I will not write about anything political. I will focus on my personal vice of eating and staying at hotels and restaurants. Some may even consider me a gourmet (foodie) although my wife accuses me of being a gourmand (glutton). Whatever I may be, I will now provide you with my perceptions.
After many years of travel, I can claim to have met some great hoteliers such as Kurt Wachtveitl. He was the general manager of the world famous Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok for 42 years. Kurt set new standards for the global hotel industry. I was a frequent visitor and was once a resident for three months when I worked for IBM Thailand. Kurt paid great attention to detail and no one excelled more in the art of hospitality. I was witness to how he inspected the gardens and the floral arrangements of the lobby at six in the morning. Usually in the early evenings, he would chat with the guests. There wasn’t a guest he did not personally greet at the lobby. The Normandy Grill was the most famous French restaurant during my time.
I have also stayed at some fabulous hotels in Europe and the United States, but none compare to the Asian quality of hospitality. In Manila, I have been a fan of the Intercontinental Manila because of another hotelier, Christian Pirodon, who despite the closure of the Intercon (which will rise again at the FTI area in the future), remains as GM of the Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza hotels. I have known Christian since the ’70s when he was the maitre d’ of the French restaurant, L’Hirondelle at the Mandarin Hotel. Christian is also an excellent chef and I have tasted the excellent gourmet quality of his cuisine at the Salon Carlos P. Romulo in the Prince Albert Rotisserie which my family and I will always remember. We hope there will be a rebirth of the Salon Carlos P. Romulo in the new Intercontinental Hotel.
Then, there was the Manila Hotel which reopened in 1976, (when the IMF was hosted in Manila) professionally managed by then general manager, Frans Schutsman. The favorite in those days were the Champagne Room with Nicolas and his Strings, and the Cowrie Grill. During that brief period the hotel regained its pre-war reputation. Many of us hope that the Manila Hotel will once again regain the lustre of yesteryears.
Local restaurants
The foremost in my list would be two outlets of the Shangri-La at the Fort: the Raging Bull and Samba. The former has excellent steaks and lamb and business-like ambience. But to me the highlight of this steakhouse was the quality of service. I remember my dinner five days after it opened. The concierge, Maricel was very attentive to our needs and complaints and the waitresses were very well trained, spoke English fluently and understood the products they were serving. I learned later that the hotel staff was trained months before the opening.
Samba has a different ambience, as if you were in a resort area. Chef Carlo Huerta understands the eccentricities of Filipinos and even speaks a little Tagalog. He came to Manila months before so he could determine what was locally available which could be used for Peruvian cuisine. I recommend you order the barbecued pulpos, ceviche, the tenderloin empanada, Peruvian pork adobo and the chuleton. For dessert, there are unforgettable choices such as Tres Leches. My compliments to the hotel GM, Mr. John Rice, from Papua New Guinea, who oversaw the construction and opening of the hotel and trained the staff professionally. The Shangri-La at the Fort is a welcome newcomer which deserves your visit.
Besides fine dining in hotels, there are other restaurants. The following list is not in any meaningful order except for the fact that I have patronized all of them:
1. Makati Garden Club Restaurant – a delightful “shabby chic” spot with Robert Lilja as the chef. Great tenderloin, salads, Belgian like mussels as well as lapu-lapu, grouper and halibut.
2. Milky Way Restaurant on Pasong Tamo and Romulo Café (in Jupiter St. as well as Alabang and Quezon City) for Filipino Food. Try both, you won’t regret it.
3. People’s Palace (authentic Thai taste) and Mango Tree (excellent ambience. The best sticky rice and mango) for Thai Food.
4. Wildflour in BGC, Legaspi and Salcedo. Great bread and sandwiches.
5. Sala Bistro for excellent brunches. Quiet, tasteful ambience.
6. Champêtre in BGC. Traditional French food. Great steak tartare, duck confit and lamb shank. The pâté de foie gras and foie d’oie is excellent. Marc Aubry informed their reopening is in March 2017.
7. Chesa Bianca in Yakal Street, Makati. Swiss food like beef/cheese fondue, sausages etc.
8. Inagiku at the Makati Shangri-la. Best Japanese in town.
9. Chef Jessie Rockwell Club located in the Amorsolo condo. One of the best in Western foods. Jessie is an experienced chef who can personally cater to all your needs even in your own homes.
10. La Tasca was once a great restaurant but has since moved to catering. Marilou Araneta Senn, the proprietor is my favorite caterer.
11. Cibo is both a restaurant and a catering service. Chef Margarita Fores is rated the best female chef in Asia. Italian cuisine is her proclaimed expertise but in reality her Filipino and other Western food is equally noteworthy.
12. Apartment 1B (in Salcedo) and Kitchen 1B with organic twist (in Legaspi). Breakfast is served. In Apartment 1B, they cook great eggs Benedict and waffles.
13. Din Tai Fung in BGC and Ortigas for Chinese food. Excellent food and service. Best in town!!!
Bon Appétit! Happy New Year!!!