La Régalade French Bistro (Arnaiz Ave, Makati)
My friends and I met up at the new La Régalade French Bistro in Arnaiz Ave (formerly Pasay Road) Makati for dinner recently.
I had mixed expectations of the place. I was anticipating to be overwhelmed by the dishes conceptualized by 2 star Michelin chef Alain Raye, having read reviews that heaped nothing but praises for them. On the other hand, I was also expecting snooty service, as this was the impression I had at the back of my mind after reading food writer Margaux Salcedo’s write-up of the place.
So how does it fare? Let’s see.
Our meal started with a complimentary basket of sliced baguette with butter.
The Salad Régalade — a mix of greens, seafood, and bacon on light dressing. It was a unique concoction, with equal room for all the ingredients’ flavors. While Anton says eating it a spiritual experience for him, I’d say mine was simple enjoyment of a nice salad
I ordered a glass of Deakin Estate Shiraz, a light medium-bodied red wine rife with the taste of berries. At just PHP230, this glass is very good value for money, especially for this quality.
The Foie Gras de Canard Poelé (Pan Seared Duck Foie Gras) was given a local touch by serving it with mango slices. This dish proved to be very rich — one strip of it was enough for me to cap my artery-clogging intake for the night.
I liked the relatively mild sweetness of the Soupe A L’Oignon (Gratinated Onion Soup).
I must say that the Grosses Crevettes aux Poires et Oignons (Roasted Prawns with Pears and Onions) was a unique dish. It had caramelized pears, onions, scallions, and white cheese over roasted succulent prawns.
The Gigot D’Agneau Heueres (7-Hour Lamb Leg) is a slow-cooked lamb stew with gherkins. The lamb meat was tender and had no pungent aftertaste. Very filling.
We went with the waiter’s recommendation — L’ile Flotant (Floating Island) — for dessert. It is a classic European dessert consisting of an island of meringue floating in a sea of Crème anglaise custard. Light, sweet and fluffy.
Setting. The place has warm lighting, simple interiors, and a semi-formal ambiance. The menus are written on chalkboards hung on columns, which are brought to the customers for their reference when they order. The place feels quite a bit formal for a bistro, but not too stiff and courtly as to turn off casual diners. Great for smaller groups.
Service. Contrary to my impression, the wait staff was very polite, genial, and attentive — no sign of any snootiness at all. Our server had more than met expectations despite my heightened sensitivity to any iota of a sneer or snide remark. Zip, zilch, nada. It was terrific service all the way for me, one that’s becoming of the best dining experiences I’ve had (and I was wearing jeans and Crocs — how sacrilegious can one get!)
Price. The above meal costed around P1700 per head for a party of three (although we ended up paying about P2500 per head as the other party bolted before pay time, haha). Consistent pricing with other similar restaurants.
Overall verdict. Coming in with mixed expectations, I left with mixed feelings as well. For one, I was not overly elated with the food. Don’t get me wrong — it was okay, but nothing as outrageously stupefying as I would imagine a Michelin-starred chef would put together (or it’s probably a hooky day for him). And as I said above, for me the service was clearly so much better than I had thought. All in all, La Régalade earns its place in my bank of positive dining experiences. Recommended for dates and small groups seeking to savor good French fare, with excellent service.
La Régalade French Bistro
820 Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City, 1226, Philippines
Tel. #: +63 2 750-2104, 750-2105
Official website
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is the chef really a Michelin star chef or he worked with a michelin star chef before ? two different things
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