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.

Warm Summer Evenings

The warm February evening felt much like summer already. And similarly, it felt much like a warm August evening during the Obon holiday season in Japan; with Valentine's having just ended and a holiday-like atmosphere pervaded the air. The fennel bulbs decided to do an Obon (お盆）theme, and firstly landed in a tonkatsu restaurant (which is aptly called Tonkatsu-Ya, which means the same thing in Japanese, トンカツ屋).

Located in the basement of Palm Towers in San Antonio Village, Makati City, Tonkatsu-ya is more or less a little nook serving Japan's favourite pork cutlet, in various kinds. And the offerings are nonetheless veritable.

The fennel bulbs ordered the regular tonkatsu set (Php200) and the miso hirekatsu set (Php245). "Hire (ひれ)" means fillet, and often pertains to more tender cuts of pork than what may be used for a regular "Rosu (ロス)" tonkatsu, although the difference in price is more or less negligible.

The quality of the pork was good and tender, and the breading was done very well in such a way that it did not peel off when one bites into it. The thickness of the pork was also optimal, and the size of the chunks were convenient enough to be held by a pair of chopsticks. A dollop of yellow wasabi was placed on the side.

A pile of shredded cabbage accompanied the dish, which one could dress liberally with the tonkatsu sauce. A bowl of miso soup and some cold vegetables were had, and the indispensable rice.

A lot of Japanese people frequent the place, even though it is located in a quiet residential area. The price is definitely more than worth it, and the fennel bulbs would gladly recommend this place to someone who would want a delicious pork cutlet meal, without the commotion of going to those popular Japanese joints found in the shopping malls.

Still not fully satiated, the fennel bulbs headed off to Hana (華）in nearby Little Tokyo. The lanterns were all lit and the place was filled with people, the humid air and the noise of people made it really feel quite similar to an Obon evening.

We tried the tako karaage (fried octopus, Php140), which was served with flavoured salt. It was a good accompaniment to a cold mug of draught beer. Afterwards, tuna rolled in seaweed with mayonnaise (Php200) was ordered. The tuna was of permissible quality, and the dollops of mayonnaise were a bit too excessive.

Lastly, ujikintoki (宇治金時、Php160) was ordered. This is a favourite of the fennelbulbs - green tea ice cream with red bean paste, and shaved ice. This encapsulates that feeling of a very humid Obon evening - a bowl of flavoured shaved ice (かき氷, called kakigoori) as a sweet refreshment.