Bukidnon Steak
PROUDLY a Filipino brand, Plantation Bay Resort & Spa is an internationally renowned colonial-style resort with the largest privately owned waterways and man-made lagoons (with a choice of fresh and salt water) sprawled on an 11-hectare beach property in Marigondon, Mactan Island. Founder and CEO Emmanuel “Manny” C. Gonzalez, a former international banker, conceptualized the design and construction of this plantation-inspired paradise.
In fact, his fascination for classic Hollywood movies are reflected in the architectural design inspired by the “Gone with the Wind” colonial homes and movie themes in his Kilimanjaro Kafé, Mogambo Springs Spa, Savannah Grill, Fiji Flavors of the Pacific Rim and Palermo Tapas and Pastas Café/Bar.
After a hiatus for a year or two as General Manager of Plantation Bay, it was good to see my “kababayan-friend” Efren Belarmino back in his turf.
This seasoned hotel executive is probably one of the few of his genre. Rising from the ranks, Efren’s hotel career that started and was honed in Century Park Sheraton Manila was briefly interrupted by a few years as Front Office Manager in Xiamen Plaza hotel in China.
He joined Plantation Bay in 1998 as its Executive Housekeeper and has been holding the reins of the resort since 2000.
Jamon Bellota
I enjoyed Efren’s brand of humor once again over dinner in the newly renovated Palermo Tapas and Pastas Café/Bar. The beautiful acrylic paintings of delicate vines and grapes on the walls almost looked like stained glass.
Efren explained that Mr. Gonzalez commissioned two local artists from the island to paint his design on the walls of the restaurant giving the place an elegant old world look.
GM Efren Belarmino
Crisp, chilled Chardonnay was poured into our wine glasses as we took our seats with Efren and his “angels,” PR girls Hannah Lood and Andrienne Lim, along with the youthful Head Chef, Lee Mathew Solon Ramas.
Chef Lee has been with Plantation Bay for 11 years now after gaining experiences in Waterfront Cebu City and Marriott hotels. He was recently the resort’s delegate to the Madrid Fusion Culinary Event in Manila last year. This must have partly prepared him for the Tapas Menu selection that we enjoyed for our dinner.
Tapas, which comes from the Spanish word “tapar” meaning to cover actually has an interesting history. It has evolved into an entire cuisine of a wide variety of appetizers and snacks.
We started with the very pricey Jamon Iberico de Ballota, from free-range Iberian black pigs that roam the oak forests along the border between Spain and Portugal and cured for 36 months.
The Calamares Fritos with garlic dip were delicately crusty outside with very tender squid strips inside. The Spanish style garlic shrimps or Gambas was just as good.
Fabada, a rich Spanish bean stew of pork, morcilla (blood sausage), chorizo and saffron is usually served as a starter. Another traditional stew of beef tripe, chorizos and blood sausage with red bell peppers from Madrid, Callos, has become a favorite among Filipinos.
Callos
The hearty Bukidnon Rib Eye Steak of grass fed American cattle from the pineapple plantation was served medium rare.
More rollicking laughter complemented our food but I always seal a good dinner with something ambrosial, Triple B Tart—a layer of fresh bananas, chocolate and whipped cream.