Salvatore Cuomo Cafe at The Podium Mall

Ortigas area is a place that we rarely visit. Because aside from it is far from us, this part of the city is notoriously known for the endless traffic jam you can get yourself into. Although we rarely visit this area, we brave the traffic once we find something that can be worth going to. Having said that, have you been to the new Podium Mall? Well, for us, we’ve been there maybe around 3-4 times since it re-opened and we absolutely love it! We find it bigger than the old one, we are quite amazed at the number of restaurants that have opened and will open there. In one of our most recent visits there, we had the privilege of dining at one of the newest concepts of the famous Italian-Japanese chef, Chef Salvatore Cuomo. Franchised by the Chili’s Group, Salvatore Cuomo is known to be one of the popular Italian restaurants in BGC. And just early this year, Chef Salvatore launched his new baby at The Podium Mall.  Read on to find out about this new addition to the Chili’s Group and Chef Salvatore’s new baby—Salvatore Cuomo Cafe at The Podium Mall! Enjoy!

Salvatore Cuomo Cafe at The Podium Mall!

Located on the ground floor of The Podium Mall, Salvatore Cuomo Cafe is a casual Italian restaurant concept that caters to the huge population of diners of all ages in and around the Ortigas Center.

This is what the dining area of Salvatore Cuomo Cafe looks like! Bright, industrial, and really casual. Perfect for a leisurely lunch or a relaxing after work treat!

A cozy place for friends and family to enjoy some wonderful Italian food!

Watch your pizza get made right on this spot! It was such a delight seeing the chef make our pizza. There was just so much passion put into it that we know right away that it will come out amazing!

A view of the kitchen is always a good idea! It already took us a long time to share this EATSperience with you and before the food gets cold, let’s get going and go straight to the food!

Mixed Appetizers (Php 625)

Zeppole, Fried Mozzarella, Arancini, Prosciutto, Bruschetta, and  Octopus. Isn’t it good having everything on one plate?! After trying out everything, our top picks were the Zeppole (like an Italian takoyaki) and the Bruchetta with surprisingly sweet tomatoes.

Zeppole (Php 250)

Neapolitan Fried Seaweed Dough. Yup, this one! It resembles the soft and creamy Takoyaki balls but this one is fried. Fried but not oily. Crunchy and really light! We could have easily finished another serving if we didn’t have other dishes.

Four Cheese (Php 650)

Wood-fired pizza oven gives that distinct smoky flavor to the pizza. And this Four Cheese pizza was hit for us. Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Provolone, Asiago Cheese and Honey. The honey did a great job of putting everything together because it complemented the salty flavors from the cheeses really well.

Eggplant Parmigiana (Php 820)

Eggplant, Mozzarella, Asiago, Basil and Grana Padano Cheese. This one’s cooked differently. This is a traditional pan pizza. If you order this, be ready to be stuffed. It has a thicker crust and a more dense texture. Layers of flavors and texture from every bite was pure delight. You get that salty and sweet flavor from the eggplant and cheese, and that chewy and crispy texture from the crust, with a refreshing note from the basil.

Cacio e Pepe (Php 390)

Simplicity at its finest. Spaghetti, black pepper, Pecorino and Grana Padano Cheese. After devouring the pizzas, a pasta dish as simple as this was perfect.

Sausage and Spinach (Php 420)

And there was still room for another pasta dish. Haha. Spaghetti, Sausage, Spinach, Rosemary, Thyme, Dried Chili, White Wine, Vegetable Stock, Parsley, and Pecorino Cheese. This one was a bit of a let down because it could have been seasoned better. Hopefully, they’ve made some adjustments to this one by now.

Sicilian Cannoli (Php 180)

A meal won’t be complete without dessert. Cannoli cream and shell, pistachio and chocolate. The shell was cooked to a perfect crisp and the cream had the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Zuppa Inglese

Thin layers of sponge cake, custard and chocolate then topped with a torched meringue. It is like an in-between of a tiramisu and a trifle cake. A melt-in-your-mouth kind of texture with the sweetness from the custard and the chocolate.