Maritess De Ocampo

El Cortijo's Mexican Pescada a la Veracruzana

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<p>At <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elcortijorestauranteph/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">El Cortijo Restaurante</a>, the menu may first draw guests in with Spanish and Latin American flavors, but beneath the dishes is something far more layered: a philosophy shaped by engagement, craftsmanship, culture, sustainability, and a relentless attention to detail—or dare we say it—obsession.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:513.865px;display:block" width="513.865"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778300441117A_el cortijo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:513.865px;display:block;height:auto" width="513.865"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>El Cortijo Restaurante is at The Chef&#x27;s Table pop-up in Balmori Suites, only until Sunday, May 10, in time for Mother&#x27;s Day celebrations</em></span></span></span></div><p>Located within a six-hectare <em>lanzones</em> farm in San Vicente, Banay Banay, Lipa City, El Cortijo Restaurante Inc. (ECRI) was born from the vision of transforming what was once a countryside villa into a destination for culinary experiences. Today, it is home to three connected concepts: El Cortijo Restaurante, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elcallebyecri/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">El Calle</a> by ECRI, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rice2ricebyecri/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rice 2 Rice</a> by ECRI.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:430px;display:block" width="430"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778329160618Team.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:430px;height:609.548px" width="430"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>President &amp; GM Mikha Gillego, CEO Patrick Reyes, ECRI Executive Chef Ziggy Segunial, ECRI Head Chef Rainelle Torres</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>The <em>Palayok</em> Philosophy </strong></div><p>According to owner Patrick Reyes, the heart of the company is not simply food. </p><p>“The only value that matters in ECRI is engagement,” Reyes shared. “Engagement with guests, engagement with the company, your work, your work product, your teammates, and engagement with the growth and development of the company and yourself.” </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:486px;display:block" width="486"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177830054417612 el cortijo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:486px;height:363.082px" width="486"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>ECRI&#x27;s Guest Experience Officer Jane Rosal, CEO Patrick Reyes, Head Chef Rainelle Torres, and Director of Business Development Robert Harrow</em></span></span></span></div><p>That philosophy is represented through what Reyes refers to as the <em>Palayok</em>. </p><p>At its most basic level, he explained, the <em>Palayok</em> symbolizes the company itself. But beyond business, it represents a space where joy, trust, fairness, and self-awareness are allowed to thrive. </p><p>“The company is more than a business model or even a collection of employees,” Reyes said. “The company as a <em>Palayok </em>represents a space wherein people do not have to mistrust, lie, cheat, or steal to counter a world that is unfair.” </p><p>The <em>Palayok</em>, he explained, is shaped by culture and supported by what he calls the “two hands” of enabling technologies and empowering information. Even something as simple as a CCTV camera, he noted, can become an enabler of culture when used correctly. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778303328797Hampas Palayok_Cropped.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>&quot;Hampas Palayok,&quot; 2024, by Otep Bañez </em></span></span></span></div><p>He referenced artist Otep Bañez’s work “Hampas Palayok” as a metaphor for community itself.</p><p>“When you look at Otep Bañez’s work ‘Hampas Palayok,’ are all those people trying to break the<em> Palayok</em>? Or is the<em> Palayok</em> enabling a community?” Reyes reflected. “I would like to believe the latter more than the former.” </p><div><strong>Whole Food, Whole Intent </strong></div><p>That same philosophy extends directly into the way El Cortijo approaches food. </p><p>“ECRI aims to bring people to the edges of food delight through its respectful take on Spanish and Latin American dishes,” Reyes said. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778300896817Black &amp; White Boquerones.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Black &amp; White Boquerones</em></span></span></span></div><p>For him, food is never just about presentation or commercial appeal. Instead, he describes El Cortijo’s approach as “food-led,” rooted in what he defines as “whole food.” </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778300943919Brazilian Moqueca.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Brazilian Moqueca</em></span></span></span></div><p>He explained that dishes carrying strong national identities have often been refined across generations inside homes long before they enter restaurant kitchens. A “whole” version of a dish, according to Reyes, means honoring the ingredients traditionally used by parents and household cooks who believed their families deserved the best version possible. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778301011977Chipirones con Espada.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Chipirones con Espada</em></span></span></span></div><p>“Food-led means delivering as ‘whole’ a dish as possible while being a sustainable business,” he said. </p><p>For Reyes, this means being mindful about every component on a plate. </p><p>“’Whole’ for me is being mindful about the components of a dish, that they are still all there and you’re not putting something in, that if someone really knew what was in it, they would say it’s <em>kulang</em> or lacking.” </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778301075020Gambas al Ajillo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Gambas al Ajillo</em></span></span></span></div><p>That level of precision shapes nearly every decision inside the kitchen. </p><p>“Every dish goes through me or even comes <em>from</em> me,” Reyes shared. “And I sometimes look for the recipe. So, I can tell. Did you guys use the key ingredients? I will ask ‘Why did we skip that?’ when I know it’s available.” </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/food-travel/2026/5/9/filipino-childhood-summers-flame-summer-table-tasting-menu-0122" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RELATED STORY: Reminiscing Filipino childhood summers through Flame&#x27;s new tasting menu</a></div><div><strong>The Obsession  </strong></div><p>It is also why Reyes openly agreed when told that there seems to be a certain level of obsession in the way he approaches both food and art. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778301289378Ensalada de Salmon.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Ensalada de Salmon</em></span></span></span></div><p>“I agree with your observation!” He exclaims. </p><p>“That obsessive quality makes me push myself and the team to go farther to find the edges of the delight and engagement we seek for our customers and our development as a company and our own development as artisans of our craft,” he said. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778301419981Arroz Chaufa de Pollo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Arroz Chaufa de Pollo</em></span></span></span></div><p>Even the smallest details matter to him, including ratios many diners may never consciously notice. </p><p>“I am obsessed with the ratio of starch to meat,” Reyes admitted. “That is so important to me.” </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778301512780Mexican Pescada a la Veracruzana.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Mexican Pescada a la Veracruzana</em></span></span></span></div><p>He cited the restaurant’s <em>alfajores</em> as an example, which he has requested from his team, to be made as thin as possible without breaking the biscuit. </p><p>“The typical <em>alfajor</em> you buy has a really thick biscuit. For me, the ratio of the biscuit to the <em>dulce de leche</em> can be better,” he explained. “And that’s how we look at the ratio of starch to meat.” </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778301574282Mexican Puerco Encacahuatado.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Mexican Puerco Encacahuatado</em></span></span></span></div><p>The Chef&#x27;s Table pop-up at Balmori Suites features select artworks from Reyes&#x27; personal collection, including the&quot; Hampas Palayok&quot; piece central to ECRI&#x27;s cultural philosophy.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778301655401Pollo a la Brasa.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Pollo a la Brasa</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/food-travel/2026/5/8/restaurants-to-show-mom-some-love-mothers-day-2026-1840" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RELATED STORY: 10 Restaurants to show Mom some love, from casual brunches and elegant dinners to grand feasts</a></div><div><strong>Slow Food and Sustainable Sourcing</strong></div><p>That same intentionality extends to the restaurant’s relationship with slow food and sustainable sourcing. </p><p>Reyes described several dishes in El Cortijo’s menu as part of the “slow food” philosophy, one centered on local ecosystems, sustainability, traditional cuisine, and responsible consumption over convenience and industrialized food production. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:442px;display:block" width="442"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778302558243E_el cortijo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:442px" width="442"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>&quot;Prayer Wheels,&quot; 2015, by Ricky S. Yabut</em></span></span></span></div><p>Much of the restaurant’s seafood is sourced through <a href="https://www.facebook.com/7Hectares?mibextid=wwXIfr&amp;rdid=yX8Jkc3HYpRg2n3P&amp;share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F14cwBtyCEca%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">7 Hectares</a>, a slow food farm based in Silay, Negros. </p><p>The restaurant’s red snapper comes directly from the farm’s ponds, while baby squid used for the <em>Chipirones</em>, as well as whitings and Indian oil sardines used in the Black &amp; White Fishlings dish, are sourced from local small-batch fishermen instead of commercial trawlers. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:455px;display:block" width="455"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778302643444D_el cortijo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:455px" width="455"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>&quot;Dwelling Round,&quot; 2025, by Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan</em></span></span></span></div><p>“Our red snapper is caught fresh and flown in from the slow food farm, 7 Hectares, in Silay, Negros weekly,” Reyes shared. “It is never frozen. We fillet it here.” </p><p>Their Executive Chef Ziggy Segunial is also part of the Slow Food Negros community (which in part is under the international <a href="https://www.slowfood.com/our-history/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Slow Food</a> organization), reflecting how sustainability is not simply a marketing phrase within the restaurant, but also a living, breathing philosophy. </p><div><strong>Beyond El Cortijo&#x27;s Menu: The Perfect Gift</strong></div><p>That same spirit of thoughtfulness perhaps explains Reyes’ own definition of the perfect gift. </p><p>“The perfect gift that you can give someone is something that the person on their own right now would not be able to get for whatever reason,” he said. “But once they have it, they think it’s so valuable they won’t let go of it.” </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778302086701Peruvian Alfajores.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Peruvian Alfajores</em></span></span></span></div><p>In many ways, that philosophy mirrors the dining experience El Cortijo quietly seeks to create. </p><p>Because beyond the menu itself are dishes shaped by generations of recipes, carefully sourced seafood, deliberate ratios, craftsmanship, and a team constantly searching for what Reyes calls the “edges of delight.” </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:457px;display:block" width="457"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177830243868410 el cortijo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="457" style="width:457px"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>&quot;Birds on Horsehair Bow,&quot; 2011, by Ian Valladarez</em></span></span></span></div><p>And during the interview, those philosophies eventually revealed themselves not through abstract ideas alone, but through the dishes that arrived on the table, each one offering its own interpretation of engagement, whole food, and thoughtful restraint. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778302128982Tres Leches.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Tres Leches</em></span></span></span></div><p>And perhaps that was the unexpected takeaway from the experience itself. Beyond the dishes, the conversation with Reyes felt like receiving the kind of “perfect gift” he described, something I would not have necessarily sought out on my own, but left valuing afterward. </p><p>From learning about the three major varieties of Peruvian chilies to understanding why El Cortijo insists on using real, unadulterated peanuts with zero fillers for its peanut balls, the meal became less about consumption and more about seeing the level of thought, integrity, and intention behind every detail placed on the table. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:422px;display:block" width="422"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778302256545C_el cortijo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="422" style="width:422px;display:block;height:auto"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>&quot;Battle of the Nuts,&quot; 2023, by Ram Mallari, Jr.</em></span></span></span></div><p>By the end of the evening, there was also a lingering sense of wanting to continue the conversation beyond Balmori Suites, perhaps this time in Lipa, where El Cortijo, El Calle, and Rice 2 Rice can be experienced in the environment that shaped them. If anything, it felt like a compelling excuse to finally make the trip south—but that would be another story.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:514px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17783023372659 el cortijo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>&quot;Marcela,&quot; 2015, by Ricky S. Yabut</em></span></span></span></div><div><em>For those curious to experience El Cortijo beyond its home in Lipa, the restaurant is currently holding a Chef’s Table pop-up at Balmori Suites in Rockwell, only until tomorrow, May 10, offering diners a limited opportunity to experience its thoughtful approach to food in a more intimate setting. It would also be a wonderful way to celebrate Mother’s Day. </em></div><div><em>For inquiries and reservations, contact 09171935890 or 09275820046, or send a DM via Instagram at @elcortijorestauranteph. </em></div><div><em>Food photos courtesy of El Cortijo Restaurante.</em></div><div><em>Art photos are by the author.</em></div><div><em> </em></div>

<p>Behind El Cortijo’s Spanish- and Latin American-inspired dishes is a philosophy shaped by engagement, slow food, craftsmanship, and an obsessive pursuit of detail. In a conversation with owner Patrick Reyes, the restaurant reveals itself as more than a dining destination.</p>

Behind El Cortijo’s Spanish- and Latin American-inspired dishes is a philosophy shaped by engagement, slow food, craftsmanship, and an obsessive pursuit of detail. In a conversation with owner Patrick Reyes, the restaurant reveals itself as more than a dining destination.

Inside El Cortijo Restaurante: Patrick Reyes on whole food, engagement, and the pursuit of delight

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Inside El Cortijo Restaurante: Patrick Reyes on whole food, engagement, and the pursuit of delight

Mawi Fojas De Ocampo

Published May 09, 2026 01:12 PM PHT

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Updated May 09, 2026 08:23 PM PHT

Read More:

El Cortijo Restaurante

Patrick Reyes

Whole Food

Slow Food

Spanish Food

Latin American Food

Mindful Cuisine

Food Philosophy

Balmori Chef's Table

Mother's Day

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