The concept of tita and tito has gone beyond an age bracket to become something of a lifestyle. Tita culture, as a thriving movement, is now synonymous with a certain taste for lounge-like ambiance, comfort food, trendy coffee, sweet alcohol, and lengthy brunch sessions, in which women and men approaching their golden years can catch up and discuss in detail what’s current and topical.
Sobre Mesa has taken note of the trend, moving away from its old identity as a South American restaurant to give way to a more convivial atmosphere fit for any tito and tita, be it by age or by heart.
Harvard Uy de Baron, president of the Menu Group of which Sobre Mesa is a part of, said the new menu caters to the taste of their generation born in the 1990s.
“We’re offering comfort dishes—European and Spanish —ones that you’ve been accustomed to for many years,” De Baron explained, giving as examples the prosciutto and melon salad, chorizo paella, paella negra and bulalo estofado.
The interior was basked in orange, swathed in the warm tones of butterscotch and tangerine table runners that matched the design of the menus. The palette was easy on the eye and did a lot to highlight the understated, mouthwatering plating of the food.
Sous chef Arman Panahon fondly recalled the common creations from the kitchens of their families and grandparents. He said his favorite dish is the paella negra, made with perfectly cooked squid and served with a tangy white sauce.
Panahon said that mealtimes are usually heavy with conversation, which is part of Filipino culture.
For his part, De Baron explained: “We’re all about the food, not so much the aesthetics or the design.”
Suspended in time
Sobre Mesa aims for just that: food that mimics the taste of home, in a restaurant suspended in time, where the peaceful, relaxed mood invites family and friends alike to sit and converse amid the music of classic ’90s hits.
The walls are covered with posters that harken back to good old days, and the chairs are good enough to sleep in. It’s the kind of scene that gets you to stay for hours.
Customers who come in past 5 p.m. can enjoy a complimentary glass of Sobre Mesa’s signature sangria. They can have cocktails at the affordable price of P100-165 each. Local beers are even set at P250 for four. It’s safe to expect that this feature will attract a slew of Friday-night regulars, as well as titos and titas looking for a buzzed late lunch or early dinner.
This generous “Happy Hour” is exempt on Wednesdays for a special reason: Titos and Titas Day is every Wednesday, where clients born 1975-1990 can enjoy a presenior discount of 16 percent.
For those with freer schedules over the weekend, watch out for the Unlimited Tapas every Saturday for P450 at Sobre Mesa’s branch in Shangri-La Plaza.
“We designed the restaurant to be vibrant, easy on the eye, with comfortable seats and big servings,” said De Baron. —CONTRIBUTED
Sobre Mesa, 4/F, East Atrium of Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong; and Sapphire Bloc in Ortigas Center
