La Carinderia the trattoria next door

In a quiet Makati corner, La Carinderia offers handmade pastas, rich sauces, and the kind of Italian food that doesn't need dressing up

- By PHILIP CU UNJIENG

You have to say the title of this food feature with a pronounced Italian accent, otherwise it just doesn't work. For this is what kept playing on repeat in my mind, as I was dining with my three sons at the friendly neighborhood trattoria, La Carinderia, at the Greenbelt Hamilton in Legazpi Village, Makati. And yes, this is the same La Carinderia of Chef Stefano Tomasiello and his wife, Priscilla, that has been a dining mainstay for visitors to Siargao for a decade now.

Chef Stefano likes to mention that La Carinderia is both Italian and Filipino. He's not a purist when it comes to cuisines, and he's happy to use Filipino ingredients in his typically Italian menu. The theme behind the eatery is to be informal, strong on taste and quality, and to stick to the basics whenever possible. Given the limited space of La Carinderia, that becomes an asset of the eatery. Not that many choices, but the assurance that whatever you order will bring a smile to your face and leave you with a "happy tummy."