Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Banana Leaf Restaurant in Promenade, Greenhills, San Juan City, the Philippines is delicious and affordable

Yesterday on July 2, 2013,  I brought two USA-based guests---my cousin Joy Yang and his wife Beth---plus my younger sister Marilou Flores So to eat a late lunch at the Banana Leaf Asian Cafe at Promenade, Greenhills, San Juan City, Metro Manila, the Philippines.

The Southeast Asian foods were delicious, affordable and colorful. The restaurant staff and the officer-in-charge Clyde Yvan A. Mariano were quite friendly and efficient. The ambience is relaxing, comfortable, a bit casual and also elegant.

Congratulations to its owner and franchisee, the hardworking and dynamic San Juan City Vice-Mayor Francis Zamora for this good business you have there. Keep up the great work!

Vice-Mayor Zamora told me that his businesses like this resto is a franchise, so he could leave management behind and still earn recurring incomes, giving him the economic independence and time to focus on public service.

I first met Vice-Mayor Francis Zamora when I was a few years ago invited guest speaker at his Jaycees organization, where he was then the president. He used to be star player of De La Salle University's champion basketball team.

Note: I think the firs time I had eaten at a Banana Leaf resto was years ago at the newly-opened Podium Mall in Otigas Center, Mandaluyong City on a Tuesdy night and upon the invitation of SM Group and Podium Mall founder Henry Sy, Sr. We had a long five-hour conversation first at Figaro Cafe of Podium  and also later the jampacked Banana Leaf resto for dinner.

Banan Leaf Asian Cafe
Address: Greenhills Promenade G/L Greenhills Promenade Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills, San Juan ity, Metro Manila, the Philippines
Tel: (02) 706-3888 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (02) 706-3888 FREE  end_of_the_skype_highlighting


I forgot to take my own pictures. The photos below sourced from bananaleaf.com










One of two desserts we ate, sweet and delicious!




The entrepreneurial owner and franchisee of the Promenade, Greenhills branch of Banana Leaf Asian Cafe, the dynamic San Juan City Vice-Mayor Francis Zamora.

The Tivoli at Mandarin Oriental, Manila in the Philippines has excellent foods!

I just had a splendid and satisfying dinner with five friends at the ever-reliable The Tivoli at Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Makati City, Metro Manila, the Philippines last night on July 2, 2013.

Review: This fine dining restaurant strategially-located right in the center of the Makati financial district is consistently excellent in high-quality Western-style foods, richly elegant and quiet ambience, the staff were attentive and very well-trained.

My advice, if ordering starters or appetizers, two persons can share one order. I ordered Sauteed duck foie gras, asparagus, mango and green papaya chutney, and the delightful plate was quite large and ideal for two people! It was delicious, but too much if only one person eating it. Delicious! P1,110 pesos per order.

I ordered Asparagus cream, salmon wanton and chives for hot soup; very good! P540 pesos.

The main course I ordered was the US beef tendeloin Rossini, potatoes salardaise, I requested medium rare cooking.  Delicious. P 2,230 pesos.

Along with main course of beef, I ordered red wine.

I and my friends ordered two more steaks which we all equally shared---the Australian Wagyu Blue Label Rib Eye grade 9+, it was very soft, tender and super delicious! Price is P6,000 pesos and not always available according to the resto staff. The other steak we shared was only one-third the price, but also delicious---Wisconsin beef.

Congratulations to the management of Mandarin Oriental Mamila, especially the Australian Director of Food and Beverage Peter Pysk (who is here at this hotel for only four months now), Director of Communications Charisse G. Chuidian and the French national Chef Remi Vercelli.



The Tivoli, Mandarin Oriental Manila
Address: Makati Avenue, Makati City, Metro Manila, The Philippines
Telephone: (632) 7508888
Facsimile (632) 8172472
Direct Facsimile (632) 8172330