When I was still courting Rache, I was looking for a cool restaurant place for our romantic date near La Salle. We were adventurous already back then but also we are budget-conscious. We saw a nice old house converted into a restaurant and we thought this might be a good inihaw place. We decided to go in and noticed there were only a few tables. When the waiter presented to us the menu, we realized that it was a Fine Dining Restaurant!
That was our first encounter with Lolo Dad’s in Malate. We ate there when it opened (unfortunately I was not yet blogging at that time). The menu in the 1-week old Lolo Dad’s Brasserie in 6750 looks almost exactly as the menu when they first opened in Malate. The key difference with the brasserie menu is that they expanded the menu with pasta and sandwiches options. The prices are still shocking but you are paying for good quality food.
Lolo Dad’s Brasserie Menu
Appetizers | Soups, Pasta & Filled Bread | Main Dishes, Steaks, and Desserts
Lolo Dad’s Brasserie is the latest (and hopefully the last) reincarnation of the corner restaurant in the prestigious 6750 address. This is the same spot where Giraffe, Dream Bar, Quisine and Gaster Deli (see: Gaster Deli-cious!) once stood. This is a favorite hang-out of P&G and Caltex people specially every Friday night. You can still see the remnants of Gaster Deli’s chairs and ambiance.
You would notice that the ambiance is still boring. It lacks the homey Malate vibe of its main restaurant and it feels like it could use a few paintings and art accents. The table locations are also not ideal so you have to reserve in advance to get a good spot.
“Only for the Rich” Salad (P1,650 +SC). Combination of Diver Scallops, Lobster, Seared Duck Liver, Jamon Serrano and Cured Salmon with Mesclun greens in Pomegranate and Molasses dressing.
Lolo Dad’s is famous for their salads (see Salad Menu) . We felt “rich” that day so we ordered the salad that we can share for a group of three. At first, it looked like a smorgasbord of all the expensive ingredients you can put in a salad — lobster, foie gras, salmon and jamon serrano. Its “Only for the Rich” name has a double meaning of being the most expensive salad and having a lot of flavorful ingredients.
Each ingredient was cooked to perfection. However, the vinaigrette dressing was too strong for our taste. Overall, we were satisfied and the salad price was justified. (That rhyme is for you Aidan 🙂
Smoked Salmon Creamed Fettucine (P420 +SC) with grilled Pizza Omellet
I ordered the smoked salmon pasta. Everything seems to be perfect — al dente pasta, right saltiness in the salmon, and clean creamy sauce. I appreciated the ingenuity of pairing the pasta with mushroom omelet on top of a flat crunchy pizza base. I also liked the clean 3D presentation of this pasta dish. It is very hard to complain about an almost P500 pasta dish if it tastes this good.
Prawn Rigatoni Pasta in Garlic and Olive Oil (P480 +SC) with Prosciutto and Aragula Toast
We finally met with a long lost friend, Cai and she ordered the Prawn Rigatoni Pasta. Check out the other pasta dishes (see Soups, Pasta & Filled Bread )
Lamb Chops (P1,100 +SC) with grilled fruits, and appropriate sauces, and a choice of Rice, Mashed Potato.
My wife Rache loves lamb chops which is one of the bestsellers in the house (see Main Dishes, Steaks, and Desserts). It is predictably good but nothing special. The presentation could be improved by using a different plate or being creative in its arrangement. The hollandaise sauce (white one) tastes like liquid butter and the au jus (black one) made of brown stock and rosemary complemented the taste of the lamb.
I was pleasantly surprised with the awesome dessert line-up in Lolo Dad’s (see Desserts Menu). I would definitely go there just for the dessert. I would recommend a romantic dinner date in La Regalade or Hotel Cicou and then hop on to Lolo Dad’s for dessert.
Chocolate Almond Segafredo (P200 +SC) Orange Popsicle and Berry Sauce
This is the best dessert for me. It taste like chocolate powder densely packed into a bar mixed with almond nuts. It is rich in chocolate taste and crumbles every time you bite into it. It is best to mix it with slices of oranges. The Dalandan popsicles are a must try!
Baked Cheese Cake (P250 +SC) Lavender and Honey Ice Cream with Fruit Compote
I would give this 5 stars for creativity. The cheese cake tastes like bread pudding with a pastillas consistently. We were turned off by the Lavender and Honey Ice cream which brings us memories of having a massage in the spa every time we tasted it. I don’t know why this is one of their best selling desserts.
This is the best table in the house! When you reserve, request for the leather chairs with long backrest and insist on the tables in front of the restaurant. The particular table above is located in the front corner of the restaurant.
Congratulations to Ariel Manuel for a successful Lolo Dad’s Brasserie opening in 6750! I hope to meet him one of these days with Aidan. (The shot above was taken at around 5pm and I was surprised that all of the tables were reserved.)
Lolo Dad’s Brasserie
Ground Floor 6750
6750 Ayala Avenue Makati City
Telephone Number: +632 8136750 (Reserve!)
Text and Photos by by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.
Blog: www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Mobile: +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627)
Email: anton@diaz.ph
“This is the same spot where Giraffe, Dream Bar, Quisine and Gaster Deli…”
Wow! So Gaster Deli closed down too? That’s really unfortunate… Its sad when people open restaurants and don’t put effort in keeping it alive. Its actually a good location, so I don’t understand the high failure rate of that particular spot.
I love Lolo Dad’s, too, but what’s up with the food presentation in the brasserie? It looks lazy and uninspired. oh well, as long as it tastes good, right?:-)
Chinkee, interesting comment. Before Cyma took over their spot now in Greenbelt 2, many restaurants had come and gone in that same space. It seems Cyma has changed the energy of the space and is a rousing success. Anton, thanks for reviewing the restaurant. I’m heading there next week with my new foodie friend whom I met at your Pampanga Food Tour, Gigi D. When’s the next food adventure?
the chef/owner of lolo dad’s and his team won first place in both Hong Kong and Singapore competition (forgot the name of the competition) that was participated by international chefs….
Anton, you mentioned Hotel Cicou……where is that?
Btw, I just made reservations at Lolo Dad’s Brasserie but am wondering if they can accommodate our group with their more interesting menu at the original malate place? Do they also serve the impressive sorbet in between the courses?
So it was really Rache I saw that day when we were passing by! I thought I’d say hi but we were in a hurry.
“Anton, you mentioned Hotel Cicou……where is that?”
Hi Liliram! I’m guessing Anton is talking about Hotel Celeste, and the resto in the lobby is Chef Cyrille Soenen’s Cicou. It’s on that lot where Mars Disco used to be, right outside San Lorenzo Village’s main gate. I believe they are now open to the public.
🙁 the prices are really shocking (but expected). do you really need a reservation at Lolo Dad’s @ 6750? I hope its not as hard to make reservations like at the Malate location.
It was not hard to make reservations. But then again, I reserved a good 2 wks in advance! Would anyone know if they serve the sorbet in between courses? Frankly, I did not find the menu very interesting. I must be biased in favor of the Malate address.
Chinkee, thanks re Cicou. Very timely. I am booked to stay 1 night in Hotel Celeste this Friday. I can check out the place then.
Maybe I was imagining it…..But I thought the food at Lolo Dad’s in Malate (the original) was more inspired than Lolo Dad’s Brasserie at 6750. It’s entirely possible this restaurant is still working out its kinks since it just opened. I enjoyed the food at La Regalade much more (although it’s an entirely different cuisine) and didn’t mind paying a pretty penny for a meal there that was well worth it. Next time, I will definitely try the Only For The Rich Salad at Lolo Dad’s Brasserie. I’m sure that will taste like a million bucks and trim a few pounds off my wallet!!!
I have been to Lolo Dad’s yesterday, and it was really full on Wednesday!
Sure, you will need reservation.
“Only for the Rich” Salad was extremely delicious and one of a kind.
Grilled lobster’s tail was good, but Seabass was the most soft and yummy I ever tried.
And you are right – Lavender and Honey Ice cream really brings memories of having a massage in the spa, though cheese cake itself was good
Not a big fan of lolo’ dads. extremely overpriced for me, my problem is i love to cook and what i love more is finding the best source of ingredient. I just recently started ordering prime rib eye beef by the slabs. My kids have started to give up ordering steak at restaurants and prefer them cooked at home with just sea salt and pepper cooked medium rare. Lolo dad’s was an experience. i remember having soup flavored with tinapa which burned my wallet. Fine with me if you are to charge me these prices but please make it worth the cost. My philosophy in cooking is you only get great food with the best ingredients.
Not a big fan of lolo’ dads. extremely overpriced for me, my problem is i love to cook and what i love more is finding the best source of ingredient. I just recently started ordering prime rib eye beef by the slabs. My kids have started to give up ordering steak at restaurants and prefer them cooked at home with just sea salt and pepper cooked medium rare. Lolo dad’s was an experience. i remember having soup flavored with tinapa which burned my wallet. Fine with me if you are to charge me these prices but please make it worth the cost. My philosophy in cooking is you only get great food with the best ingredients.
I had dinner there the night you did. I wasn’t impressed at all. The place is drab and lacks any character. If it were a work in progress, it’s already a bad start and headed in the wrong direction.
The furniture is cheap, save for the few chairs left over by Gaster. the rest looked like they were just rented.
Watch your head when going to the baño! It clearance in that area is so low that even someone as short as GMA can hit her head there.
I used to be impressed with Chef Ariel. But my visit to brasserie proved to me that he’s not that great of a chef. His food just doesn’t have soul. It’s okay at best and not anything worth going back for.
What shocked me most was the lack of a wine list. They have a wine cav at one side of the place and it was filled with wines, but the waiter told us that they had only two wines available! It was called 3 Bridges Merlot or Cab–from a never-heard-of winery in Australia. The bottles ware priced at P900, but tasted like P200. I wanted to bring my own wine but was informed beforehand that the tax for corkage is P700. Boo!
It’ll be a while before I go back. What a shame, what a disappointment.
thanks for this post! i haven’t been there yet, but my husband has been to their malate post. he says it’s really expensive there, but the food is yummy. At least now, I have an idea of what expensive means there. thanks!
thanks for this post! i haven’t been there yet, but my husband has been to their malate post. he says it’s really expensive there, but the food is yummy. At least now, I have an idea of what expensive means there. thanks!
I just got back from Europe and to be very honest I’m not a bit tickled by Lolo Dad’s creativity. Sure the food is good but nothing great or artistic. You seem to be impressed by the ‘same old and safe’ restaurants. Anton, when you get the chance you should try Alain Ducasse, Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver to broaden your perspective on what is creative and what is mediocre. I hope in the future you would have reviews of restaurants from Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, New York, Paris, Hollywood and London. Please take this constructively as I know you take your job seriously. Cheers!
I was so much dissapointed with the price of the food it was very shocking.. I ordered fried blue brie with sobresada and i asked the waitress with short hair if the food is healthy she said yes but when they delivered the food it was so oily and full of cholesterol..same as the goose fat fried chicken.. it was so awfully greasy!!eew..nothing is healthy food here even the salads have meats!!
the restaurant is like a fine dining and fast food in one because the waiters were running.hahaha..nothing’s impressed me…i think i will never go back there..PS: why not hire attractive waiters and waitresses?
I was so much dissapointed with the price of the food it was very shocking.. I ordered fried blue brie with sobresada and i asked the waitress with short hair if the food is healthy she said yes but when they delivered the food it was so oily and full of cholesterol..same as the goose fat fried chicken.. it was so awfully greasy!!eew..nothing is healthy food here even the salads have meats!!
the restaurant is like a fine dining and fast food in one because the waiters were running.hahaha..nothing’s impressed me…i think i will never go back there..PS: why not hire attractive waiters and waitresses?
Hi Anton! The food at Lolo Dad’s was terrible, and the service was really two thumbs down (I wrote about the incident). While I had the most excellent meal yesterday at Sala (truffles), I just had the most disappointing dinner of the year at Lolo Dad’s.
lolo dad’s is the best around. chefs mia and ariel deserve all the adulation from foodies who have excellent taste. their food is definitely NEVER boring. they wont be where they are now if they don’t dish out fantastic fares. quality always has a price to it, anyway.so please don’t accuse them of overpricing. To chefs mia and ariel, keep up the great job!
lolo dad’s is the best around. chefs mia and ariel deserve all the adulation from foodies who have excellent taste. their food is definitely NEVER boring. they wont be where they are now if they don’t dish out fantastic fares. quality always has a price to it, anyway.so please don’t accuse them of overpricing. To chefs mia and ariel, keep up the great job!
I think people are entitled to their own opinions, whether you agree with them or not. Foodies and food critics tend to be somewhat biased and think they know everything, that is why forums like this are a good source of information for others from the ordinary persons perspective. FYI quality doesn’t always have to come with a hefty price tag. People should take criticism constructively because every chef knows you are only as good as your last meal whether it was for a foodie, food critic or an ordinary person!
“lolo dad’s is the best around.”
“their food is definitely NEVER boring.”
Funny, you sound like you work there or something. They should accept all these comments/criticisms constructively. It’ll only help them to do better.
As what Thomas Keller said, and I quote, “That’s one of the important things about cooking. What was good enough yesterday may not be good enough today.”
Just had dinner there last night. Sorry, now I’m NEVER going back (even to the original Lolo Dad’s). Didn’t leave happy.
When the economy isn’t doing so well, the last thing you need is to end the night disappointed. Don’t mind spending – but at the very least they should TRY to be good.
– Amenities – the bathroom was clean but NOT in good shape! Considering they just opened – the sink was chipped, the faucet fixtures left much to be desired. This makes one wonder … what does the kitchen look like… Air conditioning – too hot. The one with short hair said the building shuts off their A/C so, that was it. Duh, didn’t they know that whey they signed their lease?!
– Service – the waiter was HORRIBLE! For the price they charge … ridiculous. He got the orders of the MEN first, argued with the first guy because he wanted to order pasta. He kept saying “… but that’s just pasta!No appetizer?” So, my friend felt compelled to get something else even if he wasn’t hungry. We just wanted the waiter experience to end!! Then after taking 2 more orders he DISAPPEARED without taking the orders of the rest of the table. What was that all about?!!!
– Food – NOT well prepared. I know what they were trying to achieve but food quality wasn’t the best. I couldn’t finish my food. Salty too.
We should have just stayed home. NOT happy.