Pages Deli

Dining al fresco isn't much of my thing, especially during hot and sweaty days.  But when the weather is cool and the winds are agreeable, it can be a good experience.  My guests wanted a fast meeting at the Shangrila Mall, and they chose to have a discussion over merienda at Pages Deli, a street side restaurant at the ground level.  It's right next to the Brozheit German restaurant, and I was surprised that it even existed, as I had never paid any attention to it prior to this appointment.

We had a fast round, carbonara & putanesca pasta, pastrami sandwich and a pizza to share. I was told that the putanesca was nicely done, with a subtle hint of spice, letting the anchovies, olives or capers carry the brunt of the flavor.

I was surprised that the pricing was pretty reasonable.  You can come in, spend a lazy three hours with a bill of around P400 per head.  Interiors were fancy, not for the young crowd, though, and air-conditioned seating is limited.  It's best to dine outside, but you can do this only on cool and windy days.