Welcome to Tropezz resto-bar

Seldom do good food, great entertainment and perfect ambiance blend well when one talks about restaurant-bars around town. But that’s what exactly awaits discriminating diners and lovers of good music and great ambiance at Tropezz, the newest dining place and music bar at Greenbelt 3 in Makati City.

Tropezz is the first venture into the restaurant business of Bulakeño couple Obet and Isa Pascual, with lawyer Jiji Fernandez. Isa and Jiji met nine years ago while training for the franchise of McDonald’s. "We’ve been wanting to put up a joint venture for the longest time," Jiji says. "That’s why when the opportunity came, we did everything we could to become business partners."

Last Dec. 30, the spacious area previously occupied by Tavern on the Square at Greenbelt 3, was formally turned over to the new team. Amazingly enough, in only a matter of 35 days, the owners were able to renovate the place, think of the restaurant’s theme, whip up the menu, hire people and start running the business.

Conveniently located at the second floor of Greenbelt 3, Tropezz opened on Chinese New Year last Feb. 18, with singer Mon David and Up Dharma Down, Outerhope and Swissy. The overall look of the venue was created by architect Victor Cham and progressive Ayala Land design consultant Ana Rocha, who transformed the 461-square meter area into a cozy and relaxed dining place. Cham’s 12-year-old son Vico supplied the abstract, colorful murals around the restaurant. The ingenious gold and black signage at the entrance provides strong visual impact to passers-by.

The walls are in sheer glass, making the interiors visible to mall shoppers. White walls complement the eclectic ceiling in orange, pink, red and yellow hues. Glass panels divide the bar from the 200-seater dining area. There is a VIP lounge for special functions, while the veranda which offers a breathtaking view of the Greenbelt Park, serves as the smoking area.

Although the name evokes a French feel, Tropezz serves cosmopolitan culinary fare painstakingly prepared by 26-year-old Chef d’ Cuisine Booj Supe, who brings his cooking expertise from Splendido in Tagaytay and Club Noah in Palawan. Chef Booj, who was a finalist on ABS-CBN’s Search for Star in a Million 2, gives international dishes a Filipino twist.

Menu, according to Isa, is still a work in progress. "We didn’t want the menu to be purely French that’s why we decided on international island cuisine, a mix of different cultures, from Italian to fusion-type dishes. We want the menu to be a new, fine dining experience."

Diners will love Tropezz house specialties fish out of water (native kinilaw in coconut milk), caviar de Ifugao (paté of tinapa with cream cheese and butter), ravioli Bicolana (Italian-inspired laing), marina Haponesa (smoked bangus belly with eggplant and orange-laced teriyaki sauce), linguine de adobo (pasta in Carbonara sauce topped with classic chicken adobo).

Tropezz also serves sword fish (flown in from General Santos City) with mushroom and garlic butter, "panned, baked and sizzled." There are also a whole range of salads, appetizers, pizzas and pastas to choose from.

For desserts, Isa’s 23-year-old chef-daughter Katrina, prepares delectable halo-halo cheesecake and flourless chocolate cake.

The bar treats, meanwhile, include favorite drinks of J. Lo, Pierce Brosnan and Tom Cruise’s concoctions in the movie, Cocktail. Tropezz iced tea is a mix of lime, strawberry, tea and soda water. Part of the restaurant’s entertainment fare is the nightly flare bartending exhibitions by brilliant professionals who display their skills in throwing and spinning bottles and shakers.

In keeping up with the entertainment tradition of Tavern on the Square which had live bands, Tropezz owners also auditioned bands with the help of singer-lawyer Dot Gancayco, Jiji’s sorority sister at UP Delta Lambda who now acts as Tropezz’s creative director. The existing P2-M sound system was also enhanced by audio expert Joe Aguado. Additional noise absorbers were installed in the ceiling for a more pleasurable acoustic experience.

"The renovation was torturous for us," Jiji shares. "We had sleepless nights. But we’ve been so blessed with good people who helped us out in the process."

Although both Isa and Jiji are tyros when it comes to managing a restaurant, they work hands on at Tropezz, learning the ropes of the trade as they dauntlessly thread on the competitive business. From the mundane to the most important detail of running a restaurant, both ladies make sure they keep a close eye on every aspect of the business. They even scoured for plates and serving dishes at Bangkok’s Chatuchak weekend flea market. The other plates were especially ordered from noted ceramic artist Lanelle Abueva.

This early, Tropezz is starting to become a favorite night haunt in the Makati area for those who want to satisfy their culinary cravings or musical mood. Marco Sison, Dessa, Jenine Desiderio and Nonoy Zuñiga have dropped by to jam with the featured band for the night.

For the month of March, Tropezz has this line-up of entertainers — classic folk, pop-jazz duo Kelly and Kiko on Mondays; acoustic pop group Ais Roxas with Cuerdas on Tuesdays; pop, soul R ’n B and jazz band Freedom on Wednesdays; Shayne with Brown Sugar on Thursdays; retro variety band Music Genre on Fridays; Domination on Saturdays and Sundays.

This month, Tropezz will feature the bossa nova music via An Evening with Sofia on March 29, with Shayne and Brown Sugar as front acts.