My good friend and foodie, Anna, went with me on our culinary quest for new restaurant haunts. This one is called Lemuria, a cozy restaurant tucked in Horseshoe village. Proprietress Marina Bru Schroeder says that they intend on keeping the privity of this establishment, but I think this gastronomic delight won't remain secret for long. Word-of-mouth has spread like wildfire, and blogs like Anton's have done full-length reviews on it.
I, for one, have heard raves about this place, which I downplayed so that I wouldn't end up disappointed in case they overcompensated the descriptions. Folks, there's no room for exaggeration, after all --- this is the new hole-in-the-wall DATE find! The descending driveway to the restaurant is reminiscent of Antonio's, though on a smaller scale since it's right smack in the city. Candlelit stairwells lead to the entrance with "Lemuria" discreetly placed on the side of the wall. In fact, one would not see this sign from the outside, with only two other cornersigns from the street saying "The Winery" to indicate their wine cellar found in the restaurant's basement.
The interior is small, fitting only around 20 people. It looks much larger, though, because they put an entire wall-length mirror to one side, and the grilled arches leading to the kitchen also have mirrors in it. The design is very "French Bistro," with just the right amount of yellow light to make you feel as if the entire room's bathed with candlelight. Service is prompt and responsive, mainly because there are more waiters than necessary (but heck, for the amount you're paying, who cares?).
We both started with fresh grape shakes and soup. Anna had the "Mushroom and Gruyere," while I had the "Tomato Consomme flavored with Tea." The shake was average, probably a little better than Cibo's because the grape skin was less perceptible. On the other hand, their soup (or mine, at least) was a winner! The clear broth tasted refreshing but savoury at the same time. I was worried that the tea would not mix well with the tomato consomme, but somehow, they made it work. Its presentation was just as delectable --- the clear brown consomme contrasting well with the reds of the diced tomato, greens of the alfalfa sprouts and yellow of the small mounds of cheese.
For main, Anna had the "Grilled Salmon, Corn and Mushroom Crepe with Spinach." She said the fish was good, along with the "deceiving" crepe because it was heartier and more filling than how it actually looked. My "Veal Chop, Sweetbread and El Shallot Sauce" was also delicious, but not extraordinary. The veal wasn't too tender, such that I had to request for a steak knife, while its siding of mashed potatoes was forgettable. What redeemed it was the sweetbread (viand made of the thymus/pancreas of calves) which didn't have a bad aftertaste that usually comes from bad prepping/quality. It blended well with the shallot gravy and the cocktail onions, where the latter were surprisinlgy fresh and not pickled.
The "Valrhona Chocolate Souffle with Mandarin Orange Glacee" was literally and figuratively the dinner's icing on the cake! They bake it fresh so it's a 15-minute wait. The wait is worth it though, considering how nice and tasty the dessert was! The souffle was crunchy on the outside and gooey on the indside, just as how every souffle and lava cake should be. The orange glacee (almost like ice cream, but mixed with merengue) was piled creatively on top of a triangular sugar crust that was supported by small mango scoops. Hardened caramel drizzle, a shaved white chocolate triangle, a fluted brown chocolate stick and a fanned strawberry completed this colorful dish. At first I didn't think that the orange cream would pair well with the chocolate, but the glacee's taste was so mild that it didn't overpower the souffle at all. It was actually a little too mild for my taste because I never even tasted the mandarin oranges at all. But anyway, the dessert still tasted great, and I guess that's all that counts, even with all the mile-long phrases they put into the menu to define one dish.
A meal would probably cost 600 to a grand without the frills, depending on the entree that you order. But in a place like this, you might as well go all out and order from appetizers to dessert, which would cost you around 1500-2000 a head with shake. It would probably cost around 2000 to a little more if you accompany your meal with a bottle of wine, depending on the number of guests and the quality of wine. Their wines are extensive (they have a wine cellar, after all!) , and according to anton's blog, their reislings are recommended. Since we were just two and I didn't want to get just their house wine, we settled for a rain check. We'll be sure to come back with our Pinot Noirs and Sauvignon Blancs! In the meantime, we'll be hitting the gym burning off that dinner. No regrets.
Closed on Mondays
Lemuria & The Winery
5 Julieta Circle, Horseshoe Village
Quezon City
7245221; 7222185; 7245192; 7215352
mob: 09175250129
Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
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