Review of Prego Ristorante and Bar (City of Dreams Manila, Parañaque)

From the team that brought L’Opera Ristorante Italiano and Balducci, Prego Ristorante and Bar in City of Dreams Manila is an Italian restaurant and bar specializing in regional Tuscan cuisine. Prego translates to “please” or “you’re welcome” in English. No wonder why this place is so welcoming! After our first visit yesterday, we’re ready to say that we do like this place a lot. Every dish was presented like a masterpiece before our eyes, and the flavors were beyond superb.

Lunch was booked through BigDish’s website a week ago, and we had an instant discount off our meal. In case you’re not yet familiar, BigDish is a brand-new way of offering dining deals and discounts. There’s no membership fee required. Just reserve online and get discounts off your bill depending on the number of people, date and time, and the restaurant chosen. Once booking is done, a confirmation code will show up and this should be presented to the restaurant at the time of visit.

Review of Prego Ristorante and Bar (City of Dreams Manila, Parañaque)

Ambiance:

If you long for the gold standard for fine, not fussy Italian dining in Metro Manila, this will be it. Prego has a cozy yet chic feel, far from stuffy, yet formal enough to function as a post-work or pre-casino destination for those eating in this area for that purpose, or a place where you can celebrate and hold momentous events with loved ones. Prego has a main dining area with sofa seating for families and groups, a bar area for those who wants some booze, and a lounge where guests can go for coffee and dessert. The charming space is outfitted with high ceilings and good lighting. Wine bottles displayed on the walls and positioned at the back raise the glamour quotient.

Service:

The upscale atmosphere is enhanced by professional and accommodating servers providing the finishing touch on this gastronomic gem. Our plates were changed as soon as we finished every last entree, our glasses were filled with water in a timely manner, and we were asked every now and then if we needed anything. The plates did not arrive all at once, giving us time to really relish and finish our food and have some conversations in between. The first-class service added up to the refined mood that’s perfect for client entertaining or a fancy date night. Simply put, the warm, receptive staff won our hearts.

Food:

Who can pass up on fresh bread? 😉 Certainly not us.

Prego Ristorante and Bar isn’t reinventing the wheel when it comes to Italian cuisine. It has all the makings of a great restaurant, and an even better place to discover food you love. Dishes on the menu are written in Italian with descriptions in English. For antipasti de terra, we had the house recommendation: Affettati Assortiti con Coccole e Salsa al Gorgonzola e Mascarpone (PhP 590), which basically consisted of assorted Italian cuts and pizza puffs, served with gorgonzola and mascarpone cheese sauce. This platter got our meal to an eye-catching start. Thinly sliced and arranged artistically in like triangular handkerchiefs, the cured meat had a mild taste and delicate texture. Most notable for me were the prosciutto and mortadella.

The selection of pasta was pretty impressive as well, but our eyes were set on Ravioli all’ Aragosta (PhP 590) the moment we saw “lobster” and “shrimp” together in one. And we made no mistake, the homemade lobster and shrimp-filled ravioli in cream sauce was a true hit. Each pasta pillow was filled with a hearty and savory blend of the crustaceans, and the cream was loaded with heavy buttery goodness. The raviolis were colored with the flag of Italy, featuring three equally-sized vertical pales of green, white and red, with the green at the hoist side. Now, this is what we call creative!

For our main dish, we chose to go with Bistecca Disossata alla Griglia con Spinaci (PhP 520/100g, minimum 300g per order). It’s certified angus beef rib-eye accompanied with sautéed spinach and vegetables. Again, we enjoyed every single bit of its parts. Cooked to medium doneness (as we requested), the steak retained the buttery, flavorful taste of medium-rare steaks while still having juiciness and tenderness that comes with a good piece of beef.

For our dessert, we opted for something more unique than the traditional mango or chocolate panna cotta. Panna Cotta al Miele Tartufato (PhP 420) is a special version of the famous Italian cream custard with truffled honey syrup and sweet balsamic vinegar. Apparently, truffles aren’t just for pasta, pizza, fries, and risotto, and balsamic vinegar isn’t only for bread, pizza, and salads.

It appears that nothing is impossible nowadays, and we were very pleased. Now we know that panna cotta ticks the box of things that go well with truffles. The flavor and fragrance of the truffled honey complemented the savory tones and richness of the cream. Texture was custard-like, silky smooth, and thick but still melts in the mouth.

Price for Value:

Prego Ristorante and Bar in City of Dreams Manila is everything you’d expect from a fine-dining Italian restaurant and bar. It pairs elegant and tasty plates with beautiful and serene surroundings overseen by their welcoming staff. Any meal would be a special occasion and although the experience is decidedly not cheap, it’s certainly worth what you pay. Plus, booking with BigDish would be a nice move to get discounted rates. Dine smarter and click on the button below to reserve a table now. 🙂

To know more about BigDish, check out its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BigDishPH/ or visit its website at https://bigdish.ph/. Click this button to book a table now:

About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco

Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.