El Cocinero By Chef Arnaldo - Tagaytay

The El Cocinero Pizza's the bomb! It may not look much but the taste is superb! The seafood pasta is good but I personally think that the portion is too small for 2 people but that's fine since we ordered the El Cocinero Paella, which was really great too! The lady that assisted us told us that we can look around La Bella residences while waiting for the paella to be cooked (it took about 25 minutes but it was fine because it's a great time to take photos because the place is inspired by the design of Santorini. I suggest that you book ahead so it wouldn't be much of a hassle waiting for the table to be prepared. We booked through the Booky app and when we got there, the table was already set for us. : We were a bit disappointed though because we didn't know that they had changed their menu and we already searched for the things we were going to order days before dining. Thank you for the great service and the great food! Looking forward to dine here again!

It was almost lunch time when we were done exploring Puzzle Mansion, and since we came here mainly for the food trip, my mom and I were excited to look for a place to have lunch. I checked the nearby places where we can get a light lunch (we were still full from breakfast and the coconut cream pie), and stumbled upon El Cocinero. We requested for the trike driver to bring us there, and we arrived in less than 10 minutes. El Cocinero by Chef Arnaldo is tucked inside La Bella Residences, so we had to walk again under the heat before reaching the restaurant (tricycles cannot go inside the subdivision, so you'd have to have another 5 minute walk). It isn't in vain though, since we were awed by how it looked when we arrived. This Ibiza style restaurant actually looks a bit like a museum, with Picasso art hung around its interiors. They take pride in serving authentic Spanish and Italian dishes, as Chef Arnaldo was able to work abroad for more than a decade, learning the best practices in serving them. We were welcomed warmly, and we chose to be seated at the second floor. Initially, we wanted to try their paellas, but the serving size was too big for us. We got these instead: EL COCINERO PIZZA (Php 410) A thin crust cheese pizza, topped with fresh greens and cherry tomatoes, with a drizzle of aioli. It might be one of the best pizzas I've tasted, to date!!! The cheeses blended well with each other, and I tasted a distinct bleu cheese flavor which amped up the taste of the pizza. The greens were super fresh and crisp, and the aioli sauce gave the pizza the needed added flavor. For spicy food lovers, you may want to drizzle some of their homemade hot sauce. So yummy! I hope they can serve it with arugula and alfalfa sprouts so we can eat it panizza style. CHIPIRONES (FRIED BABY SQUID Php 220) This one's really good as well! I love how each squid was fried perfectly, and had a distinct fresh seafood sweetness. It is served with aioli mayo which enhanced its flavorfulness. It's super addictive! Serving size was quite big as well. Our food was served after about 30 minutes, which wasn't a problem for us since we weren't that hungry yet, and it was proof that the food was freshly prepared. While waiting, we were served with complimentary bread which came with four dips: Tuna Pate, Aioli Mayo, Tomato Dip, and balsamic Vinaigrette. My favorites are the Aoili Mayo and Tuna Pate! Yummy! Service was superb, as our server was very attentive to our needs. He was also quite helpful in suggesting the food to be ordered, and was always available whenever we had requests. Overall, my mom and I had a great time here stuffing ourselves with their food. Prices are generally affordable for the quality of food you can get here. Spoiler alert: Among all our Tagaytay Trip eats, this was the best restaurant for me. P.S.: This spot is highly underrated. I hope people would discover this place soon! #TagaytayTrip2018 #EatDrinkSplurge

Great dining experience. A little out of the way if you’re commuting. But this hole-in-the-wall place has a laid-back ambience. And the paella negra is to-die-for.

Interiors as well as the Santorini feel of the place is worth the drive. Quality of food and service is great. One of my fave restos in the city! Plus you get to have the place to yourself during weekdays. There's also a library nearby. Great place for destressing!

The best paella I've ever tasted in the Phils. Worth the travel....not to mention a very relaxing ambiance! This is the place you should consider when in Tagaytay! I will not be surprised if El Cocinero will expand branches all over the Phils! Cheers!