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Category: Antipolo

  • Review of Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant (Santa Cruz, Antipolo City)

    Review of Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant (Santa Cruz, Antipolo City)

    June 6—It was Louie’s birthday and as much of a romantic as he is, he brought us to Vieux Chalet, a fine dining Swiss restaurant in Antipolo bustling with great Filipino hospitality, coziness, and fresh air to breathe matched with a stunning view of the city. Vieux Chalet means “home on top of a mountain,” and true enough, getting there was like finding a hidden treasure on top of a mountain with tropical lush lot. We took delight in a picturesque perfect view of the sunset and the city skyline. 🙂

    Antipolo has a lot of unique restaurants where you can have a quick escape from the busy city of Manila and enjoy fresh air and great landscapes. Sometimes it gets me thinking to spend staycations there or even rent out a unit like in The Nest Horizon to experience Antipolo even for a weekend. Luljetta’s Hanging Gardens Spa, Altaroca Mountain Resort, and Café Lupe Bed and Breakfast are some of the more popular getaway destinations. Anyway, here goes my post about our dining experience at Vieux Chalet.

    Review of Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant (Santa Cruz, Antipolo City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    In 1984, Mr. Tony S. Hassig and Mrs. Susan R. Hassig opened their home to people in search of an adventure not too far away from their own homes. The dream was to put up something that offers an alternative lifestyle to those needing a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Indeed, Vieux Chalet felt like a relaxing old home, with a stunning view to wake up to, and thousands of sunsets to watch and ponder on. This restaurant left our visual senses satisfied, as it’s certainly a charming escape from Manila that’s worth the almost two-hour drive.

    Apart from the restaurant, there are three rooms for couples to stay and a swimming pool to play and splash in.

    In the dining room, we sat by the window to have a closer look and make sure we won’t miss any of the admirable sunset view and the surrounded beauty. Serenely rustic elegant ambiance hugged the scene, with lots of family pictures and interesting displays and decors on the walls. Jackets and heavy clothing are not required as the restaurant is open-air and there’s no AC. When sun went down, we saw the city in great panorama and enjoyed the breeze in the air. A jewel in Antipolo City, Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant is an epitome of feel-good, convivial  fine dining. I hope its appeal never dims.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Service was unparalleled as Rico Doy pampered us and kept us company like friends visiting their home. He was above-and-beyond friendly, gracious and on-cue in accommodating our questions and requests. He’s also too kind to give us the Frozen Lemongrass Margarita (see below) free of charge, since the staff intended to prepare drinks that time has not yet arrived and it was his first time to prepare the said drink. 🙂

    Food: ★★★★☆

    A basket of bread and Fita crackers came as complimentary appetizer. The pieces were well-composed, with crisp exterior and tender crumb, and hearty enough to open our appetite for more coming up.

    After 20 minutes of waiting time, Vieux Chalet’s feast of homemade goodness, the Swiss Platter (PhP 485) was served. It consisted of smoked ham, smoked bacon, homemade ricotta cheese, pate de foie, tomato provencal, shrimp gambas, and organic micro greens, with homemade bread and butter. I thought it’s a great introductory dish to Swiss cuisine because it had one of everything recommended for hors d’oeuvres. The best? Hands down, it was the shrimps, which according to the menu should really have been pink salmon, but the latter was unavailable that time. The juiciness of the tomatoes also sealed a good deal. Yum!

    Cheese pizza isn’t something we would normally get excited about, but the Five-Cheese Grilled Pizza (PhP 725, Petit) here made us want to hit the floor. We were informed that this pizza would be made from scratch, and we had to wait half an hour to have it served. 20 minutes passed and we happily ate the pizza for an hour. We’re not sure how the combination of raclette, Gruyère, mozzarella, kesong puti, and cheddar cheese made a good harmony, but it legitimately blew our minds. There’s also garlic on a tangy cream cheese topped with organic arugula, all underneath the the crispy pizza crust that will make you sweat and tear with joy. So CHEESY, so good. 🙂

    Rico handed us his custom-made hot sauce as a condiment to the pizza. I had the mistake of pouring too much on my first try, and I had to cool my mouth with enough air pressure to “blow dry.” Rico’s homemade extra hot Hot Sauce was insanely hot, the kind of spiciness that could almost take away the flavor of the food. I should have learned from the label ’cause it’s so true; it can make you say “Dimunyu!” out loud, as your tongue would be on fire. Aw!

    We wanted to order more however we were too full to have a second main course. Thankfully, dessert options were not a letdown. The Swiss Chocolate Cake a la mode (PhP 285) was made with homemade Swiss  chocolate cake, chocolate glaze, and homemade chocolate ice cream. It lasted maybe two minutes before it was fully engulfed into it’s new home, our bellies! 🙂 As far as chocolate cakes go, this one is the ultimate in decadence. So if there’s a better way to say “I love you” through sweets, this would be it.

    To cool and cleanse the palate, the Lemongrass Cooler (PhP 145) had a refreshing and perky flavor of lemongrass that’s a bit more fun than your average lemonade or a lemon lollipop in iced tea.

    With alcohol content, on the other hand, the Frozen Lemongrass Margarita (PhP 325) had a subtle hint of tonic’s bitterness and the tangy and sweet qualities of lemongrass complementing and enhancing one another. The sugar found on the mouth of the glass brought another sweet element that helped connect the citrus flavor in the cocktail.


    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant in Antipolo has an elaborate menu of Swiss food and extraordinary drinks served by a deft team in swish environs. No surprise, it has garnered a top spot honors in the city. Though prices of items are expensive, admirers like us will insist that a “magical” and romantic meal should not only be based on food but rather the entire dining experience.

    Dining here can be a splurge but when you’re looking to impress, it doesn’t disappoint. As Mrs. Susan R. Hassig says, “Vieux Chalet is not just a restaurant; it’s your Home Swiss Home in the Philippines.” With that, price for value is quite agreeable.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/vieuxchaletswissrestaurant” name=”Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant” description=”456 Taktak Road, Sitio Sampaguita, Santa Cruz, Antipolo City” rev_name=”For inquiries, call 02 6970396 or +63 9282888584″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2015-06-16″ user_review=”18″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Operation hours:
    Every day except Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9AM to 10PM

  • Review of Le Mirand Restaurant and Recreation (Santa Cruz, Antipolo City)

    Review of Le Mirand Restaurant and Recreation (Santa Cruz, Antipolo City)

    Last Sunday, we leaned forward to a venture “beneath the skies” at Le Mirand Restaurant and Recreation in Santa Cruz, Antipolo City, where we were welcomed with a romantic and exciting scene overlooking the countryside.

    Le Mirand is a vantage point to enjoy a panoramic view of the dynamic and vibrant city down below in the midst of refreshing breeze. It has changed owners recently, so it’s also a good time to catch up on their food offerings and services.

    Review of Le Mirand Restaurant and Recreation (Santa Cruz, Antipolo City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    The ambiance and the feel of the restaurant are two of the reasons why dining at Le Mirand Restaurant in Antipolo is such a positive experience. The entire restaurant looks like an old house as it’s designed with plenty of rooms on separate floors.

    The lower ground floor is where billiard tables are located. As this is a recreation spot as much as it’s a restaurant, Le Mirand offers billiards as a recreational activity to guests at PHp 150 per hour. The ground floor is where the reception area is and where the stairs leading up to the dining areas at the upper floors is built.

    Moving on with the tour, we went up to the second to fourth floors. Le Mirand has jamming concept rooms, conference room, and a lover’s deck which are all nicely decorated with simple and practical pieces.

    Guests can have fun singing karaoke songs, watching short videos on TV, playing Xbox or PS4 for PHp 1500 per hour. This price is inclusive of freebies such as a bucket of beer that usually costs PHp 300 and pulutan.

    If you’re not fond of doing any of the activities and your sole purpose is to eat, the wide dining areas are warm and inviting enough for your stay.

    These spaces evoke inspiration that lend a casual air to gastronomic proceedings. Expect the mood to be just relaxed and the atmosphere, quiet.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    Service was nearly impeccable. We were treated like friends of a Filipino family. Le Mirand is house to hospitable staff who display neat and sincere smiles. Kids are offered cotton candies for free. Electric fans are turned on for extra air circulation. One thing I noticed is that orders are a bit slow to arrive. If you’re not in a hurry, then this is not a problem.

    Food: ★★★★☆

    The Stuffed Eggplant (PHp 200) had a combination of ground meat and eggplant, a variation I had never tried before. I was not able to distinctively taste the eggplant though but probably this is mostly because the ingredients came together as a coherent whole. I enjoyed the fluffy concoction, but adding a small portion of condiments on the side would have made this dish bursting more with flavor.

    If you’re craving for wagyu in Antipolo, then this may be the right place to cut that crave. Le Mirand’s Wagyu Beef Porter House (approximately 440 grams) (PHp 1550) is cooked perfectly. With plenty of sweet interest, this wagyu beef had the standard beef flavor and an unbelievably tender texture. It’s accompanied with fries that weren’t soggy and oily at all. This entree is probably the one thing you must order when you’re planning to eat at Le Mirand.

    Most pork parts find their way in the Pork Sisig (PHp 220), made with a traditional Filipino classic recipe. Served on a hot platter, the pork sisig was pretty multi-dimensional as it’s full of chopped pig parts coupled with onions and raw egg at the center. The sauce was creamy which I liked, but still I thought that it lacked murmurs of spice.

    Another meaty specialty was the Baby Back Ribs with House Salad (PHp 790 for full slab and PHp 390 for half slab). Apparently, I felt that I already had ingested too much meat (three spoonfuls) so I didn’t want to grab even a small slice of the back ribs. 😛 I understand that this is also one of Le Mirand’s signature dishes.

    The Bulalo Special (PHp 490) must be the perfect cold-weather soup. Nonetheless, it’s okay to be eaten in summer! It’s one of the Filipino soups that I find super rich in taste. Made from beef shanks and marrow bones, this light-colored soup is filled with fats melted into the broth. Le Mirand’s Bulalo Special has banana (saba), corn on the cob, and bokchoy.

    The Tuna Pasta with Toasted Bread was a triumph as it was the only seafood dish presented. Silky strands of the pasta were uniformly exquisite. However, I found that the pasta sauce’s composition was short of creaminess, spice and taste of the tuna, as only a few tuna chunks littered the dish.

    We could not eat all these tasty viands without rice. The Wagyu Fried Rice (PHp 220) came for rescue. An order could be a meal itself. The apportioned bits of wagyu beef are all that you could hope for. They’re the most compelling thing on the plate.

    For dessert, we had Carmen’s Best Ice Cream Malted Milk (PHp 80 for two scoops). It wasn’t much of a looker but the taste proved otherwise. Carmen’s Best Ice Cream is recommended to be shared with friends, heal a broken heart or scarved up all by yourself (only if you can’t help it). Fair warning: take note of the calories! 😀

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    Make no mistake about it. Driving hours to get to Antipolo can be worth it if you’re up for some sing-along while eating and having fun with friends. Your time at Le Mirand Restaurant and Recreation can also be best spent by enjoying sceneries and watching sunset and sunrise with your date.

    As a foodie though, I’m more concentrated on food. Given the limited choices on the menu and the price range, I give three stars for price for value.

    Le Mirand is open from 7AM to 12MN. Large groups with over 100 people can be accommodated.

    Thanks, Aldous, for the invite!

    Bloggers with Le Mirand Operations Manager, Ruby

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