Posted by mandz | Posted in | Posted on 12:09 AM
Yesterday I had an unexpected experience dining at a restaurant in Tagaytay named after its owner, Marcia Adams. I was supposed to meet friends there, who recommended the place and dubbed it as the latest place-to-be in the blogosphere. But by the time Mike and I got there, my friends decided to cancel their plans to have dinner, and left both of us alone in unfamiliar territory. I cant complain though. I had one of the most romantic dinner dates with Mike that night.
It is a nondescript place hidden in the outskirts of Tagaytay, right past the arch. With no signages or indication of being a commercial establishment, dining at Marcia's felt like imparting in a well-kept secret.
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It is a nondescript place hidden in the outskirts of Tagaytay, right past the arch. With no signages or indication of being a commercial establishment, dining at Marcia's felt like imparting in a well-kept secret.
The place was BEAUTIFUL. I wish I could have taken better photos coz the ones i took don't even come close. I could just imagine how breathtaking it would be in the mornings when the sun is shining.
Inside was a cozy little cellar with high brick arches that swallow in the moonlight. The weather was cool and crisp, which was a perfect excuse for couples to huddle closer to each other for warmth. For me, it was an excuse to order a carafe of chardonnay.
o Outside is a luscious garden teeming with colors and life. The flowers, the air, the stars, the wine, the homey atmosphere, only added to the unique character of the place.
For those who plan to visit and dine, be prepared to shell out a cover charge of Php700.00 per head. However, once you order a main course (which already costs a minimum of P700), you already have a choice of an appetizer, a non-alcoholic drink and dessert as part of the package.
For starters, we chose to order apple chutney with a slice of cheddar on a bed of wafer crackers. This, we partnered with a carafe of South African white wine (Franschoek Cellar, La Cotte Mill - Chenin Blanc). The tartness of the cheese and the sweetness of the chutney, matched perfectly with this (thanks to Marcia's husband, Neil, who recommended it).
Next, Mike got a Pumpkin soup while I ordered some kind of Galician soup, which is basically just a broth with potatoes, veggies, and beans. They were both well-seasoned. However I have to say that the pumpkin soup was more mushy than creamy.
We downed the food with Mike's favorite drink, Bundaberg, which is an Australian-made beverage. We were given a choice of ginger beer and peach. Naturally, we ordered both.
For our main course, I ordered a chicken kebab marinated in yogurt and cumin served with couscous, while Mike had the grilled aromatic pork with rice. Again, the meals were definitely well-seasoned. However, I have to say that taste-wise, there was nothing special about it. If I were to describe the aromatic pork in one word, it would simply be "liempo."
For dessert, I had a panna cotta with lime sauce while Mike had the fried bananas with a chocolate dip. The panna cotta was perfectly tangy and creamy, which I definitely enjoyed. However, the bananas were just so-so.
All in all, dining at Marcia Adams was still an extraordinary experience if only for the beauty of the place and the atmosphere. It was quaint, romantic, homey, and downright pretty, even at night. In terms of the food however, everything was perfectly seasoned, but none really left an impression other than maybe the panna cotta and the wine.
For the value of the food, I would say that a cover charge of P700 is a little too steep. I'm afraid that I have had better and cheaper pumpkin soup served at Meat Plus in Subic, and the same goes with the chicken kebabs which you could easily get at Cafe Mediterranean for almost the same quality.
I hate having to write this review after being given such glorious service by Neil and Marcia, and the delight of being in such a beautiful place. After scanning all the positive reviews from other authors like the ones in Our Awesome Planet and Metro Magazine, this one feels almost intimidating to write. But honestly speaking, there was nothing special about the food.
Would I go there again? Definitely, if only to prove myself wrong...
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