Café Sanso: Private Dining with Art on the Side

In essence, the base description of Café Sanso would be that it’s a museum café. Situated right by the entrance of a museum devoted to the works of the artist Sanso, the small café offers a venue for one to catch a meal before or after the museum visit. Perhaps it was a case of unfortunate planning, and lack of research, that when my family ventured into Café Sanso for the first time, the museum was closed. So as not to waste our drive to the heart of San Juan, we proceeded to dine in the café anyway.

The café barely seats two dozens, making it feel like we were the only ones there. Its menu showcases a narrow food selection of Spanish favorites.

SOPA DE AJO (P140)

We started with the recommended Sopa de Ajo, a buttery garlic soup, which came with tasty brittle parmesan croutons. The soup had a creamy texture to it, with just the right amount of saltiness to it.

CALAMARI FRITTO (P280)

The Calamari Fritto was a beauty to behold. Large tender squid rings were covered in a perfectly light and crisp batter which gave each piece the perfect crunch. The appetizer was paired with a tangy sundried tomato dip.

CALDERETA PICANTE (P290) and BEEF SALPICAO (P390)

We had our beef in two ways. The Caldereta Picante took a sweet and tangy take on beef, as it paired the chunks with chorizo and olives, and served these in a thick picante tomato soup. The Beef Salpicao was more restrained as it sautéed the US Beef Hanging tenders in a light olive oil and garlic. This was slightly on the saltier side; but was tasty nonetheless.

PAELLA A LA CATALONIA (P600)

Unfortunately, the supposed main attraction of our meal, the Paella a la Catalonia was underwhelming. Cooked in saffron broth, and paired with chorizo and mixed seafood, the paella failed to satisfy both in flavor and texture. The rice granules heavily depended on the chorizo pieces and seafood for flavor; but even the latter lacked in taste.

Overall, food quality may not be excellent, but that doesn’t mean that dining is not enjoyable. There is a certain charm to the exclusivity the dining space provides; as well as to the carefully selected interiors that fill the cozy limited space. I guess the experience would be more worth it if you can drop by a visit to the museum before or after dining.

Café Sanso

32 Vito Cruz St., Little Baguio, San Juan

Date of Visit: August 31, 2015 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, and Jared Chua