Fire Lake Grill

As all of metropolitan Manila bakes under the heat of the summer sun, the fennel bulbs decided to go up the town of Tagaytay, some 50 kilometres away, located on a volcanic ridge that overlooks the very scenic Taal Lake. It has become very famous as a tourist destination for both locals and foreigners alike. In addition, its cooler weather allows one to grow herbs and organic vegetable farming is common in the area. As such, there are countless good restaurants that have set up shop in the area.

The Cliffhouse, located along General Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, is not far from the Tagaytay Rotunda. It is a rather compact complex of quaint restaurants with a commanding view of Taal Lake. One restaurant that has established quite a reputation is the Fire Lake Grill, known in little circles in Manila for its good steaks, amongst other equally competitive offerings.

Two refreshing salads were ordered: blackened beef salad with Asian greens, sesame Thai chilli dressing and blue cheese crumble (Php370), and rare tuna tataki slices with a Nicoise-style salad in lime cilantro dressing (Php330). The blackened beef had a smokey and robust taste to it, and it went well with the sweetness of the dressing. The pungency of the blue cheese added a different dimension. It was an excellent salad. Beef as a major ingredient in a dish could actually be cool and refreshing, as it has been pulled off by this salad.

The tuna salad was also formidable. The tuna was fresh and delicious; it also have often been paired with Nicoise salad as the flavours and textures of both produce a hearty yet refreshing dish. The lime cilantro dressing tasted mildly, which went well with the Nicoise greens (which was dominated by string beans).

Fettuccine pasta in black truffle cream sauce with smoked garlic sausage and shiitake mushrooms (Php360) was ordered afterwards. One had to commend that this was a very good dish. The fettuccine was cooked al dente, and the bulkiness of the pasta was adequately dressed with very delicious sauce. The truffle cream's pungency blended well with the strong flavors of the garlic sausage. The blend of broad and linear flavors from the truffle cream and the vertical accentuation of the sausage was simply delightful.

Lastly, porterhouse steak (1900Php, 700g) was ordered. It was served with red wine shallot sauce, whose dark flavours complement the meat well. The steak was done medium, although there were some parts that were rather cooked unevenly. Despite the absence of collagen in a T-bone steak, some portions were unexpectedly a bit uncomfortably tough. We were just not quite sure as to whether porterhouse steaks were just meant to be tougher on the outer edges and softer as it approaches the bone, or some particular cooking methods could be adopted to ensure an even consistency throughout.

The Fire Lake Grill offers excellent cuisine at reasonable prices. With a breathtaking location, it is indeed one restaurant worth coming back to.

ダメで。。。

The fennel bulbs were quite surprised to find out that there was a Ma Maison restaurant in Greenbelt. Ma Maison is a famous 洋食 (Western food) restaurant chain in Nagoya. This class of restaurants serves Western food interpreted in a Japanese way. These cafes began in the late Meiji era when Japan began interaction with the West, and these local cafes offered Western food the way it came to be perceived by the Japanese. A post-colonial blend of Eastern and Western elements was engendered, and some dishes like omurice (omelette rice), and various fried cutlets/seafood with curry are manifestations of the Western influence on Japanese cuisine.

As such these cafes have a fairly Western feel to it, but some subtleties like the availability of both fork and knife and the ubiquitous chopsticks, and moist towelettes do remind the conscientious diner that one is in a 洋食 cafe.

The service was fairly good and we were whisked to our seats and our orders were taken efficiently by the waiter. The fennel bulbs ordered for hamburg steak (Php 395), tonkatsu curry (Php 425), and cod-roe (mentaiko, 明太子）pasta (Php 325).

The pasta arrived first. The cod-roe resembled little fish-fry eggs and had a good salty taste to it. Some clams were also incorporated and a light cream sauce was used as the base. The clams seem to have been canned, and the spaghetti was a bit too fat and felt just a tad soggy from al dente.

The hamburg steak arrived. Despite the menu indicating that this was served with potato salad, a cup of steamed rice was served instead. This was quite disconcerting, as we think that the actual dish should be faithful to what the menu says, and any substitutions should be informed beforehand. Upon informing the staff of this incongruity, a cup of potato salad was added (and the steamed rice was not removed). Upon tasting the potato salad, we realised why it was not served - they did not have it readily available. The potato salad simply consisted of boiled potatoes and acrid mayonnaise.

The tonkatsu was likewise disappointing. The breading had a texture more akin to fried chicken, and the pork was too fatty for comfort. Pork belly was used, when chop cuts from sirloin should have been used. This dish comes with a bowl of miso soup and side salad.

The fennel bulbs could only hope that the management considers returning to the essence of what Ma Maison is. It seems that　立ち上がり (tachiagari, or "setting up [a business]") was not done properly, and a restaurant that serves slipshod food was the outcome of such an oversight. It was equally frustrating to note that Youshoku or 洋食　cuisine is a culturally impeccable and thoughtful Japanese interpretation of Western food, and that the quality of the food being offered in Ma Maison's Manila branch is by no means representative of it.