11 Things To Expect on your Galileo Enoteca (Italian Dining) Experience, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

Wine is sunlight, held together by water. – Galileo Galilei

Short Background About Galileo Enoteca

     Enoteca is an Italian word which means ‘wine-library’ or a place where one ideally finds a wide showcase of wine varieties, available for tasting and often served with simple, rustic food to complement it.

     With a desire to bring wines from Italy where he migrated, Gaetano Vitrano embarked on an adventure that began in year 2000 with the founding of Galileo Trading & Services. Galileo imported wines from Italy and distributed them to establishments at highly affordable prices out of a desire to allow more people to enjoy quality Italian wines. 2003, Galileo opened a store in Sangumay, Mandaluyong city finally making Galileo more visible to potential customers. This store became easily well-loved, cozy little place where Gaetano and his family members served wine, cold cuts & cheese and other delicatessen. 2004, Galileo Enoteca deli transferred to Calbayog street in Mandaluyong, this time with a full menu of Italian cuisine served with its trademark quality wines and delicatessen to match.

      When Galileo started, it did not really foresee that its simple import business would evolve into such a unique blend of services that provides a unique taste of Italian culture. The family behind the business, believes that Galileo’s success was a blessing that can only come by God’s grace and goodness.

    Here are the 11 Things To Expect on your Galileo Enoteca (Italian Dining) Experience, Mandaluyong City, Philippines!

1.) Cool, Classy, Medieval Atmosphere 

2.) You should reserve a seat!

     As the resto sometimes gets full, we advise that you contact the restaurant first for reservation. Now, once seated, food preparation may take a while. To relieve boredom, just in case you don’t like your date, there is a bowl where you can get your wisdom of the day.  Mine was Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

3.) Free Wine Tasting

Well, you cannot taste all the wines BUT you can at least taste three wines before you give to the waiter your best choice.

4.) Best Choice: Casa Bella Lambrusco Bianco Dolce

     Although it is our best choice, every cuisine on their menu has a suggested wine partner. Your palate expectations on their cuisine might change depending on your wine choice.

5.) Wine and Cheese and Meat Concept 

      Wine is best paired with cheese and meat. For Cheese: we had Pecorino Truffle, Fontal, and Grana Padano. For Meat: we had Prosciutto, Salami Milano, and Mortadella.

6.) You may order a different pizza

      If you do not have much appreciation for pizza and cheese, you may just order a pizza most familiar to you. I did not appreciate the Pizza Quattro Formagi (Pomodoro, mozzarella, provolone, parmigiano, gorgonzola) because I did not have much knowledge on cheese on pizzas.

7.) Pasta Frutti Di Mare is one of their best sellers

        Pasta Frutti Di Mare (Spaghetti, Olive Oil, Shrimps, Quid, Clams & Mussels). This is best paired with Chardonnay.

8.) Not much lighting 

There is not much lighting in the resto as they also store their wines there. Lighting and the heat it emits also affects the taste of stored wines.

9.) Best Dessert: Gelato 

Gelato means ice cream!

10.) Polite staffs

You can ask for a date picture!

11.) Not much nice packaging for take-out orders

You know what I mean. Refer to below pic.

Other Food and Drinks on their Menu:

Antipasti: Assaggio Di Formaggi (Assorted Cheese), Salumi Misti (Assorted Cold Cuts), Formaggi & Salumi Misti (Assorted Cheese and Cold Cuts), Prosciutto & Melone, Italian Breaded Calamari, Bruschettas (Toasted Bread, tomato, basil, extra virgin olive oil), Suppli (Fried croquettes made of rice in Bolognese sauce and cheese), Fiori Di Zucca (Breaded zucchini with mozarella cheese and anchovies), Sausage and Peppers (homemade sausage, tomatoes, peppers)

Soup: Classic Minestrone Soup (Fresh Vegetables, parmesan cheese, parsley, tomato-based), Stracciatella Soup (Chicken soup, egg, parmesan, ribbons of spinach), Zuppa si Fungi (Creamy Mushroom Soup)

Salad: Insalata Caprese (mozzarella, tomatoes with olive oil and basil), Italian Summer Salad (green salad, fresh tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, hard-boiled eggs)

Pasta Fresca: Pasta Cacio e Pepe (fresh tagliatelle in creamy olive oil, pecorino cheese and black pepper sauce), Cannelloni Ricotta e Spinach (baked cannelloni with ricotta and spinach), Pappardelle all Bolognese (large flat pasta with ragu of bolognese), Gnocchi Pomodoro e Basilico (baked gnocchi with tomatoes & basil or baked creamy cheese white sauce), Ravioli Gorgonzola Ricotta e Noci (Ravioli with blue cheese, ricotta & walnut sauce).

Risotto: Risotto ai Funghi Porcini (Arborio rice, porcini mushroom, truffle oil) best paired with Montepulciano wine, Risotto al Negro Di Seppia (arborio rice, black ink squid) best paired with Garganega wine, Risotto Pescatora (arborio rice, squid, mussels, shrimps, garlic) best paired with Chardonnay wine, Risotto Milanese (arborio rice, saffron, parmiggiano) bestt paired with Merlot wine.

Pasta: Pasta All’ortolana (tomatoes,eggplant, bell pepper) best paired with Chardonnay, Spaghetti con Pesto Siciliano (olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, pecorino cheese) best paired with Garganega, Spaghetti con Pesto Genovese (olive oil, basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese) best paired with Riesling, Tagliatelle al Nero Di Seppia ( squid ink sauce, squid) best paired with Pinot Grigio, Pasta di Gamberetti (olive oil, shrimps, roasted garlic) best paired with Riesling, Spaghetti Carbonara (olive oil, guanciale, egg) best paired with Cabernet, Pasta Tartufata (truffle oil, cream, parmesan cheese) best paired with Merlot/Riesling, Gorgonzola pasta (blue cheese, parmesan, parsley) best paired with Lambrusco/ Montepulciano, Penne Arrabbiata (tomatoes, garlic, peppers) best paired with Cabernet Sauvignon, Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (tomatoes, garlic, anchovies, capers) best paired with Garganega/ Cabernet, Salsiccia pasta (tomatoes, italian sausage, bell pepper) best paired with Cabernet/ Sauvignon, Aglio Olio (olive oil and garlic) best paired with Merlot, Fusilli Al Salmone (creamy salmon pasta with fresh herbs) best paired with Cabernet/ Sauvignon, Bucatini All’amatriciana (red sauce with guanciale ‘bacon’ and pecorino romano cheese) best paired with Primitivo, Penne con Funghi Porcini & Tartufo Bianco (mushroom & white truffle oil, pancetta) best paired with Negroamaro, Spaghetti alle vongole (olive oil, clams, italian herbs, roasted garlic) best paired with Negroamaro/ Rose, Spaghetti con pesto di olive Nero (pesto of black olives, anchovies & capers) best paired with Chardonnay/ Merlot.

Pizza: Pizza alla Galileo (prosciutto, arugula, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella), Pizza Quattro Formaggi (pomodoro, mozzarella, provolone, parmigiano, gorgonzola), Pizza Pesto Genovese with Shrimps (pestogenovese, garlic, shrimps), Pizza Tutta Carne (pomodoro, cooked ham, italian sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella), Pizza Napoli (pomodoro, anchovies, mozzarella), Pizza Margherita (pomodoro, mozzarella, basilico), Quattro stagioni (pomodoro, cooked ham, artichokes, olives), Pepperoni (pomodoro, pepperoni, mozzarella), Sausage & Bacon (hungarian sausage, bacon, pomodoro, mozzarella), Prosciutto & Arugula (pomodoro, arugula, mozzarella, prosciutto), Prosciutto & Salsiccia (pomodoro, parma ham & sausages)

Entree: Salmone con Limone e Caperi (steamed salmon fillet with capers, lemon and rosemary served in foil packet) best paired with Chardonnay, Pan Seared Salmon with lemon butter sauce (served with lemon butter sauce and spinach) best paired with Chardonnay, Sautéed Prawns with Garlic and Chardonnay wine (prawns, garlic, chardonnay wine, red bell pepper, parsley, capers) best paired with Chardonnay wine, Filetto di Manzo alla Romana (beef tenderloin cooked with chardonnay wine and prosciutto crudo) best paired with Montepulciano, Chicken Piccata in Lemon Sauce (pan seared chicken topped with lemon butter sauce served with garden salad and mashed potato) best paired with Primitivo Salento, Chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto (pan-fried chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto) best paired with Negroamaro, Chicken with mushroom & wine sauce (baked chicken quarter with mushroom served with mashed potatoes) best paired with Cabernet Sauvignon, Vincenzo’s Cotoletta Alla Milanese (chicken cutlet dredged in bread crumbs and parmesan cheese with fried potatoes) best paired with Cabernet Sauvignon, Nonna’s Osso Bucco (veal shanks, tomato sauce, red wine, potatoes) best paired with Chianti, Bisteca Ala Fiorentina (T-bone steak served with garden salad & mashed potato) best paired with Montepuciano.