According to Wikipedia, Lemuria, like Atlantis and Zealandia, is the name of a hypothetical lost land supposedly located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.  It is one of those ancient civilizations that carry with it mystic and allure.  The Lemuria I was introduced to last Sunday is definitely not a sunken continent especially when it has made its mark hovering afloat as one of Manila’s best restaurants. 

 

As the car veered toward the driveway leading to the The Winery where Lemuria is located, the privacy of the compound breathes a sense of secrecy and serenity.  The garden greets with a smile as you step closer to the Mediterranean-inspired country house, nestled among flowering shrubs.  The restaurant has limited space, adequate enough to accommodate 20 people.  The interior display had a quirky appeal to it as Christmas decors abound –tablecloths had the Santa knits weaved on it.

 

 

From the same owner of Brumms Quality Wines Inc. Marian “Kitt” Bru Schroeder shares to us a space in her own front yard by transforming the upper deck of The Winery into a charming restaurant.  The short menu echoes classics from the French-Mediterranean region.  As for the extensive cellar, the restaurant offers wine from Germany, Romania, Austria, and from other areas in the European region.

 

The professional servers are well versed in the dishes and wine list and will gladly help you make a selection.  Marjo attended to us with much fervor that makes the ambience so embracing. 

 

On the Table:

 

Walnut and Focaccia Bread with Sun Dried Tomato and Butter (Free)

Walnut bread was moist, not too crumbly and had the right texture.  It certainly whets the appetite for what’s more to come.

 

Mushroom and Gruyere Soup PHP 320

Generous portions that start with fresh, high quality ingredients make up the menu and the specials.  We had the soup split into two and it seemed like the chef added more so we can share it satisfyingly in bigger portion.  Gruyere with its somewhat beefy taste heightened what’s already a flavorful mushroom soup.  Note that they also did not scrimp on the Gruyere cheese.

 

Chris wanted to order wine to go with the Sunday lunch but I declined since we were going to get a massage right after.

 

 

Braised Lamb Shank with Apricot and Red Wine Sauce PHP 880

I was undecided between the rib-eye or the lamb shank (having had this only a few days before) but trusting Marjo’s recommendation, lamb was again the preference that day.  This was the only miss among what was prepared for us.  It was a big chunk of meat, which made the carnivore in me really exuberant, positioned upright on soft polenta bed.  The polenta was perfect and I wish I could say the same for the lamb shank.  The lamb shank was quite dry sans a healthier color.  The dish was accompanied by an extra serving of red wine sauce but the luscious sauce was not enough to mask the meat in drought.  The meat was a bit on the tough side –that leaves me perplexed if the meat was supposed to be braised or slow-cooked.  The worst for me is the unappetizing murky brown/grayish color of the inside meat and there was an unusual distinct taste to it –like old meat, that taste where sometimes leftover (thrice reheated) beef meat taste like at home.

 

It was something I wanted to shrug off but I couldn’t bring myself to touching the meat again much more have it in front of me so I reluctantly raised it up.  Marjo was bewildered but apologetic.  Bewildered because this particular lamb was taken from the same batch they served the night before and they received no complaints.  The sous chef also approached our table and profusely apologized.  I asked her if she saw anything wrong it as I invited Marjo and the rest of the team to try the part I haven’t touched.  The sous chef (my bad for forgetting the name) was honest enough to say that she didn’t see anything wrong with it but offers that her specialty lies more on pastries and desserts.  There was an affable exchange of points –where she explained that red wine must’ve caused the brown color and where I shared that I’ve had meat before cooked in red wine but this was strangely dark brown compared to the lamb shanks I’ve tried before.  Marjo offered to replace the dish but I politely declined.

 

Kurobuta Pork Belly PHP 760

Braised pork belly served with garlic potato puree with peppercorn sauce on the side.  Elegant in its simplicity of flavors, sprinkled with my favorite pink peppercorn –which I usually find in desserts instead of savories.  Chris wiped his plate out just giving me a couple of bites.  The pork belly was moist and flavorful –with just enough fat that you’d want to take.

 

Valrhona Chocolate Souffle Cake with Cinnamon Orange Ice Cream PHP 260 (Waived)

All the luscious desserts make me want to order more than one, but we settled on their bestseller.  A soufflé is light, fluffy, baked dish usually served in a ceramic dish.  The more unforgettable ones are the savory soufflés in Le Soufflé.  The Valrhona Chocolate Souffle Cake of Lemuria stands on its own with a crunchy outer crust while harmonized with an orange ice cream balanced on a sweet crispy thin, which essence reminded me of a local cookie.  The ice cream had a subtle citrus taste to it that complemented the sweet-bitterness of the chocolate. 

 

 

Immediately addressing a client’s feedback shows that the staff takes great pride in this restaurant and works very hard along with the owner to make sure everything is done right.  I really welcome the attention that was given and the flawless service during a slow Sunday lunch.  The well-crafted ambience and the rest of the passionately prepared dishes were excellent –to say the least, truly an indication that Lemuria encompasses the hallmarks of the very origin of the name with great success.  I’ve heard previous patrons rate it as “fabulous and friendly” and would always find a way to return to this restaurant of mysticism and elusiveness for the aura and cuisines with French Mediterranean flair.  The courtyard villa is home to beautiful array of flowers and plants and as we walk towards our parked car, it ushers us for a visit yet again.

 

Thanks Chris for this Sunday lunch date.  It’s been well over a year since I’ve wanted to try this place and surprise you… but you beat me to it.

 

Lemuria is located at 5 Julieta Circle, Horseshoe Village, Quezon City.  If you want a Lemuria experience, kindly make a reservation at 724-5211/722-2185.  For more info, visit their website: www.brumms.com.ph. 

 

Lemuria Album

Email: kitt.schroeder@brumms.com.ph

 

 

The Inauguration and Press Launch of Dinelli Gourmet happened last Tuesday evening, 18^th of November 2008.  Dinelli Gourmet is the latest addition in Manila’s gourmet and specialty foods market.

 

 

The newly opened gourmet shop is your new stop for the freshest and unique selection of gourmet foods.  More than the exclusive imported items and fresh cold cuts and wide array of cheese selection, the store also has a section for kitchen equipment from Australia, Europe and USA.  The husband and wife tandem of Anthony and Kristine Meehan, proprietors of Meehan Cellars Inc. decided to open a chain of gourmet shops in the Metro.  The Tomas Morato branch is the first of the three set to open.  The second branch is fixed to launch in December which location will be at the Fort.

 

 

The Amazing Race Asia 3 Philippine Team contestants (and hopefully winners!  We’ll find out tonight) model Geoff Rodriguez and beauty queen Tisha Silang hosted the event.  While cocktails and various wines were being served around since 630pm, the official ceremony started at 8pm with the formal ribbon cutting.

 

 

The Australian Senior Trade Commissioner Ross Bray, was the Guest of Honor and consequently presided over the ribbon cutting.  It was a well-attended event as local dignitaries, eminent businessmen, celebrities and models graced the event alongside the media cluster.  Representatives from Yummy Magazine (calling Fran Haw, where were you?) and Uno were also present. 

 

 

As the event kicked off, Geoff passed the floor to Mr. Anthony Meehan who welcomed the guest and thanked those who made the event possible, as well as the media partners.

 

I got to have a quick chat with Geoff and egged him to reveal if they won TARA 3.  It was after all, 2 nights away.  He was mum all the way.  I guess I had to wait for 48 more hours.

 

 

Whether you’re looking for a strong-tasting cheese or smooth creamy cheese, or even cheese studded with pimiento or chilies for that extra zing, Dinelli Gourmet offers a complete cheese selection.  Dinelli advises that hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, Manchego and Grana Padano are great for crumbling or grating texture.  Cheddar, Edam, Gruyere, Emmenthal are semi-hard cheese that have milder flavors and can melt quite easily.  For other cooking needs such as adding a height to your sandwich creations, semi-soft cheeses are available too, like Bleu d’Auvergne, Port Salut (saint Paulin), Fourme D’Ambert, Roquefort Societe, Gorgonzola Dolce, Feta.  For rich creamy variants, the popular ones are Brie and Camembert, followed by St. Nectaire, Mascarpone (usually used in desserts) and Cambozola Cheese Kaserei.

 

 

They also carry Moondarra cheese brand: ashed goat, chilli, creamy blue cheese, fruit and nut, garlic and chives, garlic and herb goat cheese, honey and pistachio, melon and mango, pear and vanilla bean, sun dried tomato (Mm-mm!) and herb, bruschetta cheese among others.

 

 

For those who have a discerning taste for the expensive, Castaing Fois Gras products are available in Dinelli Gourmet stores.

 

 

Refreshments and treats from the store’s gourmet selection and menu items were at every corner.  The food (cheese, meat, pasta, dessert) and wine were free flowing throughout the night –even at the time when we left, fresh batches were being brought out.  The treats were simple ingredients tossed together –but it definitely tasted like designer cocktails.  Seeing all the products, I had the urge to buy so many items off their racks.  A bottle of cocktail onions, brie, gorgonzola, manchego and fontina, grapes, dried apricots, walnuts, wine and I’m good to go for a cheese party.  There were Moroccan lamb stew and couscous on a microwave-able container that Bubba was interested in, plus a dish of Tortellini and cream cheese.  Whereas for me, my curiosity was more piqued with the individual ingredients I’ve only seen there.  That launch surely fired up a vanishing cooking passion in me. Getting an access to an assortment of distinctive ingredients inspired me to concoct new dishes.

 

 

Each guest also received a gift basket with a selection of gourmet foods to be able to sample the Dinelli gourmet lifestyle at home.  Dinelli Gourmet will surely change the landscape of Metro shopping and hopefully ups the ante of deli stores as well as Filipino home dining.  Get creative with Dinelli gourmet products and come up with the freshest dish ideas.  Dinelli Gourmet is located at 5 Timog Avenue, Quezon City.

 

 

Thanks to Christopher Pettersson, CEO of Kingpin Syndicate Inc. for the invitation.

 

Dinelli Gourmet Album

 

 

(Photos courtesy of Bobby De Ocampo)

One of the perks to love about my job is the location of our meetings with the channel affiliates.  It is usually in restaurants (mostly in 5-star hotels) over lunch, dinner or teatime.  What better way to talk about business but over delectable food. 

 

 

April 15, 2008, BBC invited JHC and me to a dinner at Cav.  This was going to be my second visit to the place.  Cav (Cave) is a French colloquial word for cellar and the café restaurant actually has one with an extensive array of wines.  As you enter their glass door, the first thing that catches the eye is the high-tech looking chiller that looks like a vending machine.  A revolution to the usual classy dressed-to-the-nines wine tasting events, Cav has portrayed wine drinking as less intimidating.  It has democratized wine tasting by foregoing the bottles (and the expense of buying it) and making sampling portions available instead.