Leisurely and Intimate Dining at the Old Vine Grille

 

 

When in Manila and you’re craving for steak and barbecue dishes that doesn’t skimp with the proportions and is excellent in taste, you can go no wrong with the Old Vine Grille. Their first branch opened in Eastwood on February 2009 and then just several months after, another branch was opened at the Venice Piazza on November 2009.

 

Upon entering the restaurant, one thing you’ll immediately notice is the cozy ambiance over at the dining area due to the effective use of dimmed lighting. The interiors were made to look like you’re dining within someone’s backyard with ceiling treatments that resemble vine trellises. Normally the brick walls would make an interior appear cold because people always associate it as part of a structure’s facade but the clever use of warm accent colors balances this out.

 

 

The various food items from the menu that were served were already mouth-watering to look at and our dining table boasted of an impressive array of deliciously-smelling dishes. I started off my meal with a heaping serving of Tessie Tomas Salad (PHP 350 Small, Php 680 Large). It was so called because it was inspired by the various number of ingredients that Ms. Tessie Tomas herself requested to be mixed while dining at one of the owners’ former restaurants. The dish itself was a combination of roasted prawns, marinated salmon and roasted Shiitake mushrooms with mesclun salad in a creamy Balsamic dressing.

 

 

 

 Then I took a taste of Pan-Fried Foie Gras Salad (Php 1150 Large and Php 750 Small)served also with raspberry honey sauce and apple ragout. This delicacy might not be for everyone especially the Foie Gras or the fattened liver of a duck or a goose. If you’re eating foie gras for the first time, it is best to eat it in small portions so that you can grow accustomed to the taste. 

 

 

 

Next up was the Baked Cream Dory (Php 450). Everything about this dish was light. The fish was cooked and seasoned just right and I loved the care they took with regards to the presentation. 

 

 

 

For rice lovers, the Beef Salpicao Fried Rice (Php) could well be suited to your palate.

 

 

 

The Old Vine Pasta (Php 285 Small and Php 420 Large) is made up of fettuccine tossed in mild spicy vegetable pangritata with prawns. The spiciness of the dish is just right and won’t scarcely burn anyone’s tough. The pasta was meticulously cooked and well-worth it.

 

 

 

If it’s ribs you like then you can go no wrong with the Baby back ribs American favorite Barbecue (Php 495). The ribs was slathered with this delicious sauce and is also served with potatoes and baked beans. The meat from the ribs was very soft and falls easily from the bones at the slightest touch. The sauce was also unforgettable.

 

 

 

My drink of choice was the Lemonade with Soda and it was served looking like this.

 

 

 

 

Some of us also ordered the Watermelon and Grape drink. You can easily identify each by the slices of fruit that adorn the glass. This was a pretty creative touch.

 

 

 

 

 

Dessert was just as good. After eating very satisfying dishes, make sure that you have room for dessert. I particularly liked the Ube Cheesecake (Php130) which was delightfully presented with mango slices and a sliver of twisted pastry.

 

 

 

The Banana Langka Crepe Samurai (Php120) is different from other conventional crepes I’ve seen because it was in a bowl instead of wrapped in a crepe. It might also sound enticingly too sweet but surprisingly it wasn’t. They were able to balance out the sweetness so that it won’t be overpowering.

 

 

 

If you want to have a very light dessert and something that could be fun if you have kids with you, then order the Belgian Chocolate Fondue (Php350) which has an assortment of various slices of fruit and marshmallows that you can dip into chocolate.

 

 

 

 

Dining at Old Vine is such a delectable experience and it’s a must visit When in Manila. The service is good and the food were served promptly. The staff were extra friendly and that is an added bonus. Because of this, don’t be surprised if you happen to see celebrities dining in the restaurant too.

 

The Old Vine Grille is open from 11am-11pm on Mondays-Thursdays, 11am-12mn on Fridays-Saturdays and 10am-11pm on Sundays. For reservations, please contact (02) 706-5573 at Level 1, Eastwood Mall, Eastwood City, Libis, or at (02) 836-4966 at Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

 

 

Leisurely and Intimate Dining at the Old Vine Grille: Eastwood City, Libis and Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill