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I usually do not entertain the idea of having dinner unless it is to be with the company of very good friends or my dear cousins but, last night, we had to fulfill our acceptance of an invitation from our friends from Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila to dine at The Fireplace. Jay Serrano (Director of Sales) and Jeff Poon (scion of Maxim's Manila and Sales Manager for Travel) graciously invited us to sample their new scallop dishes and we could not say no (yes we could, but who turns away a free meal or two!)
The exterior of The Fireplace which kind of reminds me of some fancy steam train that one sees in Western flicks
The inner dining area.
A closer look at the open kitchen.
Simple yet elegantly set up table for a party of eight.
Menu with corresponding prices placed at the entrance of the restaurant. You might need to enlarge it a bit as the lighting was a little bit dim-ish to keep with the ambiance.
First of all, a short description of The Fireplace based on the hotel's website "Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila introduces the perfect spot for wining and dining – The Fireplace. This upscale grill room offering perfectly cooked prime meats and seafood showcasing culinary excellence and offers an interactive dining experience that is unique to Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila.
Be charmed by the elegant brass interiors and open kitchen concept, with its large wood-fired oven located in full view of the guests as the chefs prepare their dishes.
A fine wine library with a vast selection of European and New World wines is another attraction of The Fireplace, where a relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere, matched with excellent cuisine, provides a dining experience like no other."
Be charmed by the elegant brass interiors and open kitchen concept, with its large wood-fired oven located in full view of the guests as the chefs prepare their dishes.
A fine wine library with a vast selection of European and New World wines is another attraction of The Fireplace, where a relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere, matched with excellent cuisine, provides a dining experience like no other."
One of the wine storage facilities/cooler that lined the side wall of the restaurant. This one contained a selection of champagnes.
Now on to the food that we partook of last night. For starters, I had half a serving of their Millionaire's Salad.
The salad included pan-fried foie gras, prawns, seared scallops, organic leaves and raspberry vignairette. Now why only half a serving? For one, a whole order may be too much for one person as you may still want to enjoy the other courses. Should you wish to order this salad, I would suggest for two people to share it. This is a fantastic salad and one of the highlights of the evening's meal if taken in moderation.
Price: Php 1400++ (US$ 32++)
Next came my soup which was Oven baked onion with gruyere cheese, or as my boss would say, is just a fancy name for French Onion Soup.
Beautifully presented, I could not help enjoying this familiar and tasteful soup. The gruyere cheese sticking to the outside of the bowl which was meant as an 'ornament' to enhance the look of the soup was so good that I could not help peeling it off and eating it with my soup. I could only finish 3/4 of the bowl and it felt like the bowl was bottomless!
Price: Php 430++ (US$ 10++)
Next came the main course and piece de resistance, Surf and Turf. It consists of a piece of US Prime Rib, Scallops and some veggies. This dish is actually part of the special Scallop menu at The Fireplace which will only have a limited run (until end fo June, if I'm not mistaken). Scallops are specially flown in from the USA.
The prime rib, served medium as I requested was soft and juicy and quite tasty. The scallops though, were not what I anticipated it to be. Being of Chinese heritage perhaps, I've been exposed to scallops at an early age and although not a food connoisseur, I can say that this has not been the best scallops I've ever tasted. Overall, the dish was good but not excellent.
Price: Php 2000++ (US$ 47++)
And the finale? A bowl filled with Chocolate Soup. Those infected with a sweet-tooth (like myself) will enjoy this dessert as it ultimately chocolate-y. I finished the whole bowl without getting any quesy feeling so it must really be good. The small scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle helped neutralize the chocolate overdose a bit.
All in all, I would say that The Fireplace is an enjoyable place to dine in specially if you have a lot of spare change to spend. They have a wide selection of steaks that would make any steak lover drool. Wine lovers will also be bombarded with a diverse list of wines from practically all wine-producing countries (France, Italy, Chile, Australia, US, etc). Value for money is good at The Fireplace so make your next romantic date at The Fireplace.
The Fireplace @ the 5th Floor
Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila
1588 Pedro Gil corner
M.H. del Pilar
Malate, Manila 1004
Philippines
Tel: (+63 2) 2451234
Website: www.manila.casino.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/restaurants/index.jsp#9062005
Open only for dinner: 1800-2300H daily
The salad included pan-fried foie gras, prawns, seared scallops, organic leaves and raspberry vignairette. Now why only half a serving? For one, a whole order may be too much for one person as you may still want to enjoy the other courses. Should you wish to order this salad, I would suggest for two people to share it. This is a fantastic salad and one of the highlights of the evening's meal if taken in moderation.
Price: Php 1400++ (US$ 32++)
Next came my soup which was Oven baked onion with gruyere cheese, or as my boss would say, is just a fancy name for French Onion Soup.
Beautifully presented, I could not help enjoying this familiar and tasteful soup. The gruyere cheese sticking to the outside of the bowl which was meant as an 'ornament' to enhance the look of the soup was so good that I could not help peeling it off and eating it with my soup. I could only finish 3/4 of the bowl and it felt like the bowl was bottomless!
Price: Php 430++ (US$ 10++)
Next came the main course and piece de resistance, Surf and Turf. It consists of a piece of US Prime Rib, Scallops and some veggies. This dish is actually part of the special Scallop menu at The Fireplace which will only have a limited run (until end fo June, if I'm not mistaken). Scallops are specially flown in from the USA.
The prime rib, served medium as I requested was soft and juicy and quite tasty. The scallops though, were not what I anticipated it to be. Being of Chinese heritage perhaps, I've been exposed to scallops at an early age and although not a food connoisseur, I can say that this has not been the best scallops I've ever tasted. Overall, the dish was good but not excellent.
Price: Php 2000++ (US$ 47++)
And the finale? A bowl filled with Chocolate Soup. Those infected with a sweet-tooth (like myself) will enjoy this dessert as it ultimately chocolate-y. I finished the whole bowl without getting any quesy feeling so it must really be good. The small scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle helped neutralize the chocolate overdose a bit.
All in all, I would say that The Fireplace is an enjoyable place to dine in specially if you have a lot of spare change to spend. They have a wide selection of steaks that would make any steak lover drool. Wine lovers will also be bombarded with a diverse list of wines from practically all wine-producing countries (France, Italy, Chile, Australia, US, etc). Value for money is good at The Fireplace so make your next romantic date at The Fireplace.
The Fireplace @ the 5th Floor
Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila
1588 Pedro Gil corner
M.H. del Pilar
Malate, Manila 1004
Philippines
Tel: (+63 2) 2451234
Website: www.manila.casino.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/restaurants/index.jsp#9062005
Open only for dinner: 1800-2300H daily
