Pleasurable repasts at the Verandah

Waiting for your meal at the Verandah of Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club (AGGLC) allows you to appreciate your surroundings. The golf course stretches out – a sea of bright and verdant grass randomly spotted by the uniform white of the sand traps. Small, white figures move in the distance. These are the golfers who play in the manicured golf course that seems like green velvet. In a flowerbed near the building, powder blue butterflies hover over bright pink flowers. The edge of the golf course is bordered further away by swaying waves of white. These are clumps of cogon grass at the height of flowering season.

A cool wind redolent with the smell of newly mowed grass blows, and you fill your lungs with long, deep breaths. Ah, this is the life! No artist’s paintbrush could compete with nature’s artistry. No picture on a restaurant wall could soothe and satisfy all your senses as ably.

Chef Ed Chavez prepared a sampling of the most popular dishes at the Verandah. "After a game, golfers have hearty appetites," he stated, and without him saying it outright, we were forewarned that the serving portions were substantial.

Tuna tartare set on a bed of salad greens was the appetizer and, indeed, the portions were so much bigger than that served in fancy Manila restaurants. The fish was firm, fresh and tasty and with a faint hint of lemon. The salad greens were young and crisp without the faintly bitter flavor of older leaves, and the accompanying balsamic vinegar-and-oil dressing enhanced but did not overwhelm. This alone would have sufficed for a light meal, but chef Ed had prepared a Filipino feast.

A rich soup of native chicken in coconut milk followed. The free-range chicken was simmered gently in coconut milk to tenderize the meat and to coax out the wonderful flavors. This would have been similar to what our grandmothers in the provinces would lovingly prepare for their families, except that Chef Ed added lemongrass and coriander in the soup, thus giving the dish a distinctively Asian flavor.

The main course was served family style, as is usual in Filipino homes. Steamed lapu lapu or grouper, pinakbet with bagoong, pork spareribs in barbecue Filipiniana (sweet, as Filipinos like their barbecue) were served with fried rice. However, what I looked forward to the most was Greenfield kanding stew with Laguna spicy sauce. In fancy French restaurants, this is chevre, but in northern Philippines where I am from, goat is kalding. Chef Ed Chavez shares that the meat is sourced from local farmers. The meat was tender and flavorful, obviously cooked the slow and traditional way over a low flame, since the chef believes that pressure-cooking the meat causes it to lose some of its flavor. The dish is what is commonly known as kaldereta, but the main difference between this goat dish and what I am familiar with is in the preparation of the meat. In the north, the goat carcass is singed to remove all traces of hair. This gives the meat a distinctive smoky taste and enhances its gaminess. Greenfield kanding did not have the familiar gamey/smokey flavor. Nevertheless, it was flavorful.

Going through the restaurant’s menu, it was apparent that the dishes were mainly Filipino. The breakfast menu includes chicken pork adobo, Spanish sardines, tocino, longganisa, beef tapa, tawilis or boneless bangus served with eggs and fried rice. Those who prefer a light breakfast can opt for the Makiling breakfast that has freshly baked pan de sal stuffed with pan-grilled Laguna white cheese. A la carte items include sizzling sisig, bulalo soup, sinigang na salmon, grilled steak tanigue a la pobre, grilled baby prawns, crispy pata and other selections. Japanese golfers play on the course and for them there is the familiar pork tonkatsu.

It was interesting that there was a page in the menu with the heading "Golfer’s Choice." Listed underneath it were items like dinuguan with puto, pancit chami, lechon mami and others. Clearly, many golfers from the city who come to play at AGGLC prefer hearty, familiar food without the frills. Golfers who do not want to interrupt their game by going back to the Verandah for a meal may have their food delivered to them on the golf course.

What is the main difference between working in a five-star hotel kitchen and a golf club setting? Chavez, who has previously worked at the Hotel Intercontinental, Manila, and abroad in Oman, Seoul, the Caribbean and at the Asia World Plaza Hotel in Louyang, China, says that he insists on five-star standards in his kitchen. Food must always be fresh; kitchen personnel should exercise discipline, a good work ethic, and a constant effort to improve their culinary knowledge. Most importantly, all efforts must be taken to please diners. He says that golfers are among his favorite people. They are frank, yet generous with their praise when they are pleased. "Living and working away from the city in a safe, beautiful setting is a blessing," he says. And thus, he marshals the kitchen to produce delicious meals.

The hearty choices at the Verandah of Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club will surely satisfy your cravings for Filipino fare. The friendly and attentive but unobtrusive service is sure to satisfy, and you may realize that there really is something about eating in fresh country air that relaxes you, whets your appetite and ups your energy.