M O N D AY : N O V E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 1 5
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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR
BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R
BERNADETTE LUNAS
life @ thestandard.com .ph
WRITER
@LIFEatStandard
E AT, DRINK , T R AV EL
LIFE Prawn Scampi Linguini
Almond Crusted Salmon
Nicoise Salad
A GASTRONOMIC FEAST AMID THE PINES TEXT AND PHOTOS BY TATUM ANCHETA
I
t’s been a while since I have been in Baguio, and the landscape has changed so much from the past – more houses, more sunken mountains, more life and a lot of modern fare. It was my first time to stay in Le Monet Hotel, a three-year-old 70-room hotel in Ordonio Drive at Camp John Hay, surrounded by a lush greenery of pine trees. It opened last 2012 and it has been a favorite spot for families, foodies and travellers who enjoy the hotel’s popular buffet spreads and delectable menu. The breeze in Baguio brushing against my skin was a reminder that I am no longer in the heated and hazy Manila. The lobby of Le Monet greeted us literally in sparkles, as their lobby is draped in crystals that illuminate wonderfully at night – a treat for tired eyes. It was already past lunch when we arrived and there were rows of Filipino dish on the buffet area and we feasted on the congee, the palabok, and the putong puti we called the “appetizer” (a carbo load appetizer, lol!) because our main dish was carefully prepared in the kitchen – kare-kare and sinigang na salmon head. We toured the facility and the heated swimming pool was an exciting zone to dip in. The rooms were generous in size and the balcony opens up to the picturesque lines of pines and the sight of the horses in Kabadjo Handler’s Horse-back ranch adds to the interesting view. The room amenities were surprisingly modern, from the TV in both
Le Monet façade
Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce
Twice-cooked Pork Knuckles
Grilled Cheese
the bedroom and the comfort room, to the electronic bowl in the CR which is still not available in some luxury hotels. I was still on detox that time, and there were certain things that were code red for me, but the new menu is what we came for and it tested my discipline. The menu is the brainchild of ArtStream Hospitality Management Group,. Inc. (AHMGI) Consultant Chef, Marie Jo Camarista, or Chef MJ as they call her. She also created the culinary offerings in sister hotel Manila-Hotel Rembrandt. The seven new dishes were made for guests with discriminating palates, and so mine was tested. They started with the Fried Calamari, coated with spices, fried golden brown and served with lemony tartare. Then another huge plate arrived containing Baked Brie. Yes, cheese! I died. The soft buttery cheese is topped with candied nuts and preserved fruits and surrounded by toasted bread for tasting. By the third offering I already forgot all my code reds and just went with the flow. The food was too delicious to ignore. The Nicoise Salad came next and it was my favorite dish from the menu; I was told that it’s becoming a favorite of healthconscious guests and the older set as it is a full meal in green, olives, alfalfa, and seared tuna served with Double Poached Egg
(that just means two eggs poached with rosemary and basil) that was so aromatic. Then came the Grilled Cheese Sandwich made with four kinds of cheddar, butter, Parmesan, and Mozzarella – crunchy on the outside and gooey cheesy on the inside. The platter comes with fried potato wedge, rustic tomato soup, fresh fruits, and chilled gazpacho for cleansing the palate. Make sure to order this with two to three people in tow, because it is big enough for sharing. By the time the last three dishes arrived, I was ready to get up and run a few kilometers outdoors. What detox were we talking about again? The last two were spicy Prawn Scampi Linguini, Almond Crusted Salmon, and Twice-cooked Pork Knuckles. Hungry yet? The Dinelli Gourmet buffet station holds one of the best breakfast and dinner spreads in Camp John Hay. During breakfast, you can feast on Filipino to international fares, from pancakes to French toast, to a delectable Eggs Benedict that looks so good you just end up taking photos before eating. Best time for dinner is usually every Friday for their Japanese cuisine offering which only costs P650 per person, and your dinner is free if you are a birthday celebrant! All you need to do is get three
Baked Brie
Fried Calamari
paying adults and your identification to prove it’s your special day. Le Monet was designed after the great French painter Claude Monet, and if you dine outdoors by the garden area you would understand why – the pine trees, the greenery make for a very Instagramworthy dining, you’d feel like you’re inside a Monet artwork. Baguio offers a lot of dining gems but Le Monet would always be one for the books; it’s so good to eat there that all you can think about your entire trip is, “is it mealtime already?” For inquiries and reservation contact (+6374) 661 0202 to 07 or visit www.lemonethotel.ph for updates on their news and promos.