Tucked in the corner of  Quirino Ave. and Leon Guinto St. in Malate is an ancestral home that is now Lolo Dad’s – an award winning resto and a food lover’s paradise.

Lolo Dad’s  is a great date place too.  It’s cozy and romatic (perfect for long conversations and whispering intimate endearments), serves exquisite food and is also a historical place.  The house has been there since 1941.  The wooden walls still have bullet holes; the floor at the restaurant’s entrance is hollow because beneath it is the family’s air raid shelter – remnants of Manila’s scars from World War II.

One of the things I like about Lolo Dad’s is the open kitchen.  You can see the chefs at work.  You may even opt to reserve the table in front of the glass window so you can see everything up close.

That night, we decided to try their “Tasting Menu” or degustación, which was prepared by multi-awarded Chef Ariel Manuel.

We were given a basket of bread.  But we didn’t try it, as we were saving our appetite.  We instead sipped our wines and excitedly waited for our gastronomical feast.

Arrow Squid & Octopus carpaccio with Sauteed Angulas, Wasabi Aioli, Micro Arugula

We started out with  Arrow Squid & Octopus carpaccio with Sauteed Angulas, Wasabi Aioli, Micro Arugula, paired with White wine.

The sweetness of the (lightly grilled) watermelon and the light spiciness of the wasabi aioli was perfect with the octopus carpaccio.  And the arrow squid was perfectly cooked…   This appetizer was great and whet our appetite for the next dish.

Unsalted Butter poached Langoustine, Foie Gras and Sweet Corn Rice paper Ravioli with Oyster foam

2nd course:  Unsalted Butter poached Langoustine, Foie Gras and Sweet Corn Rice paper Ravioli with Oyster foam

My two favorites on a single plate… I was in foodie heaven.

The succulent langoustine poached in butter was perfect.  The delicate cloud of oyster foam greatly enhanced the velvety foie gras.  It’s  a sensual party of flavors in my mouth.

Mmmmm…..  writing this, I can almost taste it again.:)

This is my fave course, and I wouldn’t mind braving the traffic and driving all the way to Malate, just to be able to partake of this dish again.

Sorbet

Then we were served Sorbet to cleanse our palate.  I loved the presentation with smoke coming out of the little clay teacup

Wagyu Beef Chuck Flap and Lamb cutlet with Pastry Crust Cepes Mushroom & Hoisin jus and Sous vide of Carrots

Then we were ready for the next course: Wagyu Beef Chuck Flap and Lamb cutlet with Pastry Crust, Cepes Mushroom & Hoisin jus’ and Sous vide of Carrots, which we had with red wine.

The plating was genius.    I was so excited to cut into the pear shaped pastry crust.  It’s like opening a christmas present, and a good surprise it was!  It’s like Lamb Wellington (instead of beef).   The lamb was beautifully cooked, moist and juicy with an herbed goat cheese filling inside.  The wagyu beef was good too, but actually the lamb itself  was already perfect for me.  I’ve never tried lamb cooked in that way and it was really great, satisfying and not to mention filling!  Also, I was expecting the Hoisin jus’ to be too sweet yet it works really well with the meat.   Chef Ariel’s excellent skills and unique creativity are very apparent in this dish.  And for meat lovers, this dish is a blockbuster!

Dessert: Dark Chocolate flan with Fresh Berries & White Chocolate Hot Praline, Almond Nut Tartlet with Mustard and Kaffir Lime Ice cream

Dark Chocolate flan with Fresh Berries & White Chocolate Hot Praline, Almond Nut Tartlet with Mustard and Kaffir Lime Ice cream

Again, beautiful presentation.  The sweetness of the dark chocolate flan was perfectly complimented by the tartness of the berries.  I really like this with red wine as the chocolate taste is greatly enhanced.  The almond nut tartlet is perfect when dipped into the lava of white chocolate (from the praline) and some of the cherry syrup (at the bottom).  As for the kaffir lime ice cream,  I think it will take some getting used to on my part, as I am not a big fan of  Kaffir,  but hubby loved it.

It was a great birthday dinner.  The “Tasting Menu” is a culinary masterpiece that tickles the palate and enchants the senses.

And guys, if u want to impress your dates, this is THE place.  With the great ambiance, impeccable service and unforgettable food, u won’t go wrong with Lolo Dad’s Cafe.

So daddies, bring mommy here for her birthday or your anniversary  and  I swear whatever shortcomings you have will be forgiven (maybe, at least for the night)

Tasting Menu

Lolo Dad’s Cafe
899 Pres. Qurino Ave. cor. Leon Guinto St., Malate Manila

Phone Number : (63 2) 522-2941, 524-2295, 526-7151
Cellphone Number : +639228125971

Operating Hours :

Monday : Open from 6:30pm to 10:30pm
Tuesday to Saturday : Open from 11:00am to 2:00pm for lunch
and 6:30pm to 10:30pm for dinner

map

When we think of summer getaways, barkada trips, company outings, family vacations or honeymoon destinations, what comes to mind is Boracay, Bohol, Palawan,Cebu or Bellaroca… among others.

Well, who would have thought that there is a gem of a resort right here in Luzon!

A few days ago, we caught a Cebu Pacific flight to Tuguegarao for our trip to Cagayan Holiday & Leisure Resort in Sun City.  The flight took only an hour and we had to take a 3-hour van ride to get to the resort.  Yes, the road trip was longer than I expected, but Cagayan Holiday & Leisure Resort is very well worth it and even exceeded my expectations.

Our villa has 3 bedrooms all equipped with their own airconditioning units and plasma TV,  2 bathrooms, living room (also with plasma TV and seperate air-conditioning unit) and dining area.  I heard they also have 2 BR and 5 BR villas.

Villas

2nd bedroom

Masters Bedroom

chic furnitures - lobby

lobby bar / cafe

There are so many things you can do, there’s something for everyone –  swimming, relax  & get a tan, (open sea) game fishing, boating, jet-skiing, kayaking, have a massage at the spa etc.    And for the health buff, you can also squeeze in some work-out time at the gym.  You can also have some drinks at their hotel bar (free wi-fi) or their awesome club/bar, videoke in their beautifully furnished private rooms or play billiards at the sports club.

Gym

VIP pool. They also have an infinity pool facing the sea, but it was being cleaned when we arrived. So I had this pool all to myself while hubby went fishing

boat ride going towards White Sand Beach

Spa & Holistic Center

Infinity pool

Here are some pics of their club/bar, Sky Lounge.  The place was epic!  Definitely impressive and not someplace you’d expect to see in the province.  The interiors and furnishings of the club will definitely induce lust in some Manilaclub owners and make them go green with envy.

Sports Bar

And the food… glorious food!

Rib-eye steak from the lobby resto

their Chinese resto

Abalone with Lettuce

Beef Tenderloin

Spicy Prawns - Yummy!

Fish maw & Black Sea Cucumber

Seafood Hotpot

Fried Rice with Dried Scallops & Egg Whites

Broccoli w/ garlic Stir-fry

Shrimp Hakaw

Sour & Spicy Soup

Fried Savoury Puffs

Actually on our 2nd day, since it’s a seaside town, we also decided on having some fresh seafood cooked at the nearby Dampa style eatery near the highway, but it was closed that day (a person told us that the owners must have been tired after the all-night celebration of the town fiesta the night before)  ;)

The resort’s staff are courteous and  service is impeccable, just ring the front desk and they will send over a golf cart to take you around.

Cagayan Holiday & Leisure Resort is definitely a place to consider for your next trip.  And the good news is, the new airport might be ready by next year, so going to sun city will no longer be 3 hours but just 45 mins.  Just less than 2 hours (flight plus road trip) to get to paradise.

We would definitely go back here with the kids

By the way, you can’t leave Tuguegarao without trying their Pancit Batil-Patung or Pancit Tuguegarao.  We had this at the Airport eatery (50 pesos) while waiting for our flight  And don’t forget to buy some of those garlicky Cagayan Longganisa for pasalubong.

Pancit Batil-Patung

Email:  info@cagayanresort.com

Phone: +63 02 8440 888 / +63 91 8233 0333

Website: http://www.cagayanresort.com