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Friday, February 27, 2015
LE JARDIN in BGC: Having a Great French Time


I didn't know what to expect. I just went for it. I came with an empty stomach and an open mind. LE JARDIN offers simple FRENCH CUISINE in BGC and it doesn't disappoint.

For many Filipinos, French cuisine is a foreign concept. Dining 3 to 4 hours for lunch or dinner is something, we rarely do. Unless the occasion is a birthday of sorts or maybe a gathering. Here at LE JARDIN, it is the norm.
Located on the penthouse level, LE JARDIN offers excellent Metro Manila skyline view along with a garden like feel. It is like you are transported to a villa somewhere in France. Romantic at night and excellent for that date.
 The kitchen, behind Chef Jonas of Huat Pot and Mango Tree fame and Chef Hasset of MedChef, partnered with Chef Gils Brault of Vietnam's Trois Gorumands. Right from the get go, you would be pleased with the simple yet elegant French Fine Dining set up.

Ordering what to get could be tricky and overwhelming at first but once you get used to it, you would be in for a treat. It is a choice between 3, 4 or 5 course meal. Take note though, the dishes are good for one and could be shared. This isn't degustacion where each serving is good for one or two bites. The appetizers and main courses are huge. Plus the fact that they are accompanied by bread, amuse bouche, cheese course, and dessert.

Wine is suggested but it isn't mandatory. I did have a glass or two of their white. I liked the crisp and flavor it brings especially to the appetizers.


Start the meal with bread. They have an in house bakery so they make these fresh everyday.
After warming up, the Amuse Bouche is served. TRUFFLED SCRAMBLED EGGS.
You will agree with me that they do not skimp on the ingredients. One whiff and you could smell the truffle. Hence, they are really generous with their ingredients. 

Since I got a 4 course, I was able to try out 2 appetizers. Since I was with Heftyfoodie, we thought of sharing everything so that we could taste the lot. 

SOUPE de POISSON PROVENCALE or Fish soup, French Riviera style 
Bisugo or Threadfin Bream is used. The texture of the fish goes perfectly well with the broth.
Not too thick and perfect flavor. It has a simple kick in the end.
with a few bread fingers at the background, I just wished I could swim in the flavors all night long.

If you are into shrimps, the CREVETTES SAUTEES AUX EPICES or Sauteed Prawns with spices is a hit.
The shrimp makes good use of the spices and the sauce to make its flavor shine.

Another interesting dish is the POUPONETTE DE CHOU CONFIT DE CANARD or Cabbage Stuffed with Duck Confit and Foie Gras Sauce.

Different textures in one dish. After opening up the cabbage, you would notice shreds of duck confit and crispy skin in the mix. The crunch coming from the skin makes every bite pop. The sauce is creamy and makes good use of the foie gras. It wasn't overwhelming so I enjoyed it.

ASSIETTE de THON. Tuna Plate. Smoked and fresh raw marinated tuna.
LE JARDIN has their own smoker. The fact that they do it in house and sources the ingredients locally is a plus. The taste is somehow different. I can't properly describe it. The fresh raw tuna is marinated to perfection. It could be compared to our local version of Kinilaw or Ceviche.

I would have to say that I enjoyed the ASSIETTE de TROIS FOIE GRAS. I will not forget this dish anytime soon. Why? Because of the Foie Gras Spring Roll.

Perfectly done. The Mouth feel and flavor is sublime. It is amazing how it melts in your mouth even if your aren't done with your bite. Having a background of apple works well with the foie gras. Needless to say, that is my favorite of the three. I would suggest that the cheff have a dish specifically just for the spring roll. Amazing. Yes it was that good. Althougt, the Terrine Fig and the Torchon can stand up on their own, I definitely preferred the roll. Orgasmic.

After getting through all those appetizers, a PALATE CLEANSER is served.
The lemon sorbet frees up the taste buds. The addition of the tomato confit and basil oil gives it a jolt of sweetness.

Red is usually the right way to go for when it comes to your hearty and meaty main dishes. Needless to say, do as you wish. The rule of red for meat and white for seafood no longer applies. If it tastes good, why not?

I had the excellent choice of CHEVREUIL de VENAISON. - Venison
Seeing the meat a little rare, I was definitely skeptical. After one bite, I understood that it was the only way to cook this dish.The red wine and berry reduction upgraded the flavor profile of the venison. Delicious.

For first timers, a safe choice would be the JOUS de BOEUF et FOIE GRAS POELE. - Braised Beef Cheek
No need for a knife here. The meat is braised perfectly and makes it so tender that the use of a fork would do. Alongside the Foie Gras, this is succulent and melts in your mouth.

Cheese is then served. ASSORTIMENT de FROMAGES MAISON
From left to right: Truffle, chives, ash, selfou or red pepper salt, rosemary with black pepper.
It took awhile but LE JARDIN makes its own cheeses. I enjoyed the cheese as it gives a creamy ending to a meal. 

and then there is dessert. 

FONDANT au CHOCOLAT. Moist chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream.
Classic lava cake. Almost the same if not. The chocolate is a bit on the dark side as it gushes out its shell. If you think this is sexy, the next is art.

It may look like a mess or something from an art book but the DESSERT de GILS, is something everyone would enjoy.
Believe it or not, I chose this dish over the chocolate anytime. The texture and the flavors works well with one another however different they are. Raspberry sorbet gives the sourness while the vanilla ice cream gives the sweet side. The nougat gives the crunchiness and the meringue just melts. Perfect all in one go.

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LE JARDIN is a FRENCH themed restaurant that delivers. It gives Manila a taste of  foreign cuisine to allow it to indulge. Admittedly, the prices might be a little too much for the normal hardworking Filipino. but for those special occasions, this is a place to have it at. The quality and the quantity justifies the prices they command. Ingredients are fresh. This combined with the technical know how, delivers the incredible experience. Simply Amazing.


LE JARDIN
Penthouse Level
W Fifth Avenue Building,
5th Avenue Corner 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Across SnR and St, Luke's Hospital.
Besides F1 Hotel.


Disclaimer: Was invited to try out Le Jardin. Thank you very much Chef Jonas, Martin and the good folks from www.zomato.com namely Elaine and Nicole. It was a pleasure meeting you guys. Wrote this post based on my experience and views.Till Next time Euge of HeftyFoodie.com
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Monday, February 23, 2015
MARCO POLO HOTEL ORTIGAS: Perfect Vday Staycation.

MARCO POLO ORTIGAS is the newest hotel in the PASIG area. It boasts of comfort and elegance.

There is this thing between me and her. We usually go out on staycations just because we wanted to take a breather. 
Come VDAY, we were supposed to stay at the new City of Dreams. Either at Hyatt or Nobu. Both were fully booked on VDAY so a week before, I booked us in MARCO POLO. A few days prior to VDAY. Nobu kept on calling and saying that they now have a room for us. Good thing we didn't bother with it as MARCO POLO is an amazing establishment. Affordable, new, superb service and perfect.
The day came, traffic was actually better compared to a day before. After parking my car, we both checked in at the 24th floor.
The elevators have their own floor assignments but it didn't bother us as there were staff left and right to assist us.

The front desk has around 5 counters manned and each of them are experienced in helping us to check in.
Since there was a line, I took no time into trying out their internet access. Good thing that it was fast and needs no logins and no passwords. HOW CONVENIENT!!! The wireless connection was present everywhere from the restaurants to the lounges to the pools and the gym ... well except for the elevators and the parking lot.What more could you ask for?
When my turn came up, I was informed that they had no rooms available for my deluxe accommodation. Everything was either up for cleaning or was a downgrade. Rather than having me wait, they gave an upgrade. Not just once but twice. We were placed in a Superior Suite. DAMN! I was pretty lucky!

Located on the 41st floor MARCO POLO's Superior suite was tastefully done. Of course, it was on a corner and it was on the quiet side.

When we entered, there was a semi-holding area. Here we placed our luggage and unpacked our clothes in the cabinet. The cabinet was filled with the usual things a traveler would need.

A few feet more was the washroom. It was pretty huge!
The tub on the left .... which she super duper loved...
and the toilet too.. no bidet though... =(
On the right was a his and hers
and a separate shower area with a huge rain head. Happy me!
Walking through a hallway, we saw the snack area which had a see through divider from the bedroom.
It had a coffee machine
and a mini bar set up complete with utensils, glasses and cups.
On to the bedroom.
It was a perfect bed. With mood lights, a phone, and a lot of outlets on the side.
A huge LCD tv on the wall and a lot of places to put the stuff on.
Outlets are also present in a hidden part of the table.
For travelers, the telephone is a God sent. It has its own charger cord for old iphones, ipads, and even android phones. Plus the fact it has usb outlets too and can be used as a radio, alarm clock and stereo as it could connect to your devise via bluetooth. GALING!
My favorite part of the room is this day bed.

It is the perfect place to lounge and put my surprise on.
This one. She didn't have an idea. I told her that I forgot something in the car and brought it after we checked in. I hope she liked it.

Since we wanted to checkout the place and what other things we could do, we went around that afternoon.

The pool is beautiful at night. I liked how they made it indoor and heated. If only they could make it 24 hour open.
The gym was also there on the same floor. Unfortunately, the treadmills and the bikes do not have their own tv sets.
What sets it apart is that they have this mini locker area that has automated safety deposit boxes where you could put your phone or what not in.
Aside from these, they also have a play area for the kids. 

 taken from MPO's FB page.
Unfortunately they do not have a spa but offer in room massages and treatment.

Since it was almost dinner time, I inquired if their in house restaurants have available room for dinner. Sadly, all their restaurants were fully booked. I also took a peek in their Continental Club and it was also full.
  We were supposed to try out VU's bar but it seem they were still prepping.  So, she and I had a little adventure in Ortigas and yes, I left my car behind. But, that is for another post.

The next day, I wasn't really feeling well. Good thing they had an in-house nurse that had stocks of over the counter medications 24/7. After consuming some meds, she and I went downstairs to have our morning breakfast.

The quantity and quality of the food was more for a brunch feel even if it was 7 in the morning. The spread was phenomenal. Even if you thought that the restaurant was a bit small, they used all the nooks and crannies perfectly to serve the dishes that the guest would like to have. A lot of viands perfectly cooked and were delicious. Excellent way to start the day.

Carbs of all sorts. Bread, waffles, pancakes, rice and more rice and a  lot more.
To salads, sushi, hors d'oeuvre,
fruits, freshly made juices and shakes were also available aside from the usual cafe latte, tea, hot choco, and milk. 
Aside from all the Filipino breakfast favorites, they also had pizzas, Indian food, Chinese food, make your own noodles and soup but of course an egg station.
Would you believe that they serve 2 types of ham. They had an excellent American spread also.
I favored this sweet flavored ham rather than the more salty version they served.
Of course their bacon is refilled non stop.
What is breakfast without bacon! It was crunchy and perfectly cooked
Couldn't help but share my plate with you guys. I was really hungry so I haven't taken a photo of all the food they offered. Sorry tummy first.

and of course something to end the meal.

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Marco Polo Ortigas is a perfect place to have a staycation. The service was almost perfect. The staff are there and willing to please. Everything is quite new as the place is only around a year old. I would suggest for you to check out their facebook page for treats and discounts.


Tips and Treats:
1) Better to check out their fb page for discounts and promos.
2) Ask for late check out, it doesn't hurt to try
3) Reserve Early, I found out that it really does pay to have a plan.
4) Elevators could be a hassle as they only have specific floor assignments
5) A lot of restos are nearby, so if you are adventurous take a walk like what we did.
6) Ask for a room not facing Metrowalk as it can get noisy during weekends.
7) They have smoking and non-smoking rooms.
8) Parking entrance is at the back, they do have valet. Don't worry, it is pretty spacious.
9) No casinos nearby.


MARCO POLO HOTEL ORTIGAS
Marco Polo Hotel, Sapphire Street Corner Meralco Avenue,
Ortigas, Pasig City
Metro Manila
FACEBOOK

Disclaimer: Paid for our stay. Wrote this based on my experience and views.
Pictures here are mine. The picture of Piccolo is a screen grab from the establishment Facebook page. 
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