Fire Lake Grill & The Lake Hotel, Tagaytay

It was my day-off on Valentine’s Day but somehow, I dreaded spending the day in Manila. Going to Tagaytay was a last-minute decision hubby and I made. ’twas a good thing the South Expressway is much better now compared to the last time we used it. We arrived in the cool, chilly city in a little more than an hour.

Our home for this trip was The Lake Hotel which is very near Starbucks, Army Navy, Antonio’s Grill and all those modern restos by the ridge. We paid a corporate discounted rate of P4,320 for our Superior Lake View Room. It was modern but a bit small, mainly because they fitted two queen-sized beds into the space. But as they say, in Tagaytay, you’d pay an arm and a leg just to wake up to this view…

For our Valentine’s Day dinner, we decided to skip the hotel coffeeshop and walk the few steps to neighboring Cliffhouse Tagaytay. It’s a restaurant complex composed of Buon Giorno, Cafe Breton, Cafe Platito, Fruits in Ice Cream Summer Cafe, Fling Frozen Yogurt and Fire Lake Grill.They’ve even tucked an upscale cozy inn. I love this area. The charming layout complements the stunning natural scenery and the view of Taal Volcano.

We were quite early for our 6 p.m. dinner at Fire Lake Grill and so we partook of dessert first 😀 Here it is, yummy mochi ice cream from Mochiko. A bit expensive at P70 for a small ball but it’s heaven to alternate between the velvety texture of the green tea ice cream (my chosen flavor) and the chewy dough.

Soon enough, we hied off to our chosen dinner spot, arriving on the dot to choose which of the last two tables we preferred – the one beside the bar or the one by the door (ouch). Everything else was reserved. The staff of Fire Lake Grill looked very prepared for one of the busiest business days of the year.

I have to hand it to the kitchen for the fast service for our six-course meal. The P1,595 per person price tag (excusive of the wine) was a luxurious treat, but also indicative of the offerings of other fine dining establishments who were happy enough to hide their regular menus just for the highly-commercialized V-Day.

Our dinner at the grill was more of a tasting meal, with everything served in small portions. I knew deep inside that hubby will not be too happy about this, as he prefers his “man food” of hefty burgers and mountain o’ fries 😀 However, Valentine’s Day being what it is, comfort food (like we know it!) shouldn’t take center stage, but rather food that can be savored amid sips of wine and hushed conversations.

That being said, I relished to the last bite the exquisite meal we had in Fire Lake Grill. This is the kind of food to have when you’re quite tired of the deep-fried tawilis and piping-hot bulalo that Tagaytay is famous for.

Fire Lake Grill’s menu for Valentine’s Day 2011:

amuse bouche of herb cured salmon with vegetable herb relish

Foie gras terrine with pear-shallot jam, balsamic glaze and toasted baguette slices

Roasted beet root and wild rocket salad with citrus dressing, orange dressing, toasted pine nuts and shaved parmesan

Fresh tomato soup with basil foam ( i love this! heaven in a cup:)

Grilled Australian strip loin steak with potato puree and red wine port sauce , red bell pepper coulis, and baked zucchini

Lime-infused panna cotta with passion fruit sauce and fresh tropical fruits (rating: divine!)

The Lake Hotel
General Emilio Aguinaldo Highway
Maharlika East, Tagaytay City
Tel. No. (63-2) 7257243

Fire Lake Grill
Unit 3 Cliffhouse Tagaytay
General Emilio Aguinaldo Highway
Tagaytay City
Call 046 4832069 or 0927 9144604
for reservations