Alvi’s Restaurant; Albay’s Restaurant of History

Alvi’s Restaurant 
Albay’s Restaurant of History

After renewing my daughter’ s passport in Legazpi,
we initially intended to dine at Balay Cena Una, but
we found the way there too complicated, so we decided
to dine at Alvi’s, a restaurant with similar concept. 



Alvi’s is located in a century- old house, formerly
owned by the Imperial family, a prominent political
clan in Legazpi and has been turned into a restaurant.

 

 

The menu described Alvi’s as ‘centuries old today,
restaurant of history’, but did not point out any
noteworthy historical event that the house played
that may have shaped the progressive Albay of today.

 

There is a massive wooden staircase

 

…that leads to a huge function room at the second floor.

 

The main dining area for drop- in
diners was located in the first floor,

 

…and was decorated with ‘bahay na bato’ theme,

 

…or the Fil- Hispano style that was
popular during the turn of the century.

 

We were ushered to a bare dining area, also located
at the first floor, as it was apparently a brownout and
their generator was designed to power this smaller room.
The staff was otherwise courteous and apologetic.

 

I don’t know if it’s just a coincidence, but the last time we
visited Legazpi, it was also a brown out when we dined 
at Choobi Choobi,   We were with my 82 year old mother-
in- law, and had a problem going up the restaurant located
at the 4^th floor Ayala Malls. The mall generator did not have
enough power to keep elevators and escalators working.

 
 Link to Choobi- Choobi blogpost

Anyway, back again to Alvi’s Restaurant,
we  were initially served a complimentary
platter of peanuts while waiting for our food. 

 

Sinigang na Baboy was our soup starter. It was a delicious
prelude to our late afternoon lunch. The pork was lean
and tender as they used ribs instead of the fatty belly.
The vegetables were crunchy fresh and not wilted.
We also loved the broth as it had the right sourness,
not enough to disfigure your face in acerbic disgust.

 

The Sizzling Spicy Baluko was a revelation. The meat
of this Sorsogon native- seashell was simmered in coconut
milk, spiced with ‘siling labuyo’ and served sizzling in a hot
plate. The tasty ‘baluko’ meat was chewy but surprisingly
easy to bite. An original product of Bicolano ingenuity, this
is a must try and a must order dish to anyone dining in Alvi’s. 



Alvi’s Fish Steak in Lemon Butter Sauce was okay.
A generous slab of yellow- fin tuna was sautéed and
bathed with soy based steak sauce and topped with
abundant white onion rings. The young corn added
a slightly unpleasant fusty aftertaste and the fish steak
would be better off without it. Just like any other typical
Pinoy style ‘bistek’, it was salty. Nothing to rave about.

 

The Seafood Chopsuey was rave- worthy and crave-
worthy as well. There was an abundant variety of
seafood stir- fried with fresh and crunchy vegetables
and seasoned with oyster sauce. It was so good that
we had to order another one to  take home to Naga. 



Alvi’s is a haven for divine desserts.
The Mango Float was sinfully delicious
that we ended ordering another one.

 

My young son gobbled his Brownies like there was
no tomorrow. It was delicious and sinfully addicting.

 

The Alvi’s Halo- Halo is to die for. Unlike other more popular  halo- halo 
versions with creamy milky- ice that tastes like disgusting over- stuffed 
milkshakes and smoothies, The ice used was coarse and refreshingly 
crunchy the way a halo- halo should be. It also had just the right amount 
of sugary ingredients making it ideally sweet and not sickeningly sweet.

 

 It was topped by creamy vanilla not by a repulsive ube ice cream  
that overwhelms  everything. This is the perfect kind of  halo- halo
 that I have been  looking for all my life-  and finally found it in Alvi’s. 

 

The burgeoning restaurants in Legazpi City,

 

... gives us a reason to return more often for unparalleled
culinary excursions in the city of fun and adventure.