Solaire 2nd Anniversary Treats (Zomato Food Crawl)|iMunch

PS: This Post is PHOTOHEAVY.

I was quite the lucky one to receive an invite to go on a foodie meet up by Zomato. But it wasn’t just any foodie meet up- it was a tour around some of the best restaurants Solaire has to offer, as a celebration of Solaire’s 2nd birthday or anniversary. And as such, what was served to us were Solaire's Anniversary Special and something off menu.



I should be clear with you guys here, that even if this is an invitation by Zomato and Solaire the opinions are entirely mine. And no, I am not biased when it comes to my opinions. So let’s get started! :)



The first stop was at Finestra. At a first glance, I can totally tell that this is one of those places where you’d like to dress up a bit, if you’re gonna be going on a date.



Yes, the decor is quite amazing, as to most of Solaire’s restaurants have, but the aura that this one exudes is that of the classier type.



Something that is in approval of the pureblood groups of Harry Potter’s world to come in and hold their parties and royal gatherings, but with more friendly colors for the interiors.. Wait, are those potions or Vodka??? ;)



What we were served was Finestra’s anniversary fare, Altimbocca Alla Sorrentina… This dish had ground lean beef that was cooked well, little juicy but not rare, and it’s sitting on top of slightly sweet marinara sauce. There’s also some melted cheese on top, and prosciutto, probably, if not bacon. Cheese, meats and marinara sauce, well, I might as well have gone to heaven and lived to tell the tale. ;)





The second stop was Waterside Resto Bar, named for the fact that it is right beside the pool(first photo on top) , thus,"waterside".


We were served quite the whole meal. We got to taste their Surf and Turf, Paella Vallenciana and certain sides. The Surf part of the dish, consisting of the prawns and salmon were cooked perfectly, and if I was in the restaurant with family instead of friends, I might as well have used my hands in peeling the shells off, para mas comfortable. hahaha! Prawns were especially sweet and yet herbed, so you can really see how fresh it is.



The other components of the Surf and Turf though, I am a bit down about. That would be because the Pork Ribs are too dry for my taste and is also quite the tough meat to sell. The Hanger Steak on the other hand were on the verge of medium rare to medium. The upside to these dishes is that they are well seasoned.



The Paella Valencia is seriously delish and you can tell by taste the spanish culture that is told behind it. It was well seasoned, and very flavourful, and the best bonus was it was full of those little shrimps that made it all better. :)




Next stop was for dessert, or tea time. We were escorted to Oasis, a cafe that truly embodies it’s name. We were served quite the array of desserts, but what really caught my attention, are these:



Red velvet cake, vanilla mascaporne filling, topped with fresh strawberries- Not your usual red velvet as it is not overly sweet, the Vanilla Mascaporne filling gives the velvety moist texture of the cake balance and the fresh strawberries are perfect for that little tangy taste that gives this cake some edge. Perfect to be paired with your favourite cup of coffee, or Passion Fruit Tea. :)



Layers of almond caramel filled with caramel and butterscotch parfait, roasted almonds- This one is sweet and satisfying. It led me to memories of my first ice cream for some weird reason, but hey, that’s happiness for ya. But even for a sweet tooth like me, one slice is perfectly enough…


Glazed Blondies, avocado panacotta, roasted fresh mango- This one came off to me a bit quirky but utterly satisfying. Different textures from the nuts, and the mangoes and avocado pannacotta is what made this interesting, and I would love to get a taste of this sometime again :)



By the way, their Caramel Cheesecakes are also a must try. They are so smooth to the taste and texture, light and not too sweet. :)




The 4th stop was the Red Lantern where we also got to taste their Anniversary special, the Wuxi Braised Ribs.



These are your usual slightly sweet and very savoury braised ribs, but elevated to a level of 5 stars. The meat is not just tender- it melts in your mouth almost(but not quite) chocolate! hehehe! Definitely have to order a whole bowl of Yang Chow or fried rice for this one… Talagang mapaparami ang kain mo dito eh hehehe..







The 5th stop was Yakumi, where we were served this ridiculously large Ehou Maki.



It has 7 ingredients in the dish, and a traditional story behind it. As told by the Head Chef, this is a dish that is translated to Good Fortune, and is served during the end of winter. This is served with actual wasabi, not the powdered paste kind. If you eat the whole thing by yourself without stopping, good fortune will come to you. Or so as the Japanese say. :)



I am always up for a good slice of sushi or sashimi, and this one is something that I am excited to try out. Alone, the Maki was quite the flavourful one, and you can tell that it was carefully prepared and the ingredients were not skimped on.



And that wasabi? Wow, wa ako masabi! Usually, when I put wasabi in the soy sauce and eat it up, tumatalon yung heat ng wasabi from the tongue to the nose, which is not a great thing cause it makes me sneezy and uncomfortable. But with Yakumi serving the actual thing, it was actually a pleasant thing cause I didn’t experience those things. I’m so dragging jobert here to try it out again! :)


Last stop was Strip, and for their anniversary fare, they served us with Pastrami-Spiced Black Angus Beef Short Ribs. The equally delicious looking chef even showed us what was used as a spice, each and every delicate procedure of the meat, from the marinate and dry rub to the grill and plating. :)



This is one of the best cooked beef that I have tasted in my life so far, as it is so tender, juicy but not to the point of it being medium or rare… It is actually easier to chew than the poached veggies that it had as a side.



And that purple mustard that Chef Eric used is complementing the savoury dish by giving it some edge and a slight tart. Mashed potatoes are just so creamy and buttery and flavourful.



Place itself holds the aura of class and romantic vibes. This is the type of restaurant where those cheesy proposals can be dropped.. If you are coming in with quite the large group, I suggest you ask for a reservation so as to avail of this private spot that features an open window to the happenings in the kitchen :)



Heck, every fare that we had the privilege to taste for Solaire’s Anniversary was full of life, flavour and I really hope that you come for Solaire’s Anniversary and experience food like never before. :)