malacañan Palace.

Via Mare was also there in other milestones of the Philippines history from The gala of the Philippine-run of West End's Miss Saigon, The papal visit of then Pope John Paul II, The 1995 Miss Universe pageant in Manila, 2007 ASEAN Summit in Cebu.

The restaurant itself has changed over the past 40 years. While it maintained to be the premier Filipino restaurant.

Every meal is not complete without a dessert.

Everyday is like Christmas because they serve rice cakes like this one on my platter the well-loved Puto bungbong and Bibingka with hot chocolate on side.

"At 40 years, we have shown the world and most especially our fellow Filipinos, what Filipino cuisine is all about - it is about freshness of ingredients cooked in influences of our ancestors and the rich heritage of the Filipino nation, sprinkled with love and affection of a Filipino chef." Glenda Barretto