Deliciously Caper Berry
The woman and men behind Caper Berry - Eli & Socorro Haresco and Ador Apuan.One exciting dish to try is Mariscus, a seafood salad that has shrimp, vegetables and spicy sauce that are stuffed inside a folded fish fillet that’s crunchy to eat.
Caper Berry is a restaurant that serves mostly Mexican dishes. It is situated along Burgos Street, a simple yet attractive haven located just in front of the La Paz Plaza.
Caper Berry is a partnership of chef Ador Apuan and businesspersons Socorro and Eli Haresco, whose combined expertise in extraordinary cooking and good business sense, has made this Mexican-themed restaurant a popular venue for dining.
“Caper” refers to the salted or pickled bud of the caper plant (Capparis spinosa), used mainly for seasoning and garnishing. The fruits of the caper plant (green in color and oblong in shape) are called caper berries and they taste stronger than the capers.
Chef Ador is the guy to beat when it comes to handling caper berries because he specializes in cold kitchen and garnishing. He studied at the Orange County School of Culinary Arts, an annex of Princeton University; managed Almon Marina, a deli restaurant in Manila for 12 years; and is the part owner and chef of Balbis.
Why Mexican Food
Mexican Pizza.When asked why they decided to serve Mexican food, chef Ador said that they wanted to answer a clamor for such need here in Iloilo City. “When my family and I were in the United States, my kids got used to eating Mexican food. Even when we live in the Philippines now, we still serve Mexican food during parties. So, we figured, why not open a Mexican restaurant?”
But, Mexican food is not the only treat that Caper Berry offers. “We serve other international fare as well,” chef Ador said.
One exciting dish to try is Mariscus, a seafood salad that has shrimp, vegetables and spicy sauce that are stuffed inside a folded fish fillet that’s crunchy to eat.
A popular snack is Burgee, a Caper Berry burger. The bigger version is called Monster Burgee. Yuppies who would like to have a filling lunch or snack fast, would find Burgee and Monster Burgee a delight.
“Kids will love the Torpedo Burger. It’s like a submarine sandwich that’s cut into playful portions,” said chef Ador.
A group would definitely enjoy Canape for the Gods, a sandwich sliced in four parts, with each part having a different filling.
Seafood lovers would love Fisherman’s Stew. This is a seafood mixture of shrimp, prawns, squid, fish and clams and flavored with varied herbs. The end product is a creamy and lemony dish that exudes a minty aroma.
Monster Burgee.The sizzling plate dishes are Sizzling Kom Pao Chicken, Sizzling Pork and Mushroom Sauce, Sizzling Seafood and Sizzling Pepper Steak.
Pasta and Ribs Special is also a favorite for some.
Ideal for dessert is the Fruit Crepe. Chef Ador uses varied fruits in season to come up with this delightful sweet treat.
Edge
What keeps Caper Berry apart? “It’s the taste,” said chef Ador. “We use real herbs and we do not substitute. Cilantro, for example is part of Mexican food, thus I make it a point to really look for one,” he added.
Chef Ador also said that Caper Berry’s dishes are carefully prepared and presented. “We think of the diner’s comfort in presenting our dishes. For example, a diner would like that fact that we provide a shield on our sizzling dishes so that he or she will not be smelly or that the sauce will not splatter while being poured on the dish.”
The area is air-conditioned as well as soft-lighted. “In the evening, the main lights are shut off and replaced with lamp posts for that cozy feeling,” chef Ador said. This set-up makes Caper Berry a nice place to chill out after dinner.
Since its opening last February 10, diners have this to say about Caper Berry: “There’s nothing like it!”
