LA GIROLLE

 4.5 out of 5 stars

Never mind that the proprietor chef harnessed experience in far-flung parts of Europe.  Never mind that he knew his focus in life early on, learning primarily from New England Culinary Institute.  Never mind that he works like a perfectionist and expects nothing less from his peers and employees.  What we should mind, it seems, is the stunning food you could come across eating in La Girolle.  And true to its name, quite a lot of mushrooms!

Access to this restaurant makes it unbeknownst to passers-by.  With no sign at eye level or obvious directions,  this restaurant was made to be ostensible only to food-hunters.

The place does not give much of an impression upon entering.  It carries much neutral undertones with unremarkable but well-made furniture in a modest-sized area.  It leaves the kitchen exposed to its customers, with a special chef’s table directly connected to the side of the kitchen.  In hindsight, the spick and span ambiance clearly gave way to the complexity of the food. 

The amuse bouche of soba was really a teaser, marinated in an uncharacteristic but neutral base and topped off with a few sprigs of vegetables.

This was in direct contrast to the sophisticated panache of the Tartare of Australian Lamb Loin.  The meat was luscious and well-seasoned, with hints of olive and rosemary.  Its quality was not masked by the tomato confit, cocktail vegetables and egg that lay on top.  My only misgiving was that the meat was not minced too finely, and I, at one point, ate a substantial portion of the rubbery raw meat.

 Tartare of Australian Lamb Loin

The salad was a breeze of fresh air and warm citrus notes laden with orange, tomatoes and beets.  However, I wanted to taste a little more of that white cheese that lay hidden beneath the bitter salad leaves (purslane).

 Le Girolle Salad

What else it there to say about this next starter but perfection?  Mushrooms, ravioli, foie gras, oxtail jus……  Simply rich, earthy and tasty.

Ravioli of Foie Gras and Oxtail

I wasn't too pleased with the sorbet.  It looked and tasted as if it were a confused ice cream and sorbet all at once, and didn't seem to have that palate-cleansing effect.

Their best-seller, the Braised Lamb Shank, was good and couldn’t have been more French than how it tasted.  It was presented with the lamb jus poured by the attendant in a very careful manner.  The strong ubiquitous taste of aromatic spices infused the tender portions of the meat.  I found it a tad oily, though, and if it were to be so, I’d have much prefer it to be the slightly crunchy portions of my friend’s Confit of Lamb Shoulder.  The latter was truly a magnificent dish.

 Braised Lamb Shank

 Confit of Lamb Shoulder

 

I didn’t get to try all of the dishes that were ordered, but it would be criminal not to post them as they were truly visual works of art:

Compressed Korubuta Belly of Pork

 Pan Seared Snapper

Never to miss dessert, I opted for the custard-based  Pot de Crème.  It was anticlimactic, as its simple taste did not compare to the complexity of the savory dishes. 

 Pot de Crème

The other desserts, though were a sight for sore eyes, particularly the Caramelized Lemon Tart.  As with the entrees, I cannot leave these pictures out even if I didn’t get to taste or have an opinion of them:

 Caramelized Lemon Tart

 

Chocolate Truffle Tart

 complimentary truffle chocolate

All in all, La Girolle has great potential to be the go-to in fancy French cuisine.  Though it may break the bank (tasting menu - P3,000+, four courses - P2,000+, three courses - P1,750+; all served with amuse bouche, sorbet, coffee/tea), you see that no effort has been spared in preparing the dishes with passion and precision.  But don’t take my word for it.  Go try and see for yourself!

Menu. Click below to magnify.

LA GIROLLE
2/F, Blue Sapphire Bldg., 2nd Ave cor 30th St.,
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
(02)478-4119
M, T, W, Th, F: 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 7:00 pm - 12:00mn

GRAMERCY TAVERN

4. 8 out of 5 stars

The last time I went to New York six months ago, my best friend took me to Velseka (a Polish/Ukranian diner) and Bonchon (a Korean restaurant similar to North Park in Manila, having the best double-fried chicken wings on earth), while my cousin took me to Matsuri (a Japanese restaurant by acclaimed chef Tadashi Ono), finally dining and partying in Buddakan ( a flashy Chinese restaurant/bar owned by Stephen Starr, who also owns Morimoto; NY trivia: this is the place where Carrie Bradshaw threw her wedding rehearsal dinner).

This was all fun to the palate, but left me wondering that I've tasted all kinds of cuisines but American in a US State. So for the second time around NY for '09, I begged my foodie best friend B to take me to an restaurant that served excellent American food. Without even thinking, she mentioned Gramercy Tavern, although it was a struggle not to try the famous Burger at DB Bistro Moderne, where Daniel Boulud conceptualized a sirloin burger with a filling of boned short ribs braised in red wine, foie gras, and preserved black truffle, served on gruyere and gold flecks.

Gramery Tavern can be described in three words --- homey meets luxury. Expect the graciousness of an elegant American home in the private dining area accompanied with a causal area parked at the bar.

Never too avant garde, never too loud; rather, it draws its strength from gastronomic ideas that are tried and tested, and the freshest of seasonal ingredients that are luxurious but uncomplicated. And one can expect the best from Gramercy, making its mark for more than 15 years, housing the likes of distinguished chefs such as former executive chef Tom Collichio and its current one, Mark Anthony (who has also worked under Boulud).

We got the Four Story Hill Chicken Soup ($ 12/22) and Barley and Butternut Squash Risotto ($ 12/22) for our First Course, and the Chicken ($ 19) and Halibut ($ 22) for our Entrees. Even before we ordered, the waiter took it upon himself to converse with us about the menu, the specials and our orders It is this kind of service that is expectedly excellent, working seamlessly like a well-oiled machine. Although sadly, the starter bread was slightly tough and cold.

The chicken soup was the odd man out, its chicken and ricotta dumpling / ravioli absorbing the bland taste of the broth. Not even the unique taste of salsify upped the flavor level. This was salvaged by the risotto, whose texture was a contrast or rich creaminess from the barley grains that remained al dente. Not only was the delicious squash cubed within the risotto, the risotto was also encircled by its puree. The shiitake was not too strong for the dish; rather, it provided a slightly smoky taste that had a similar note as the barley grains. It was topped off with seasonal miniature vegetables of zucchini, radish and carrot --- an over-all winner.

Four Story Hill Chicken Soup ($ 12/22)

Barley and Butternut Squash Risotto ($ 12/22)

The chicken was roasted to perfection, fanned out in a medley of butternut squash, carrots and brussel sprouts. It intense jus served as the base of the plate. The halibut was more simple in its presentation --- literally just a slab of fillet on top of a red cabbage slaw. Around it was a thick drizzle of hazelnut yogurt sauce. The fish was perfectly seared on both ends, retaining its succulent juice inside. The sauce was a great accompaniment to the fish, refreshing and cooling to the taste.

Chicken ($ 19)

Halibut ($ 22)

complimentary dessert

We capped off the scrumptious meal with a complimentary array of truffles, macaroons and chocolate tarts. After eating in this famed restaurant, I must concur with Frank Bruni's closing statement in his review:

"But like a solid marriage rather than a heady love affair, it has stood the test of time, righting itself when it starts to go wrong, knowing that what’s at stake are a great many warm memories, some yet to be made."

Menu. Click to magnify.

Gramercy Tavern

42 E. 20th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 477-0777

Mon-Thu 12pm-2pm, 5:30pm-10pm
Fri 12pm-2pm, 5:30pm-11pm
Sat 5:30pm-11pm
Sun 5:30pm-10pm

ANTONIO'S

4.85 out of 5 stars

It's strange that I wouldn't write about one of the top 3 restaurants that comes off the top of my head. Of how the sprawling "Spanish hacienda"-esque property reminds you of the olden days where love came in the form of prose on parchment and serenaded melodies. Where you'd drown yourself in the huge red velvet chairs, watching the sunset from the balcony overlooking the Tagaytay landscape. A place where a violin quartet wouldn't feel out of place. Yes, Antonio's has never lost its feel for romance and good food all these years. Chef and proprietor Antonio Agustin “Tony Boy” Escalante has done a great job in building up Antonio's to be a world-class restaurant, as evidenced by placing a spot in the Miele's Guide TWICE.

lower dining area

Apart from its unique and swoon-worthy setting, it is known for its set meal, which includes the House Salad, Soup of the Day, Sorbet, Entree, Dessert and Coffee or Tea. The choice of entree will determine the price of the meal, with an additional charge for appetizers ordered. It has expanded its menu to include over 20 entrees and a full page of the same number of appetizers. Martin and I decided on sharing the Steamed & Nori Wrapped Tempura Scallop, Lemon Confit (250 PhP) appetizer, while he had the Antonio's Trio (1,900 PhP) of beef, lamb and cod and I had the Barbecue Lamb Cutlets with Garlic Risoni (1,650 PhP).

upper dining area

The appetizer only whetted out appetites. It contained two huge pieces of scallop. The steamed scallop was perfectly cooked to a tender texture, giving in to the thrust of a fork, and holding its own own flavor to the tart lemon confit and chiffonade fried spinach garnish. The stark contrast of the nori-encrusted tempura scallop goes to show the various ways of cooking the same ingredient. It was leaner, meatier and was a good accompaniment to the light cilantro pesto sauce. Considering I'm not a fan of cilantro, I nevertheless enjoyed the sauce and didn't leave a drop of it on the plate!

Steamed & Nori Wrapped Tempura Scallop, Lemon Confit (250 PhP)

The salad was a delight, made fresh from their own organic vegetable farm. The mix of arugula and spinach burst with flavor from dried blueberries, radish, walnuts, beet slices and bleu cheese drizzled with a sweet raspberry vinaigrette. This was followed by a robust white onion soup, very thick and foamy and drizzled with olive oil and herbs. I didn't even have the chance to take a picture of the green mango sorbet, it was finished in a matter of seconds!

House Salad

White Onion Soup

The Antonio's Trio (1,900 PhP) was composed of Beef Fillet on Plancha with Black Pepper Sauce, Barbecue Lamb Medallion with Garlic Risoni and Crispy Cod Glazed with Kombu Sauce on Peppered Egg Noodles. Our least favorite was the Beef Fillet. It was actually quite cold and tough around the edges. By far, the best sampler was the Crispy Cod. It's crispy, but did not fall apart and wasn't too oily. The sampler dishes were small (each could probably be finished in three big bites), so it was surprising how Martin was full when he finished his platter.

Antonio's Trio (1,900 PhP)

My Barbecued Lamb Cutlets was good, but I preferred it less glazed over with oil. To be fair, it was very tender and filling with a sweet tangy barbecue sauce. I didn't have room to finish the yummy risoni pasta or the side of buttered cauliflower and broccoli.

Barbecue Lamb Cutlets with Garlic Risoni (1,650 PhP)

Too bad I didn't leave room for the panna cotta. It was a lovely dessert, using real vanilla bean generously peppered around the cream. It quivered to the touch of my dessert spoon, and was lined with a chocolate and caramel sauce. Martin's dessert was an sorbet assortment of local fruits, namely guava, mango and calamansi. It was wonderfully light and refreshing, and unlike me, he finished the whole thing in minutes.

Panna Cotta with Chocolate and Caramel Sauce

Sorbet Mix

All in all, we enjoyed our dinner in Antonio's. Although I enjoyed my first few visits a little more than this one, I can say that the restaurant has been consistent with delivering food and service above par. It is worth noting that the service was faultless, dishes coming in and out unobtrusively, waiters being called with the slightest wave of a hand and they'd easily customize food to your request. Truly, nothing is more ideal than to celebrate a special occasion with an out-of-town trip to Tagaytay, then, of course, having dinner in Antonio's. If you're one of the few that haven't checked this place out, isn't it about time that you give yourself this gastronomic treat?

Menu. Click to Magnify












Antonio's
Barangay Neogan
Tagaytay City, Cavite
(0918) 899-2866
Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 7:00 am - 9:00 pm

AUBERGINE

My friend told me of this good restaurant in Fort that was connected with a cooking school. I immediately thought Aubergine and led him towards that direction, not knowing that he meant another place! He was too nice to change course, and told me that we should eat there instead, since I’ve been raving about it from here to there. I assured him that Aubergine’s an excellent dinner bet for his first time, and another awesome thing about it is that its kitchen closes at 10pm, later than your usual fine dining.

I don’t know what else there is to say about this, considering that I’ve worshipped this place since it opened and have written about it on occasion. We were quick to decide on what to eat, my friend choosing the Wagyu beef tri tip, while I chose the fish wrapped in bacon with tomato fondue and ravioli (both around 1,200+ PhP). Service was quick and faultless; we were only around 6 customers at that time. On a side note, I’ve noticed that the prices have gone up (The beef tri tip used to be below 1,000 PhP) and that the menu changes at a crawling pace. I guess they have every right to charge an extra premium for such a bustling business, but hopefully they could overhaul some of the dishes instead of change a few of the ingredients of the same order and call it a different thing.

The fish was full of intense and flavorful flavors coming from the rich saffron cream-based sauce, tomato fondue and bacon. I wanted to eat everything and sop up all the sauce with my ravioli, but I stopped myself since my friend didn’t eat his vegetables nor the foie gras. However, I voluntarily didn’t finish my amuse bouche since I found the Brie mousse too sour. Not even the cherry sauce could save it. Below are pictures of our meal.

Sadly, we didn’t have free macaroons or chocolate truffles to close off our meal like we used to. But nevertheless, I still love this place, and would recommend this restaurant to anyone for a truly fine dining experience.

AUBERGINE
beside HSBC, across S&R
32nd and 5th Building
5th Avenue cor. 32nd Street
Fort Bonifacio 1634 Taguig
Philippines
(02) 856-9888
Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Su, Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm

*Be sure to reserve before dining.

LA REGALADE

4.5 out of 5 stars

I may be a bit rusty with my descriptions, but I'll give it my best with this restaurant that I've visited again quite recently after the Bar. La Regalade is located in Pasay Road, home of several well-established restaurants such as Milky Way or Nihonbashitei. But it also has relatively new restaurants like Azuthai and fellow French eateries La Cabane or Cicou. Certainly, this strip of road will never die out of places to eat when restaurant ideas fizzle out of your head. And gratefully, La Regalade is also open on Sundays, where most other fine dining restaurants remain closed for weekly cleanings or days-off. It gives families with busy work schedules options for other places apart from mall or chain restaurants.

There is nothing too striking with the ambiance of the place, compared to the cozier feel of Cuillere or cool modern spaces of La Cabane. But it has made its mark by gracing us with a menu created by Chef Raye, a two-star Michelin chef. The food is rich and hearty, far from the frilly and overtly fancy French dishes that one expects. Yet, in as much as people have reviewed their portions to be hearty, my friends and family say otherwise. But hey, maybe French food in general have small servings...and this may probably be why "French women don't get fat" as quoted from M. Guiliano's title.

La Regalade has finally given out its own menus, apart from the last time I visited where its offerings were posted solely on chalkboards and chalkboard pillars. Yet, the chalboard remains for daily offerings that change with seasonal ingredients as well as transitory dishes.

warm, crusty bread

One of the dishes I ordered on my first visit was the Salad Foie Gras (490 PhP), which was actually a simple but clean-tasting salad of mangoes, nuts and mixed lettuce on vinaigrette. Unfortunately, they don't serve it now, but for that pan-seared foie gras craving fix, you can actually order it on its own by request, since the one on the menu is terrine accompanied by country bread and house salad (that does not serve people like us who aren't fond of terrine well). Their pan-seared version is accompanied by cooked mangoes with a balsamic reduction. Even with the fruit, it was so rich that I asked for lettuce to munch it with. They were quite agreeable about it and gave us some salad lettuce with a mild dressing that made the starter all the more delicious.

Salad Foie Gras (490 PhP)

Along with the salad, I remember ordering the Duck Leg Confit (980 PhP) and Lamb Navarin (865 PhP) as main of our first visit. It's been so long ago, but I do remember enjoying the duck, and a tad less for its Lyonnaise potato siding since its lard-y taste was overpowering. However, I can't help but compare it to the confit of Aubergine, which has consistently had a crispier skin and juicer meat the three times I've ordered it.

Duck Leg Confit (980 PhP)

Indeed, the star of that meal was the Lamb Navarin, where the sauce was light and flavorful, and the meat firm enough to hold its shape, but practically melted in your mouth. Even the vegetables absorbed the rich flavor the sauce, and was a treat to eat. This traditional lamb stew tasted almost like caldereta, but a richer one, with hints of wine and rosemary.

Lamb Navarin (865 PhP)

At another instance, we got three orders as starters: the Escargots en crouton (290 PhP), Assiete de fromage (400 PhP), and Pan seared foie gras (by request). My parents loved the escargot on tomato confit, with herbed butter sauce and served with sourdough crouton. They said it was tasted better than the order that they got in Lemuria. The cheese platter was also simply presented with a side salad with radish sticks and some walnuts. The cheeses were goat cheese (the white balls), bleu cheese (the triangular spotted ones) and brie (the clear and rectangular cheese). We liked the goat cheese the most, since it was so fresh and creamy without any sour aftertaste.

Assiete de fromage (400 PhP)

Foie Gras de Canard Poelé (Pan Seared Duck Foie Gras)

For main, we got four pieces of Piece de Boeuf, sauce a vin rouge (steak, 6 oz. at 1050 PhP), Grosses Crevettes aux Poires et Oignons (Roasted Prawns with Pears and Onions, 870 PhP) and Boeuf Bourguignon (solo at 400 PhP) with a side of couscous (100 PhP). I find it amusing how my family always gets steak in whatever restaurant we go to, even if it’s not a steakhouse, and this is no exception. The rib-eye was served with a bed of roasted garlic and onions and a small tower of French fries. The steak was succulent, and though it had big chunks of fat, the family says it tasted a lot like Elbert’s. High praise indeed, for steak amounting to less than a third of Elbert’s price. The steak was very meaty but could be sliced easily with a butter knife, the flavor also coming from its high marbling of yummy fat. It still tasted good even without the sauce, and the family actually preferred it without, choosing the peppercorn sauce from time to time when it arrived.

Piece de Boeuf, sauce a vin rouge (steak, 6 oz. at 1050 PhP)

Dad said the prawns were just okay, and we all laughed when he said that manang could whip up something like that. Of course, he was just kidding. The Beef Bourguignon was also just okay, especially compared to the Lamb Navarin which was also a stew that tasted much better. Considering that they simmered the beef for several hours in wine, it was still kind of tough, and the sauce was lacking but overpowering. Good thing there was couscous, and it was very good to scoop up the sauce which also counterbalanced its strong flavor.

Grosses Crevettes aux Poires et Oignons (Roasted Prawns with Pears and Onions, 870 PhP)

Boeuf Bourguignon (solo at 400 PhP)

I forgot to take pictures of the desserts, but we did order the Puit d’Amour (Baked meringue, 220 PhP), Ile Flotante (soft poached meringue on crème anglaise, 180 PhP) and the La Tarte au Chocolat Tiede (warm chocolate tart, 250 PhP). They were all good, but we liked the tart the most, and the baked meringue the least. The latter was served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate syrup. We though this would be the best dessert, but when it came, there was just too much hard meringue for the chocolate syrup frozen on a small portion on the center of the plate. Could say the same for the ice cream stuffed inside the meringue. The Ile Flotante was good, the soft meringue being topped with crystallized caramel and almonds. It tasted like a fancy brazo de mercedes, and I liked it because it wasn’t too sweet unlike the previous dessert. Finally, the icing on the cake was the warm cocolate tart. It was actually molten chocolate cake served on a hard chocolate cookie crust. It was warm, gooey and perfect to top off our French food feast.

Ile Flotante (180 PhP)
picture care of allanko.net

All in all, the dining experience was great and fun; not mind-blowing, but very pleasant. The staff was very attentive, though may not know all of the menu; some of the food were just average, but the remarkable dishes of escargot, steak and chocolate tart more than made up for it; the portions were not as big as expected, but the food is truly warm and hearty comfort food. This is a place where one would be excited to take a date to, bring an intimate group to celebrate some event, or take the family to have those fancy Sunday dinners.

Menu. click below to magnify.













French Bistro, Makati
820 Arnaiz Ave.
Makati City, Metro Manila
(02)750-2104
Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Su, M, T, W, Th: 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Su, Sa: 12:00 mn - 1:00 am
F, Sa: 6:30 pm - 12:00 mn