I’m still continuing to build the indexes for Our Awesome Planet. For those people just tuning into OAP, here are my Top 10 Fine Dining Date Places in Metro Manila. I’m not really fond of restaurants inside the malls or hotels so you won’t find any of those in my lists.
1. A memorable dinner @ La Cocina de Tita Moning — My Favorite!
2. Nothing beats an Antonio’s Dinner @ Tagaytay!
3. Bistro Filipino by Chef Laudico — Best Filipino Fusion Food!
4. Je Suis Gourmand: Revisited
5. Lemuria’s Mystic – a Romantic Restaurant in the Metro
6. Le Souffle
7. Lolo Dads
8. French Fine Dining @ Parallel 45
9. Mezzaluna-First Night High!
10. Are you a Vieux Chalet virgin?
I’m sure I’m still missing some fine dining dating restaurants out there. Would you know of any other fine dining places in Metro Manila?
I like Red. The food is great. The only downside is I find the interiors a bit too goth for my taste. I keep expecting Count Dracula to show up and say “Vud yu like to drink zum blood?” =)
My list would include the following: Paparazzi (Edsa Shangri-La), Cafe Maestro, Cafe Caruso, Chateau 1771 (El Pueblo), Carpaccio and Gullivers.
hey anton! there’s a new place in the loyola heights-katipunan area, it’s called “in yo.” i’ve been there once and really enjoyed myself. the resto seats only a few patrons so it’s really intimate and cozy (but it isn’t too small that people have a hard time getting around). they serve fusion cuisine as well. it’s only a little over a month old. hope you’d check it out if you have the time. 🙂 it’s located at 66 esteban abada street, loyola heights, quezon city (the street parallel to katipunan). tel. number 4260301, cristine orocio’s the manager. they’re closed mondays, by the way. 🙂 great job on this blog!!
I would also include L’Opera in the list. As for Red, we had a business dinner there a while back. The food was good but the service was BAD. It took more than an HOUR to get entrees out for a table of 8. In the meantime, while we were waiting, they had a strange magician “entertain” us. Kinda tacky for a fine dining place, don’t you think?
your blog really rocks! it does help me a lot in deciding on what restaurant do i like to work. by the way i am a fresh grad of a culinary school and your blog does help! thanks! by the way does anyone knows where L’Opera is located? thanks again anton!
@Jester: L’Opera is in The Fort Strip, close to Hossein’s.
hey anton, have you been to la grota? very good italian food along herrera st. Legaspi village. date place din, alternative to greenbelt. quiet and cozy.
My whole family went to Lolo Dads for dinner and its been almost 5 years since our last visit. The breads that they served were very tasty specially when it goes with the herbed butter. For appetizers we had the Salmon nicoise salad which was nothing special, the soft shell crab with aoili was really awesome, the panfried gooseliver was as good as the one we had 5 years ago,one of the best in town definitely, the ahi tuna with grilled watermelon salad was really good with a nice balance of flavors. For the mains we had Scallop with mushroom ravioli, this dish was spectacular with scallops as big as a hopia and the texture was just perfect, the prawns with mushroom rice was also very good, the angus beef tenderloin was a bit of a dissapointment since the meat was tough and chewy, the lamb was the best of all, it goes perfectly with the blue cheese rissoto, the halibut was great with a very crispy skin, the veal tenderloin and salpicao was really yummy though a bit too salty, last but not the least the crispy pigeon confit, the skin was very crispy and the meat so tender that it just fell of the bone, and the chestnut muffin was the best we ever had, even my lolo raved about it. For desserts, we had the Mocha walnut bar which was so so, I don’t really like the texture, it was too creamy all the way, the mango napoleonn was pretty good but a bit too salty, last the dates stuffed with roquefort cheese and served with parmesan ice cream had split opinions, some like the sweet salty earthy taste of the whole thing, but the others literally hate it.
As a food lover and culinary student soon to be chef 😛 … i recommend “abaca” restaurant in Cebu. well yes its not in Metro Manila (but i just want to share this)….but fine dining there is like 7 star. ambiance, food, presentation…everything is FINE! its near Shangri-La Mactan Cebu. “abaca” serves one of the best CREME BRULEE I’ve ever tasted in my whole life! From Fish and Co. to Hotel Restaurant creme brulee…abaca is the most outstanding! believe me! :p i tried to copy there creme brulee by making one at home…its like abaca creme brulee is 10 mine is 5 🙂