Diana Gene Cubelo Calasin
+5
Fast Service, Nice Ambiance, good food especially Monalisa Special panizze rolled pizza , Pollo Pizzimenti creamy parmesan sauce w/ mushroom and your brewed iced tea
i like the food except that nanibago ako sa pasta, amoy panis pero ganon daw yun hahaha wala nyan sa bundok e haha
Ferdinand Dionesio Clitar Basan
+5
bellisima...italianno..yummy yummy sweet delicacy.
Highly recommended. Fine dining and yet not so pricey. The pizza, pasta and salads were all good. The owner was there and was assiting his staff. That's cool!
Michael, the owner, is a man of his word and his wife (the head chef) makes the best dishes. He told me I would not regret eating there. Now visiting more times than I can count I find his statement to be a word of honor.
This is my favorite restaurant in ALABANG. The service is excellent and the food is sobra sarap. The ambience is tranquil and the staff are amazing. Go and check it out!
Food served were quite pricey but definitely worth it! My mom and I had the vongole pasta and fettuccine pescatore: both were filled with really fresh seafood! It was our first time and I am excited to try their other dishes...
I first heard of Mona Lisa through their lunch promo advertisement online. Pasta and pizza were filling and tasted authentic, especially good for the price. I hope they continue the promo.
Early dinner date at Mona Lisa Ristorante, 2 weekends ago. We rarely go in South area, and I am excited to try this place. Italian dishes is one of my favorites. Its a fine dining place, perfect for dates.
We had:
š“Salmon Carpacio - smoke salmon with olives
š“Panizza (P750)- we get to try 2 flavors, we had Mona Lisa Speciale (cream tomato sauce, sauteed buttered shrimps and herbs, mozarella and provolone cheese) and Al Tono ( tuna, mozarella, caramelized onions, tomato sauce). Panizza is served woth a bowl of arugula and alfalfa.
šØCannoli (P300) an italian dessert, served with vanilla gelato. Unlike crepe, this one has crispy and hard shell with ricotta filling.
Verdict: The Panizza is superb. I enjoyed it, esp Mona Lisa Speciale, its highly recommended. Salmon Carpacio, it a perfect appetizer, I enjoyed the olives that was served with smoked salmon. The cannoli is great, since Its not that sweet perfect with coffeeš
Mona Lisa Ristorante, an Italian fine dining restaurant in Commercenter, Filinvest Alabang. The said restaurant has been here for many years now, whatās their secret to success? I must say its their Italian dishes and the enjoyable dining experience. Sicilian Caesar Salad (P385). Like any other regular meal, we started off with two kinds of salad. The lettuces in both salad are fresh and crisp. If you want the classic salad, go for theĀ Sicilian Caesar Salad (P385) while TheĀ Italian Antipasto Salad (P385) vinaigrette dressing is something to look forward to. I loved that both salad has generous slices of cheese.
Welcome to Mona Lisa Ristorante, a classy Italian dining restaurant in the South. I canāt help but stare at the beautiful artworks on the ceiling and walls inside Mona Lisa Ristorante. It will take you to a quick trip to Italy by offering some of their authentic Italian dishes. Donāt worry if youāre in doubt on what to eat, their waiters are well-versed when it comes to their menu. They will even gladly assist you to your seat. Once seated, they will serve you with their freshly baked complimentary breads with whipped butter, tomato puree and pesto.
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Mona Lisa is a fine dining Spanish restaurant in the South that serves salads, pastas, and pizza.
We were given complimentary bread as soon as we were seated. Sicilian Caesar Salad (P 385) and Antipasto Salad (P 385) came in first. Sicilian Caesar Salad was awesome. It has Romaine lettuce, grapes, ripe mango, pine nuts, shaved parmeggiano cheese tossed in homemade Caesar dressing. It was followed by Barbeque Pizza Pollo (P 430). Next we had Monalisa Speciale and Miguelli Calabrese Panizze. Panizze are thin crust pizzas that are best eaten rolleed. And I love that the Miguelli Calabrese has mozzarella and parmesan cheese, homemade Italian sausage, porcini mushroom, herbs plus cream sauce.
The barbequed chicken strips is given more pronounced flavor with a generous topping of mozzarella cheese. Each bite guarantees a mouthful of chicken barbeque!
For pasta, we tried Pollo Pizzimente (P 535), Spaghetti alle Vongole (P 450), and Fettuccine Pescatore (P 550). Fettuccine Pescatore is pasta loaded with mixed seafoods. It has mussels, squid and shrimps. Spaghetti alle Vongole is oil-based spaghetti mixed in with clams. I prefer Pollo Pizzimente, which is creamy pasta. It has chicken meat, bits of broccoli, asparagus, and a touch of earthiness brought in by the sliced porcini mushrooms.
Mona Lisa's food choices are delicious. Check them out soon.
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If youāre looking for an authentic and delicious Italian cuisine, Mona Lisa Ristorante is definitely a place worth dining in.
Mona Lisa Ristorante offers a variety of Italian food from pizzas to pastas, and donāt forget to also try their desserts.
First off, their pizzas and panizzas are really good, they are not oily and are well seasoned. For their pizzas, I highly recommend their Barbecue Pizza Pollo, and for their panizzas, their Monalisa Speciale and Miguelli Calabrese.
Second, their pastas, definitely one of the better pastas I have tried. I love pasta and I am also strict in the taste when it cones to the pastas I eat. Their Fetuccine Pescatore realy caught my attention. I am not a fan of seafood pastas, but having tasted this, made me want to try out other seafood pastas. Their Pollo Pizzimente alao definitelya must try, the creamy goodness of the sauce paired with the tender chicken, my favorite pasta of this place so far.
Lastly, their desserts. I am a huge fan of cheesecakes and their Italian Cheesecake is definitely one of the good ones I have eaten so far.
Mona Lisa Ristorante is surely a place I could return to, to try out the other goodies in their menu.
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I immediately fell in love with the place when we arrived at Mona Lisa Ristorante as I could not imagine there is such that could take you to Italy in a snap. The murals and paintings, everything in the interiors gives you a glimpse of Italy and it was a joy to see while having your authentic Italian dishes. More than that, here is a happy crew wearing smiles and Mona Lisa neck ties around their neck.
So we were served several dishes. The salads we had were the Sicilian Caesar Salad - a mix of Romaine lettuce, grapes, ripe mangoes, pine nuts, shave parmeggiano cheese tossed in homemade ceasar dressing. Also the Italian Antipasto Salad- mix of Romaine and iceberg lettuce, red beans, garbanzo beans, cubed salami, provolone cheese, plum tomato in their special vinaigrette. The Sicilian Ceasar is a thumbs up coz I really like the blend of sweet crunchy texture and a little bit of salty to balance it out though the Italian Antipasto is also good because of the sweet-tart dressing.
We also had their specialty pastas. From the seafood pastas, the Spaghetti alla Vongole, which is composed of roasted whole garlic, white wine, clams, garnished with lemon zest and Italian parsley and also the Fettuccine alla Pescatore, sauteed with garlic, onions, mixed seafood, white wine tossed with creamy tomato sauce and garnished with Italian parsley. The pastas were drenched in those rich delicious sauce and both were equally filling. To add contrast, we tried the meat based pasta, Pollo Pizzimente. They used chicken breast and thighs mixed with creamy porcini mushroom Parmesan sauce with asparagus and broccoli drizzled with black truffle oil - it was simply amazing!
The panizze's that we tried were the Mona Lisa Special and the Miguelli Calabrese. These were served with a bowl of arugula and alfalfa and a choice of either white or wholewheat crust. The creamy tomato sauce with that buttered shrimp and herbs on the Mona Lisa Special is tasty. The homemade Italian sausage and porcini mushroom and herbs on the Miguelli Calabrese were savory and flavorful. I like putting a huge amount of alfalfa sprouts when I roll up the Panizze adding more texture when you eat them, I mean this is like a guilt-free pizza because it usually is more lighter and healthier. It would be nice to have a Pizza too so we had the Barbeque Pizza Pollo. The chicken fillet barbecue topped on a rich tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese is delish but too bad I am almost full so I only had one slice of this.
What's lovely is that we get to taste the Italian classic pastry called Cannoli. It was my first time to try this and I like the crunchy flaky crust and those sweet fillings. Lastly we had the Italian Cheesecake, another delightful ending to cleanse our palate.
Overall, we had a wonderful lunch. Hoping to try some of their Savory dishes if ever I go back to the south. Kudos!
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Ever been enchanted with going to Italy, enjoying the sights, the art, and of course, the food? This girl's been dreaming of Italian getaway herself. But don't fret. No need for a ticket and no time wasted packing your luggage. Troop down south to Mona Lisa Ristorante for the authentic Italian dinner experience.
Mona Lisa Ristorante is tucked in one of the corners of Commercenter, Filinvest, Alabang. Posh setting, luxurious couches, art on the walls and ceiling, and the finest tableware set the perfect mood for the Italian restaurant, making it a favorite among the upscale restaurants on the area. Perfect for intimate gatherings or maybe a romantic date for you and your boo, this makes living the beautiful Italian life easy.
La vita es bella. Indeed! The owners were gracious enough to provide a luscious spread of their bestsellers.
Starting with 2 salads, the Antipasto Salad and the Sicilian Caesar Salad. Both had fresh Romaine and Iceberg lettuces as base. The Italian Antipasto is filled with red beans, garbanzos, cubed salami, provolone, and plum tomatoes in their signature Italian vinaigrette. The saltiness of the cheese and the sharp acid of the vinaigrette married well to give this salad a really appetizing kick. Another classic starter is the Sicilian Caesar, topped with grapes, ripe mango, pine nuts with generous shavings of parmeggiano paired with homemade caesar dressing.
For the pastas, we had 3 different kinds - Spaghetti alla Vongole, Pollo Pizzimente, and Fettuccine alla Pescatore.
Spaghetti alla Vongole
- The pasta was al dente, just the way I like it. You can taste the ocean in every forkful of spaghetti, with the clams and lemon zest, however I was expecting a bit of zing from the strong roasted whole garlic.
Fettuccine alla Pescatore
- More mixed seafoods, this time in a creamy tomato base. I do hope they be consistent in cooking the pasta as the second serving for this needed a few more minutes to reach al dente state.
Pollo Pizzimente
- Quite different from the two, this had a creamier sauce, made even creamier with parmesan, porcini mushrooms and the presence of black truffle oil. I liked the nutty albeit rich texture of the sauce which coats the pasta as well as the chicken thighs and breasts perfectly. And guess what, I ate my greens too since the dish includes some asparagus and broccoli! Look ma, I ate my veggies!
And of course, who would forget the pizza and the panizze?
Miguelli Calabrese
- I like the earthy flavor the porcini mushrooms contribute to this panizze. It makes everything take on a different dimension in terms of flavor. My Italian heart is skipping stones in delight!
Monalisa Speciale
- I like that they used creamy tomato sauce which was made even creamier by mozarella and provolone cheeses.
Barbecue Pizza Pollo
- I was craving for an authentic Neapolitan pizza but they presented a more modern pizza flavor instead. This has the usual tomato sauce and mozarella combo with barbecue chicken fillet strips on top.
For dessert, I was delighted they served cannoli and Italian cheesecake. Remember that iconic line from The Godfather? "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli." The first time I watched The Godfather, I had to Google what a cannoli was. Not my first time to eat a cannoli now, but I must say Mona Lisa Ristorante's cannoli hits home. Fluffy filling, with an ample pastry shell, topped with chocolate sauce... You'd better take this cannoli fast!
Mona Lisa Ristorante is not just a mom and pop Italian restaurant. It is one of those quiet contenders in.your list of places where you would want to enjoy a subdued evening filled with fine classic Italian cuisine and wine. Best to reserve your table way before your next anniversary or for Valentine's Day!
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Always been wanting to visit this place and I finally got the chance to do so.
Dining in Italy is easy with Mona Lisa Ristorante around. Upon entering, you'll encounter beautiful art that'll satisfy your eyes. Very IG-worthy, for me.
If you love Italian cuisine, you should give this place a try. Their establishment, in my own opinion, is not part of the list of Italian restaurants that I adore but it's certainly not the worst.
Authentic Italian meals are served and the pricing is reasonable for some dishes. I have decided to highlight the dishes that captured my heart.
Their Mona Lisa Speciale is a recommended dish. It's actually hand-rolled and quite an exciting experience if it's your first time. The cheeses they use is creamy and balance perfectly in your mouth.
Their Spagetti Alle Vongole is a white sauce pasta. It's delectable and serving is huge. Can actually be good for two.
I have never tried a Cannoli before and I finally got the chance to do so because of Mona Lisa Ristorante. The fried pastry dough is crunchy and perfect with their serving of sweet filling tucked inside. Wish they have options as to what the filling could be.
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It is quite difficult to find a place with good Italian cuisine in Manila let alone in the south area but Mona Lisa Ristorante quite changed the game. Tucked away in Commercenter in Alabang, the place offers authentic Italian food and experience. Upon entering, you will immediately feel the renaissance vibe with the cozy interiors and Italian murals on the wall and ceiling. You will also be greeted and assisted by the friendly staff - theyāre wearing quirky Mona Lisa printed ties by the way - to your table.
Their menu offers extensive Italian dishes for you to choose from. We were served with two kinds of insalata: Sicilan Caesar Salad
Antipasto Salad; two flavors of panizze: Monalisa Speciale and Miguelli Calabrese which is their version of rolled pizza; one kind of pizza: Barbecue Pizza Pollo; three kinds of pasta: Pollo Pizzimente, Fettuccine Pescatone and Spaghetti Alla Vongole, and two kinds of dessert: Cannoli and Italian Cheesecake.
Our favorites were the Antipasto Salad, Pollo Pizzimente, Spaghetti Alla Vongole and the Cannoli. The Antipasto Salad is a perfect course starter because it is light yet their own mix of Italian vinaigrette gives it a flavorful taste. The Pollo Pizzimente is what youād want to order if you are a fan of anything truffle. This is a cream based pasta with chicken, broccoli, and asparagus drizzled with black truffle oil. Spaghetti Alla Vongole is the classic olive oil, white wine and clam combination. For the dessert, we wouldn't argue that the Cannoli was the perfect ending to our Italian dining experience. It's the perfect balance of filling and shell and itās something you should definitely try when you dine here.
Overall, we recommend this place if youāre in the mood for a fancy night out with your friends, cozy weekend lunch with your family or even a relaxing work meeting with your business partners. They also have a nice selection of wines coming from Italy, Australia and Chile that you can buy and take home.
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Mona Lisa is your Italian go-to restaurant when it comes to fine dining and great Italian dishes here at CommerCenter. It is located right above Army Navy.
The restaurant is filled with wall artwork at the pillars. Heck even the crew had Mona Lisa neckties. Cozy enough to dine in and enjoy the glass of wine. Servers were very helpful and accommodating to us.
Food was really great. Here are some of what was served:
Barbeque Pizza Pollo (430.00 php)
The crust was not too thick or too thin. I was just right for the bite. I was hoping for more cheese but it just worked as it is.
Monalisa Speciale (720.00 php for full, 360.00 php for half)
Miguelli Calabiese (830.00 php for full, 415.00 php for half)
Hand rolled pizzas that were enjoyable as well. Each has a distinct taste, the red sauce with tomatoes and shrimp while the white sauce along with porcini mushrooms.Ā
Fettuccine Pescatore (550.00 php)
This tomato-based pasta is one of the highlights of the meal. With the mussels and the tangy sauce made this dish worthy of the second bite.
And yes, we finished them off with an Italian Cheesecake and a Cannelloni for dessert. Both tastes good and a sure treat for a great meal.
The dining experience was great along with the great service that they have provided to the customers. It was a time well spent along with a tummy well satisfied.
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If you're looking for some straight edge Italianš®š¹ restaurant in Alabang then Mona Lisa Ristorante is the place.
Italy not only well represented by its food but as well as the interiors. Love those ceiling murals, expressive of the Roman Catholic Church architecture.And a wide selection of Italian wines on display.
We had been satiated with the following Italian /Sicilian Fare;BBQ pizza pollo, Mona Lisa Speciale panizze,Miguelli Calabrese panizze, pastas like spaghetti alle vongole,Fettuccine Pescatore and Pollo Pizemente, Salads of Sicilian Caesar and Antipasto varieties and finishing off with canneloni and Italian Cheesecake as desserts.
My favorites are both the panizze ,the Mona Lisa Speciale ,buttered shrimp and herbs in mozzarella and provolone cheeses in cream and tomato sauce,while the Miguelli Calabrese was made of Italian sausage with some porcini mushrooms in cream sauce. What I love about panizze is that they are thin sliced rectangular pizzas cut in strips,being rolled with arugula and alfalfa sprouts eaten like a mini burrito. And I have a love affair with the arugula and alfalfa.
On the pasta side I love the Fettuccine Pescatore because I love the tomato based pastas more than the white ones,nice subtle tomato sauce blended well with Parmigiano Reggiano nice al dente pasta with mussels given a hint of citrus taste with a splash of squeezed lemon.
Their salads are good too,love the antipasto definitely a palate awakener ,a collage of flavors and textures like romaine lettuce, red kidney beans,cubed provolone cheese ,Italian chorizo and that very delectable fruity vinaigrette.
Another thing that I observed is that the staff are very well versed about details of the dishes which is a plus factor.
Nice place,love those standard music especially the Sinatra songs.If you're into Italian food and it happens you're in the South of NCR go to Commerce Center and dine here and you'll be in a Don Vito Corleone mood.š®š¹
One of the first authentic Italian restaurants in the south of metro Manila. It sits on the second level of commerce center as one of the first tenants. Customers come back for their panizza, melon wrapped prosciutto, and risotto.
Theena Jonson Orille
+4.5
Accommodating staff from reservations to dining until payment - they are attentive to customers needs
Food is amazing - big serving and really tastes great
There is something about this branch that would make you feel at home. Ā There's a certain warmth. Ā From the minute we walked in we felt so welcome. Ā We were served well and the food really reminded us of Italy with every bite.
We are always served well even if we only pop in once in a blue moon so every visit is memorable. By the way they boast of being the most affordable compared to other casual fine dining Italian Restaurants. They are probably correct, but I will check it out first.
Michael Grandinetti, the man who owns this authentic Italian restaurant, makes sure that everyone feels welcome(well, I haven't seen Belle yet, but regular diners love her too).
Well, we do go around different places so we couldn't be there all the time, but we would surely be back.
They serve good Italian food. We ordered Tuscan Chicken Marsala, Filetto di Manzo alla Griglia and Fettuccine Alfredo which is not included in the menu.
Very nice place to dine in because of their unique interior. With regards to their food, we ordered three kinds of pizzas and all three were acceptable, just right in the middle not bad at all. I liked the Risotto and Calamari though both were really good.
I would definitely recommend this place especially to couples looking for a cozy place to dine in. Service was topnotch.
I love how everything is so fresh here. It's been in Commerce Center for years now. It's a bit pricey but you get what you paid for.
The pasta is so fresh. Perfectly paired with a glass of semi sweet red wine. Wide range of pizza to choose from. Leg of lamb is cooked to perfection. Serves complimentary bread & butter.
Servers are very accommodating.
The place is very cozy and somehow romantic so if you are planning do a date night with your special someone, this is the best place to be. I also love that it's over looking Commerce Ave, you can see the city lights, cars passing by, as well as the people who goes jogging in Filinvest City.
I will surely recommend this restaurant!
The gnochhi and risotto are very special food for me.. Its like my mouth and tummy are so happy. It was really delectable! We also ordered the mona lisa pizza which is thin crisp.
The price is kinda expensive. Still worth the price. The food is scrumptious!
Celebrated my Birthday here today and did not disappoint. Started with a Sicilian Cesar Salad followed by a very nice Veal Piccata, my wife had a Veal Scaloppini. Desert was a very traditional Cannoli and a. Complementary Cheesecake. I also had a creamy espresso and a shot of Sambuca with the traditional 3 coffee beans. You get what you paid for and this was well worth it, as well as the portions.
I've intended to dine at this romantic restaurant because this is the only place near me that has gnocchi on its menu... The first spoonful of gnocchi was like fireworks in my mouth... Just like what I've imagined it to be... I ordered the gnocchi spunghi coz im a mushroom lover...
We also had their calamari which i will not order the next time i eat here. We ordered seafood risotto too. Im not a tomato sauce fan so i didn't like it that much. For our dessert, we got the cannoli and it didnt make me happy. But their drinks were awesome!!! The mixed berry iced tea is an absolute must try!!!
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Mona Lisa may be classified as an aspirational premium Italian restaurant because it has the "serving quality" comparable to an upscale restaurant but the price is that of a casual restaurant. Perfect for consumers like me!
My family of five (5) ordered Calamari, Spaghetti Meatballs, Mona Lisa pizza, 4 cheese pizza, tiramisu and the Cannoli.
The very nice and attentive waiters first served us soft bread basket (and you can ask for refill!). After around ten (10) minutes, Caesar Salad was served. It was good - the sauce is light and isn't overpowering to ruin my taste buds for the main orders. The calamari has very soft squid coupled with seemingly fresh salsa. We were already full at this point! :))
We ordered two of the Spaghetti Meatballs because I knew it tasted good! The meatballs are huge so we split it into small chunks to share. There was barely room for pizza but we still enjoyed the thin crust pizzas - they weren't oily and heavy!
For dessert, we got the tiramisu and cannoli. The former has a strong rum taste so we didn't finish it but the latter is so good! The vanilla cream inside the hard shell is light and perfectly fits the chocolate coated shell. I heard this is an Italian dessert must try. :)
Total bill is Around 3,000Php.
The manager is Anthony - he never gets tired of visiting each table. For dress code, I noticed that people who eat there dress casually. Though I didn't see anyone wearing like they are in the beach prolly because they know the positioning of the restaurant and the look of usual diners.
Sometimes, Mona Lisa offers deals in dealgrocer.com - make sure to watch out for it!
xoxo, km103187
I celebrated my birthday yesterday here and it was a blast! Staff was very friendly and courteous. Pizza is okay. I love their arancino sicilliano and panacotta as well. Perfect ambiance as well. Highly recommended!
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This semi-secluded, fine dining restaurant, will always have a special place in my heart as it holds many "firsts" for Ā me. Mona Lisa has an interesting story - or perhaps, its the owners who first breathed life into it. I heard that the couple who owns the place started off like this: the guy fell in love with this girl who worked in a department store's shoe section. He fell so hard that he had to regularly buy a new pair of shoes as an excuse to see the girl :-) Soon after, they got married - the wife then pursued her passion for cooking, took up culinary arts, and BAM! Italian Cuisine expertise that's a bang for your buck!
Words cannot express how I love their Gnocchi and Risotto (they set my standards)! Their wine selection is interesting - and the service, superb! I guess I can say that among all the places I've been to, their service feels like you're really being taken care of :-)
I look forward to the day when I get to dine here again (been here 3 times - and I plan to increase that number very soon).
The first time I ate here I had way too much food. As much as I want to eat the delicious food that they offered, I couldnāt have a single bite of anything anymore. I had a lot of food to begin with. Samplers, panizzas, pastas, and of course who could forget the bottle of wine. The ambiance in the restaurant is really formal, fine and relaxing. The service is quick and the food is just the right amount of quick. Amazing restaurant overall.
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Mona Lisa has been one of my family's frequently visited restaurants ever since the emergence of Commerce Center here in Alabang. Visiting this restaurant is usually best during dinner, as the dim lighting and Italian Reneissance interiors really give out the perfect mood at night. I love how the windows also show a great view of Filinvest, giving it a more modern feel. The servers here are very accommodating and attentive. They give great recommendations as well when it comes to the wine selection. Special shout out too to their Italian-themed printed neckties HAHA so chic
For the entrees, my favorites would include the ribeye steak which comes with mushroom risotto, and the rigatoni with grilled italian sausage and truffle oil. Their new menu is quite overwhelming though since the titles are in Italian and the descriptions can get so lengthy. For appetizers, the Italian Sampler is quite impressive too. Although, I recall that there were times wherein the burschetta's ciabatta would be rubbery and too hard to bite. You can just make up for that by asking for complimentary bread with pesto, pomodoro and butter on the side. For dessert, I love the chococalte zabaglione cake and the tiramisu. I found their cannoli too sweet and oily for my taste.
Visits to this place are always memorable as I'll always leave with a happy tummy!
I liked not just the food I ordered (Spaghetti Al Pomodoro) but also their service and the place. Their crew were very professional that I was at loss for words. Kudos!!!
I love it here. Their food is just so amazing as well as he restaurant's service. I had a table reserved for me and my boyfriend on his birthday and had a few special requests which were perfectly executed!
Nice clean joint with plenty of glass to let natural light in. Decor consists of reproductions of the Italian Renaissance a smattering of Carravagio with Michael Angelo's which are fine and the seating is a mixture of open tables and high backed booths for more privacy. The staff were attentive from the moment we stepped inside.
I started with tomato and buffalo mozzarella topped with fresh basil leaves and balsamic... And it was very nice but a very simple dish. The pizza arrived and sadly I was a tad disappointed as I really wanted this to be good but it was cooked fine on the perimeter but in the centre the toppings were undercooked.
Basic error but not good results and I'm not one for returning food back to kitchen.... I prefer it cooked first time.
The Mona Lisa Ristorante could be soooooo much better with a few tweaks but I'm not sure if there's a insider who will spot the basic mistakes.
Shame RGF
Jan 9 2015
Dinner with wife.
We got 3 dishes.
Calamari- the squid was on the though side.
They serve it not crispy. Which I think is similar to earning it in Italy.
Pasta with truffle oil - I think this is the go to dish in this restaurant. This would be 8.3/10
Marsala chicken - you get 2 pcs of chicken with lenguini. Your better of without the chicken and just ordering the pasta.
I paid 1,700 without drinks for the 3 dishes. A little pricy for the quality of food. Given what we eat, it should have been between 900 to 1,100.
Overall I would give it a 7/10
Love the truffle oil dishes. Maybe it's just the truffle oil. Not a fan of the other dishes. Risotto balls had a weird frozen dinner texture. Have the handmade pasta, they're cooked perfectly!
If your looking for amazing food cooked with love and care this is the place for you. The resturant is absolutely amazing I go here often with family and have not yet been disappointed. Everything is cooked with perfection and if you are a real foodie you will appreciate this resturant.
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I've been meaning to try Mona Lisa for a long time now, and when the opportunity presented itself (we were just whiling away the time in Alabang before I had to pick up my daughter), my mom and I half-dragged my dad to an Italian lunch.
The place was pretty much deserted save for a couple of tables, one occupied by ladies who lunch, and the other by a group of corporate guys. It was bright, with the sunshine streaming in through the picture windows. The formality that comes with the goblets and folded linen napkins didn't bode well with the mustard-colored tablecloths. Were they trying to go for gold to match the menu? Maybe I just prefer the pristine white ones that I'm used to seeing at other restaurants; thus, looking at this color made me cringe a bit.
While perusing the menu littered with Italian terms, my dad muttered about not understanding anything on it, and told us to just order for him since he had no patience for reading the descriptions after each dish title. I figured we'd get an order of pizza and pasta, and just share everything. The prices were a bit steep than usual, but after the waiters placed our dishes on the table, the portions were big enough to make them justifiable.
We started with bread and spreads, as is customary in most Italian restaurants. I alternated between the pesto and pomodoro, skipping the cream that did nothing to enhance the surprisingly soft toasted bread. The Bruschetta is just like an elevated version of the aforementioned complimentary starter, with some finely chopped fresh basil scattered on diced tomatoes crowding on top of toasted ciabatta. I tried to catch the slivers of parmesan with each bite as drops of extra virgin olive oil escaped from the corners of my mouth.
A large platter of Linguine Alla Carbonara holds a party of pancetta and Italian sausage in a pool of egg yolk cream sauce, garnished with parsley. It is indeed, as the description promised, creamy, and the kind that entices you to take one more bite after the supposedly last. I have no predilection for peppery Italian sausages, however; hence the remaining unevenly round, brown things at the end of the meal.
A panizza is actually a rectangular thin-crust pizza cut into strips and is usually topped with arugula and alfalfa sprouts before rolling the strip, and eating it with your fingers. Think Dear Darla of Yellow Cab. Wanting two different panizze variants but fearing it would be too much, the waiter fortunately told us that we could order half of both. The Mona Lisa Speciale comprises cream tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone cheese, herbs, and garlic buttered shrimps, while the Miguelli Calabrese has cream sauce, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, Italian sausages, herbs, and porcini mushrooms. Of the two, I'd go for the former---as I said, I'm not fond of Italian sausages---although having a penchant for arugula and alfalfa sprouts pretty much clouds whatever flavor of pizza I'm eating.
The food is good, different from the usual in terms of taste at the very least. Can't say it's the best I've had, except for the panizza, which has that crisp exterior that gives way to a nice, chewy roll. Next time I find myself here, I'll still go for the panizza, but maybe I'll get a different pasta, a ravioli maybe or a risotto, or something with mushroom and truffle oil. Then I'll have the cannoli for dessert.
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