Located on the 9th floor of Raffles Makati is a French restaurant that aims to pay homage to Provençal cuisine: Mirèio. I know what you're thinking. It's a French restaurant, hence the attached conventional notion as being highbrow. I think that's one of the main concerns of an average diner like me. Will I get frowned upon if I hold the wine glass in a different way or be crucified if I laugh-snort once or twice during the entire meal? I didn't experience any of that here. A common sense caveat that can be said is that you can't, of course, put your feet up while you eat. I mean, this is not our house.
It's a brasserie-style restaurant that serves really good food. The fear of not strictly following the restrictive rules of an anal etiquette is diminished here, so you get to truly enjoy what really matters: food!
Before I walk you through what I ate, allow me to first give you a snippet of what Mirèio is. The restaurant is named after the poem of Provence-born writer, Frederic Mistral. The restaurant highlights Provence's cuisine, but it also showcases the Filipino talent in the form of art at the same time. Thoughtfully scattered all around the restaurant are commissioned artworks that depicts the story of the aforementioned poem by different Filipino artists.
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| Image courtesy of Raffles Makati |
Tables are lined up against the floor-to-ceiling windows with the view of the city. If you're planning to go on a date here, it's best to book one of those tables.
If you prefer an unhindered view of the city, the Mirèio Terrace is where you want to be after dinner. The bar is located a floor above the restaurant, and it is amazing! They offer a variety of finely-executed drinks plus equally impressive bar chows. My favorite is the Oyster Cream with Iodine Foam. That was really delicious!
Mirèio's Chef de Cuisine, Nicolas Cegretin, prepared his own impactful rendition of Provençal cuisine starting with the Fresh and Smoked Salmon with Granny Smith Apple and Dijon Mustard Cream. The amuse-bouche offers a balance of flavors and textures that makes it very satisfying. This is one of the best examples that good things come in small packages.
I like foie gras, and this Roasted Duck Foie Gras with Granny Smith Apples and Ginger Chutney is no exception. However, I would have loved it if it was cut thinner. This is a huge, silky rich block of foie gras. The chutney has done its job well by cutting down the satiating factor, though. It's delicious, but I'd still prefer a thinner version of this.
This was a food tasting event hence the size. Now one thing I like about food tasting events is the elimination of the burden of choice. You don't have to think. You just eat.
The Grilled Skipjack Tuna with Carrot Mousseline, Espuma, and Caramel was simply fantastic, by the way. That word fantastic is actually a disservice to how this one tastes. I can't think of a better term right now, so I'll just stick to that. A single bite brings your attention to the features of the dish. It's tender, but still with a good bite; slightly sweet with heavenly extras.
The Grilled Skipjack Tuna with Carrot Mousseline, Espuma, and Caramel was simply fantastic, by the way. That word fantastic is actually a disservice to how this one tastes. I can't think of a better term right now, so I'll just stick to that. A single bite brings your attention to the features of the dish. It's tender, but still with a good bite; slightly sweet with heavenly extras.
The Chilled Zucchini Soup is the perfect bowl for our weather. It is rightfully thick and perfectly seasoned with morsels of chorizo, a swirl of extra virgin olive oil, and basil.
The hero dish of the night for me was definitely the Slow-Cooked Oxtail Parmentier with Black Truffle Jus and a side of Mesclun.
Underneath the golden crust is a wealth of extremely tender shreds of oxtail and creamed potatoes with truffle jus! This was just excellent. Simply excellent. It's one of those dishes that I didn't want to end.
We had the Rum Baba, Coconut and Lime Panna Cotta, Exotic Soup, topped with Mango and Fruit Sherbet for the finale. This was good, but I prefer it to be less tangy and more sweet.
Raffles Makati's Mirèio is the new kid on the block that deserves an attention. I can't wait to try the other offerings.......or go back for the Slow-Cooked Parmentier again.
Raffles Makati's Mirèio is the new kid on the block that deserves an attention. I can't wait to try the other offerings.......or go back for the Slow-Cooked Parmentier again.
Mirèio
9th Floor Raffles Makati
1 Raffles Drive Manila, Philippines
Tel. No. (+632) 555.98.88
Instagram: @rafflesmakatihotel
Operating Hours:
American Breakfast
6:00 - 10:30 AM Mondays - Fridays
6:00 - 11:00 AM Saturday - Sundays and Holidays
Lunch
12:00 NN - 2:30 PM Saturdays to Sundays
Dinner
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM Sundays to Thursdays
6:00 PM - 10:30 PM Fridays - Saturdays and Holidays
Mireio Terrace
5:00 PM - 12:00 AM Mondays to Sundays
Onward and Upward!
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