Tucked in the heart of bustling Makati City is a a eatery owned by The Gustavian. The name is Brasserie Boheme. The name might not be apropos since the restaurant is surrounded by commerce. However, inside Brasserie Boheme, diners feel detached from the city. It offers a brief oasis to the busy city life.

Ambiance

As I mentioned earlier, Brasserie Boheme is cozy. It is well-lighted, cheerful, and relaxing despite the hustle and bustle of the country’s business capital. The interior design is modern, with large rectangular tables and booths, ambient lighting, and plates inspired by Picasso, or at least I think so, since it is located at Picasso Boutique Hotel.

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Tagaytay is a quick getaway from the city for us Metro Manila urbanites. In less than 2 hours travel time, we are rewarded with breathtaking scenery, cool weather, and good eats. I’ve recently discovered one of the best eats in Tagaytay, nay, the Philippines and it is right smack in the middle of Tagaytay City. It was a pleasant surprise because I ate at Fire Lake Grill by accident when the restaurant in front of it was full. I thank my lucky stars that it was.

Ambiance

Modern interior

Fire Lake Grill is located in Cliff House Tagaytay which is a serene complex with an American feel to it. Fire Lake Grill customers may choose to dine inside the restaurant which has huge bay windows for unhindered view of Taal Volcano and Taal Lake. Those who want to enjoy the breeze may eat al fresco.

Huge windows

The view from Fire Lake Grill

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Service

Chef and owner Paul Huang has taught his staff well. All of them are courteous and friendly. The service is efficient although customers really have to wait for the steak to get cooked. The food is worth the wait though.

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Food and Price

Some might find the restaurant pricey but I say every centavo is worth it. I ordered the House Iced Tea which I really loved and 220 grams US Angus Ribeye. I have to say Fire Lake Grill’s steak is the best steak I’ve ever tasted in the Philippines. It is very tender and the light but tasty marinade enhances the taste of the Angus beef. I’m not that much into steak but Fire Lake Grill’s make me want to come back for more. The 220 grams isn’t so bad as well. The size was just right for me.

House Iced Tea (P75)

US Angus Ribeye 220 grams (P890)

Steak size in proportion to my size

My friend Eloisa ordered the Fetuccini pasta in black truffle cream sauce and with Italian garlic sausages and shitake mushrooms. Of course I had to taste it. The truffle cream sauce blends well with the sausages and mushrooms. The taste wasn’t too strong nor too light.

Fettuccine pasta in black truffle cream sauce with Italian garlic sausages and shitake mushrooms (P320)

Prices are subject to government taxes and 10% service charge.

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Fire Lake Grill

I was able to talk to Fire Lake Grill owner and chef Paul Huang and I was urging him to open a branch in Metro Manila. However, Mr. Huang said he doesn’t have immediate plans for another branch because he wants to focus on Tagaytay and I guess he loves living there. Too bad for me. I really have to go to Tagaytay to eat their steak again.

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Fire Lake Grill
Unit 3 Cliffhouse Tagaytay
General Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Cavite
(046) 4132069 and 0927-9144604

http://www.firelakegrill.com/

The family celebrated my sister’s birthday with a dinner at Thai at Silk. This elegant restaurant is often overlooked among the choices of eateries in Serendra. I don’t know why that is since I enjoyed my dining experience there.

Ambiance

Thai at Silk is spacious compared to some of the restaurants in Serendra.With its subdued lighting, candlelight and harmonious wall treatment, it is a perfect place for dates and intimate gatherings. I felt relaxed the entire time I was there and my sister agreed when I said that the place kind of feels like a spa. What struck me most about the interior are the artful lamps.

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Service

The staff were attentive and courteous although sometimes the waiters seem lost in thought. I suppose it’s because the restaurant is half empty most of the time. When I asked some of the waiters, they were able to answer me so I assume they are knowledgeable about what they serve.

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What is your greatest food discovery? Share it with the rest of us and you might win a P1,000 Ayala EGC from OVI by Nokia. To join, open an OVI mail account then send your entry to fooddiscOVIry@ovi.com. Include the following details: (a) Name, (b) Address, (c) OVI Mail Address, and (d) Mobile Phone Number. Nokia will choose 10 winners on November 20, 2009. Good luck!

The family decided to try Flapjacks tonight. We’ve been wanting to try the food there for quite some time but only found time to do so today. We decided on their Greenhills branch so we can do some shopping afterwards. We got there before 7PM and quite a number of tables were already occupied.

Ambiance

It occupies the space where Pilita’s used to be. I feel that the owners packed too much tables in the in-door dining area. The lighting is too dark for a family restaurant. The color combination is nice and eye-catching and will certainly attract mallers.

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Service

The staff are very friendly and courteous. Our orders arrived quickly, like we almost didn’t wait at all.

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Food

I was disappointed with the fact that they didn’t offer more varieties of flapjacks so I’m wondering why they named the restaurant Flapjacks. The restaurant offers a number of other dishes and their menu is visually appealing. I ordered the White Fish Hollandaise (P315) which is battered fish deep fried until golden brown. It has a very light lemon hollandaise sauce which only covered less than a half of the fish so that was very disappointing for me. The dish comes with buttered veggies and herb rice.
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