Mario's started off as a dining place along Session Road in Baguio City. I can still remember eating there in the late seventies and early eighties; oftentimes it was hard to get a table, and we would sometimes end up eating in Star Cafe instead. The group had two restaurants along Tomas Morato in Quezon City--Mario's which opened sometime after martial law and the Tamarind Grill, which opened in the early eighties, but only had a 10 year life span. After the big 1990 earthquake, the group moved the Baguio restaurant to its present location along the Upper Session Road. Daddy Alex enjoyed the food at Mario's and when he was alive, the place was a favorite for Sunday lunch with Vicky's family.
Sunday was a lazy morning for a meeting with my sisters, and we decided to have a grand brekky at Mario's. Anita had pancake, an omelette and sausages, while Erika has daing na bangus (milkfish marinated in vinegar) and longganiza (Vigan-style chorizo). Michaela, being the health advocate that she is, went for smoked salmon, while I couldn't resist the baboy damo (wild boar), meat of which is very difficult to find. All in all, we spent something like P400 per person. I understand that the Sunday buffet lunch comes to around P900 per head, and as I looked around the buffet table, I saw my favorites--ceasar's salad, a whole lechon, tenderloin steak, paella, and oysters!
The interiors are pleasing, homey and the quiet atmosphere is perfect for both family gatherings and business meetings. The staff provides fast but unobtrusive service, and I am happy to note that the quality of the food and the physical plant has been maintained through the years. We will surely be back!
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