The Tivoli Experience

It was a lunch get-together that I sure won't forget for a long time. If you are hungry as you read this, I am warning you, it's only going to get worse.

It was the 3rd of May when Director of Communications of Mandarin Oriental, Charisse Chuidian invited Puey Q. and I to lunch at the Tivoli. It has been too long since I dined here and I was so excited about it. To tell you honestly, I even thought that it had closed down and when I had informed my friends that I was having lunch there, they were quite surprised as well because they had thought the same thing.


Thank goodness that it is still around though, because as soon as I sat down, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the place. The table set-up, the fresh flowers, the friendly waiters, the delectable buffet set up and the people who were dining there as well. The ambiance seemed something out of a movie and I was only too happy to notice that my lunch dates were late.


When we were complete and had settled down, assorted freshly baked breads were served and that alone was delightful. If I didn’t order the 3-course meal, I would have had the whole basket!

Our appetizers arrived shortly and with the hunger pang that needed to be satisfied, I failed to take a photo of my Wasabe and mayonnaise dressed crabmeat salad with vegetables carpaccio, lemongrass vinaigrettes. The presentation was perfect. The balance of the different vegetables and crabmeat was well thought of and the texture was a great combination.

I was still a bit high with the starters when a few moments, the main course was laid out and this is where you will to start envy me. I ordered Potato crusted halibut fillet with leek fondue, bittersweet chocolate sauce and keta caviar. Who would have thought that the mixture of fish and chocolate would make a wonderful dish.


Puey had the lemongrass infused lobster bisque with golden trout caviar and for his main course, Roasted center cut of sea bass with green peas purée, lobster tomato stew and potato gnocchi. The fish was fresh and moist and the sauce made the sweet flavor of the fish come out and made each bite feel like heaven.


For dessert, it was marinated strawberries, vanilla Anglaise and strawberry sorbet. It was not the kind that I am familiar with. To tell you frankly, I was hoping for the old fashion style with lots of fresh strawberries with whipped cream on cake but as I saw my empty plate, I realized that this version was equally delicious.


Warm chocolate fondant with ginger ice cream was what PQ had and just by looking at his dessert, I think I must have gained another 5 lbs.


To top it all off, resident manager, Mr. Knuth Kiefer, came by our table and handed me beautifully wrapped gifts welcoming us to Tivoli and bid us a great afternoon.


You would think that nothing could be better right? Well, besides the fact that our delicious meal was all a gift from Mandarin Oriental, that the company was fun and entertaining and that the food was out of this world, I learned that all our meals were prepared by a 27 year old Swiss chef, Steffan Trepp. Such talent at a young age is admireable.



Simply TIVOLICIOUS!!!!

Tivoli
Mandarin Oriental
Makati Avenue cor Paseo de Roxas
(632)7508888