Lemuria: The Deal Grocer Special

There’s always a great sense of fulfillment in finding these hidden places in the Metro. But Lemuria’s not exactly hidden anymore. It’s been gaining popularity for quite some time now and  I have to confess, I’ve been wanting to come to this French-Mediterranean place but never really got around to it.  My sister bought us coupons from Deal Grocer, which gave me the proper excuse to try it out.

First of all, you’ll notice the really nice ambiance to the place.  Parking is outside the gates and you have to make reservations.  They won’t let you walk in.  There’s also a smart casual dress code.  I don’t think they were strict with this rule though.

For about P1,000.00 (or $22.00), you get a set 3-course meal, which isn’t bad.  They give you some complimentary bread: one made with cheese and the other with walnut.  They give you some butter and some balsamic vinegar to go with this.  Either is fine, but the butter is really good.

The set menu also came with a glass of sparkling wine.  Wine was white, and I didn’t expect so much because it was free.  But being a winery, I hoped it wasn’t one of those cheap crap you can get in a 7/11.  Wine was OK, but nothing really special.  I guess you could say that expectations were met.

The first course is a Nutmeg Pumpkin Soup served with cinnamon and creme fraiche.  Soup was nice and hot, a bit grainy for me and you can’t really taste the cinnamon.  I like my soup with lots of pepper and the salt and pepper holder looked really nice.  They use ground pepper and not those cheap processed ones in the supermarket.

Main course was a choice of Cream Dory or a Slow Braised Porkloin.  I picked the porkloin, which came with sweet potato mash, crispy pork cracklings, and topped with a mushroom sauce. Portions may look small, but I can’t complain though.

Meat was really tender, properly seasoned, and the sauce was just right.  The mashed potatoes were a little bit perplexing.  It was a bit cold and on the dry side.  First bite was … “Weh¹.”  By the end of the meal it was “Weh” to “Hey, this isn’t half bad!”

My mom had the same reaction with her mashed potatoes with her Cream Dory. I only tried a bite of the dory and I’ll say that it’s cooked really well.  A bit chewy, but not in the bad way.  Kind of like eating an al dente pasta. I know some people who like their fish to be borderline mushy and soft, but I prefer this type.  The dory came with olive tapenade, potato and spring vegetables.

For dessert, a Mango Pavlova² was served.  Not a fan of this dish because it was really too sweet.  I mean, what do you expect from a meringue with sugar candy?  I had to try it though and it looks really, really nice.  My sister ate my portion, so I guess you couldn’t say this was a bad dish.  Full disclosure: I don’t have a sweet tooth.

What you have to know is that deal site set menus typically serve dishes off the regular menu.  They have some pretty expensive menu items. But if this is any indication of their regular items, then I’d be pretty excited about trying them out. And I probably won’t wait for the coupon.

 

Lemuria: The Deal Grocer Special 2011-06-22

here’s always a great sense of fulfillment in finding these hidden places in the Metro. But Lemuria’s not exactly hidden anymore. It’s been gaining popularity for quite some time now and  I have to confess, I’ve been wanting to come to this French-Mediterranean place but never really got around to it.  My sister bought us …