Justin Bieber, maple syrup, peanut butter, basketball, Ryan Renolds, and Drake --- it can't be denied: Filipinos are extreme fans of the Canadian culture. So it's about time that we finally get acquainted with one of the country's best food franchises here in Manila.
Enter: Steveston Pizza.
The Canuck company we've all been obsessing over in UP Town Center, Tomas Morato, and Circuit Lane has just opened its newest branch in the Corinthian Gardens Clubhouse in the populous Quezon City. Packed with high speed wifi and strong mobile connectivity, the restaurant is the perfect place for busy college students or freelancers looking to get their work done without pesky distractions. Not only that, the ideal air conditioning system, convenient parking space, soothing music, and relaxing ambiance also makes it the best candidate for your next family or barkada hangout.
"The luckiest people right now are the 600 residents of this village who get to walk down the street and have this pizza." Canadian Ambassador Neil Reeder said during the opening, wherein he was present to officiate the ribbon cutting ceremony.
But if his already-trustworthy word still isn't enough to convince you to give the store a visit, then here are some photos that are guaranteed to change your mind.
The Maguerite Zero-- I'm gonna be honest with you all: It was nearly impossible for me to choose which pizza to get. They had so many selections of the tomato-based dish to choose from, and it took every fiber of my body not to order everything on the menu. After a good 10 minutes of trying to narrow down my picks, I finally decided to go for this beauty. And boy am I glad I did. Topped with roasted garlic, anchovies, sweet caramelized onions, capers and argula, this perfectly seasoned delicacy is lathered in only the freshest tomatoes, giving it a feisty burst of flavor as the anchovies and mozzarella cheese create a mouthwatering contrast of salty and savoury.
The Princess -- In a list of the world's most accurately named platters, The Princess would easily dethrone the current placeholder of the #1 spot, because this meal is definitely one fit for royalty. Embellished with the finest crab meat, tiger prawns, and shrimp, the crustacean combo sparks a seafood explosion at the very tip of your tongue. With it's tantalizing salty taste, it's no wonder why everyone's bowing down to this majestic meal.
The Caveman -- In a gourmet pizza store like Steveston's, I found it quite hard to retain the proper table manners when all I wanted to do was slam my elbows on the table and devour the dish with my bare hands just like the barbarian this pizza was motivating me to be. I mean, with it's pepperoni, genoa salmon, back bacon, lean beef, and capocolli, it's pretty much impossible not to give in to the animal in you when this meat mania is practically begging to be your next vicitm.
Overall, I think it's safe it say that one does not simply dine in this restaurant. No -- To merely sit down and eat their food would be doing a great injustice to this museum of finely curated pizzas. One must experience the store and all it's commodities. One must analyze each vein of anchovies, basil, and capers that line the surface of the cheese. One must allow themselves to be impacted by the effect of the dishes.
But most importantly, one must absorb these masterpieces just like the artworks they are-- though this time, when I say "absorb", I mean it literally.
