Every course deserves a good bottle of wine to go with, which means we were able to try three amazing wines throughout our dinner. For our appetizers, we had the Angeline Sauvignon Blanc 2011 — a dry white wine that went well with our seafood fare such as the gambas, the chicharon with tinapa dip, and of course, our cheese plate.
The chicharon with tinapa dip was a pleasant surprise — I myself am not a particular fan of chicharon, but this had a clean taste that was not too oily, and was all crisp, and the dip provided a depth in flavor to the chicharon.
We also tried their gambas, well-seasoned and flavorful. The shrimp was cooked just right, tender without too much resistance.
I personally LOVE street food, with squid balls being the best of them all, and it was fun to see Planet Grapes elevate this street food fare into a yummy appetizer. The squid balls were big and thick, with a distinct squid flavor that went well with our sauvignon blanc.
Of course, just because they serve street food with wine, doesn’t mean that they are averse to the classic pairings. Cheese is always a must when pairing with wine, and we were treated to a platter that showed a range in texture and flavor, but still friendly enough to those not yet used to having cheese. From the softest to the hardest: We had goat cheese (white, mild and creamy), camembert (looks and feels like brie cheese, but less sweet and more robust), manchego (nutty, a bit close to cheddar), and bleu (blue cheese, pungent with a full flavor).
For our meats, we were treated to a Napier Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 — a rich, luscious red wine, paired with the steak, the tenderloin salpicao and the ribs.
We absolutely loved the flavor of the salpicao, well-complemented by the chili and seasoning.
The steak was tender and juicy, and of course, went best with the red wine!
The ribs had just the right amount of smokiness and sweetness that will definitely cater to Filipino palates.
Of course, we ended our lovely dinner with a choice of delectable desserts. The Intrepid Noble Harvest 2013 was a sweet wine, made from the ripest grapes and went well with their dessert!
The Crème Brulee was a trio that had something for everyone: the original flavor, banana flavor and durian flavor.
The Turon Trilogy, the most Pinoy of their dessert, did not disappoint with the crispy texture of the wrapper, the luscious banana inside, all placed in a bed of caramel sauce.
The choco collision was an immediate favorite, of course, with the chocolate being a burst of flavor in your mouth, paired with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!
The wine experience at Planet Grapes will be even more special this Christmas, with their Wine Christmas special!
When you opt to throw your Christmas dinner here, you can choose your courses from their menu, or opt to go with Planet Grapes’ special Christmas Party menu! Book your parties on their mezzanine and they’ll give you 3 free bottles of wine to celebrate with. Reserve the entire place for your affairs, and they’ll gift you an entire case of wine (12 bottles), for free!
Wine is definitely made more fun at Planet Grapes, and it’s only going to get more festive this Christmas.
Planet Grapes has branches at Shangri-La Plaza, Shaw, Mandaluyong; Tuscany Hill, McKinley Hill, The Fort; Festival Supermall, Alabang; and Ayala Center Cebu.
Planet Grapes
www.planetgrapes.com.ph
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Twitter: @planetgrapesph
