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: β β β β β
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 floorsΒ 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: β β β β β
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: β β β β β
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. π 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 CreamΒ 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! π
Price for Value: β β β ββ
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
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
I might have spotted this place during my Penitential Walk during the recent Holy Week. And make mo mistake about it, restaurants standing on the hillside of Sumulong Highway can be prefect relaxing spot. Just, hmmm…. (suddenly I craved for bulalo).
I’d like to try this place for some time later.
There are lots of bars and hotels in the area. This one is just different, with totally a more relaxing atmosphere. π
This place worth paying a visit this summer, their rooms and food are so nice.
The rooms are also air-conditioned so you don’t need to worry much about the heat. π
whoa!! crave for sisig! worth visiting for!! nice place and photos too!!
Yeah their food are pretty edible and delicious especially if you’re a lover of Filipino classic tastes. π
I love this restaurant. The design is awesome and it really makes you feel very cozy there. Also, the food looks really delicious.
You’ve been there? Sounds like it. π
The view is just stunning at Le Mirand which can really be relaxing when eating or staying there.
Yup. Too bad that I forgot to try looking into the telescope. I might have found the buildings I know in Makati and Ortigas.
Wow, they also have a telescope. That’s just so cool.
They also have variety when it comes to food as they have Wagyu steak to the Filipino dishes.
Yes, they’re not the best of the best but heading over there after work for drinks and a bite may sounds like a good idea, especially on Fridays.
Yeah we saw two telescopes – heavy duty! π It was my first time to see actual big telescopes. #naive haha
Shame that there weren’t too many options on the menu, other than that it looks like a cool venue π
Yes, I think their competitive advantage must be the views and the ambiance of the venue. π
I pass by that place all the time.. Next time I’ll make sure to eat there..
Wow! Antipolo is very far from us. I thought it’s really a typical provincial place where there are not much commercial places but farms and residences. Surprisingly, there’s a row of restaurants side by side one another, all pleasing to the eyes. Yeah, you should try this one ’cause you’re near anyway. π
You had me at wagyu! Meatlover over here! π Haha! Looks like a great place to hang out. I haven’t gone to Antipolo in a long time. We’ll try to check out this place the next time I’m in Antipolo.
Their wagyu beef was a great dish but not one I’d describe as spectacular. Thankfully, our lunch ended with ice cream – tender heaven. π In any case, yeah, I recommend this place!
I also like the restaurant, it looks so decent and cute. And the food looks absolutely marvelous! Hope you had a great time!
If only I were game to play billiards, sing, and just pass time playing video games then I would have had a more enjoyable and pleasurable experience. The food alone made me a happy kid here. π
love the cozy ambiance. and the food looks delicious
Ambiance is fine. The dishes presented were not anything to die for but I would certainly want to eat them on any day given my craving for original Filipino food recipes. π
you know.. this is kinda like my dream business (really! it’s in my dreambook) 1st floor, resto. 2nd flr, recreational activities. 3rd, dance studio. 4th, pool.. I wished I was here. I was invited too but I’m with my HS friends last Sunday
Oh wow! It’s really good to have a dream. I’m sure that striving to achieve it continuously and religiously with the help of prayers and support of loved ones and friends will make the dream come true. π Nice sharing, Jam!
thanks for those empowering words, Roch. π
You’re welcome! I feel most positive about dreamers. π
The price, it’s tad expensive for I think medyo common na dishes. They have simple but yummy dessert, the ice cream from Carmen.
Great food and great venue should equate to great prices, right? π Hmm the view is OH-MY-GOSH gorgeous. However, cost of dining here (plus travel if you’re coming from Manila) takes a back seat.
It seems a really nice place – the view and the food looks perfect.
Exactly. But given the distance of the location from our place, I probably won’t be back for a while. It was a good experience though, one I don’t regret a bit. π
very nice concept of recreation and restaurant This is the same idea I wanted to have if ever I can buy a huge house with many rooms in Tagaytay I wanted to have like a bed and breakfast kind of business with jacuzzi and other fun things for the guests the foods looks amazing too
I think Le Mirand would have been better if they also have facilities like guest rooms and massage. π A lot of people would be lining up just to stay past midnight and see the view at those wee hours in the morning. Oh, I can imagine… what a perfect sight it would be.
seems like a nice place to give a try. Everything is so clean and beautiful in that place.
Good observation. The pieces here look old but they’re still presentable. The only thing that saddened me was the toilet which was not so clean.
I like this restaurant! Gotta make plans to go to Antipolo soon.
The view from Le Mirand Restaurant is pretty nice, making a great backdrop for a nice romantic meal with your special someone / other half. If you want to impress him, ask for a seat by the windows and let the city lights do their job. π
You got my attention with that stuffed eggplant! Too bad Antipolo is very far from home. But if we decide to visit the church, we will plan to eat here.
Stuffed Eggplant for the win! I also wanted to know how it’s made. π
It looks like the place is worth the long drive getting there.
You will surely feel like your money is worth when you like eating Filipino dishes and seeing the view without being much bothered by mobile phone calls (since signal is bad).
Oh my Bulalo! Will definitely check this place pag visit ko sa mga relatives in Antipolo.
Yummy! It was so good with rice. I can take the soup alone. π
My old “stomach in” style for the group photo was once again ineffective. I blame it on their wagyu porter house steak.
Haha I wasn’t quick to notice your “stomach in” style. π Funny!
Antipolo has always been a nice place – this place looks wonderful, including the view and the foods, too.
This was my first time to dine in a restaurant in Antipolo. Le Mirand left a good impression. Hopefully next time I’ll find other equally or better restaurants in the area.
This seems like a very nice restaurant! I like the ambiance. I am a huge fan of meat so the wagyu beef’s making me drool! It’s a good thing my husband and i have a plan for a steak dinner tomorrow *LOL*. The Bulalo special looks a lot like an Indonesian soup, but i am pretty surprised to see banana in the soup!
Haha yeah we have a lot of Filipino recipes incorporating bananas for a sudden twist. I hope you can picture how it balances the beef soup’s taste. π
The place looks wonderful and worth visiting. The food, oh, I’d like to have that bulalo.
The bulalo was really good. You should try it here. π
The food looks tasty and the place looks so relaxing. I’ll consider dropping by if I ever pass by Antipolo
If you’re unfamiliar with Antipolo, at least now you know one place where you can hang out with friends. π
wagyu + ribs+ bulalo waaaah I wanna visit now na!
no need to call for reservation?
Their bulalo is one of the best I’ve tried. No need to call. π
It looks like a lovely place! I have also recently discovered Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo which sort of has the same garden vibe
I haven’t been to a lot of restaurants and places in Antipolo but according to reviews online, that area is now booming with new and interesting finds. Thanks for sharing one, Sam. Gotta check it out next time! π