Mrs. MM, The Teen and a close family friend took me to lunch at Lusso at Greenbelt 5 today. It was our first time at Margarita Fores’ new baby that was just an absolute pleasure to behold. The food was wonderful and exactly what we were hoping for. I will disclose up front that Margarita has become a very good family friend over the past year, and we have traveled on several food trips together, so I am saying this now lest anyone accuse me of giving a biased review. Yes, I do like Margarita’s restaurants and I came with high expectations. Mrs. MM and I are not the type to frequent Manila’s chi-chi spots in the evenings so we haven’t even been to the Establishment, the club that I gather is the latest watering hole for those who want to be seen/scene, and where Margarita does some of the food as well… And we had not been to Lusso, a “champagne bar” either. So lunch seemed like a nice way to have our first experience at the tiny jewel of a place. Decorated in luxurious travertine, with velvet covered chairs and beautiful chandeliers, this restaurant screams tasteful yet updated elegance. The waiters are dressed in jackets similar to those in the finest bars/cafes in Europe, almost an air reminiscent of Harry Cipriani’s in Venice, albeit much lighter and less jampacked with chairs and tables. Lusso, translated, means luxe or luxurious. And luxe it is. But most surprisingly, luxe need not be totally out of reach.
Decorated in pale tones echoing a glass of champagne, the travertine, velvet and paint were best described as being rich yet effervescent. Glasses at the bar, mirrors and the huge picture windows looking out on the garden added to the airy feel. Signature floral arrangements by Fiore di M. were tastefully placed on the bar and an outdoor seating area. While these arrangements are often highly recyclable and reusable, the three or five blooms of stunning cymbidium orchids added a hint of added elegance…
We started with a couple of glasses of champagne, which we sipped while perusing the menu which was surprisingly very well priced, I noticed. The champagne was compliments of the house, a gift from Margarita (thanks!). Dishes ranged from PHP300 to PHP1,200 or so for the priciest steak. But most sandwiches, pica-pica’s, snacks, etc. were at PHP600 or less, surprisingly affordable for such a nice setting. We decided to start off by trying two potato based appetizers…
First, a bowl of truffle scented potato chips. Upscale Lay’s I am sure some of you are rolling your eyes. But these hand sliced thin chips with skins still on were fried to a crisp and scented with truffle oil. They hit just the right note of crunch, saltiness and flavor that went well with the champagne.
We also got an order of Asiago french fries. Heartily cut potatoes fried then sprinkled with asiago cheese that melts all over the potatoes. Absolutely simple, wonderfully delicious. These were gone in a flash. It’s hard to improve on french fries, but this was a nice version.
For our main courses, we debated among several sandwiches or light dishes… Since it was my birthday, I decided to try the “Foie Gras Croque Monsieur” or simply put a grilled sandwich with pate de foie gras. It was very small, and understandably so. But very good. I wouldn’t have this as a main course again, more like one of two main courses. :) Or as a late afternoon snack with a glass of wine. It came with a small serving of greens, which for me was well dressed in a highly acidic dressing. I dislike very oily vinaigrettes, and personally prefer a good vinegar hit so this was a nice foil for the rich foie gras. A few more chips took this dish, which must have had just a few grams in contents, completely over the top on the calorie counter!
The Teen opted for a Lobster and Prawn Roll which was the best we have ever had in the Philippines. I would return to Lusso just for this sandwich and a glass of Diet Coke. At PHP450 for the sandwich, it was well priced. And it had nice meaty chunks of lobster and prawn on a lightly buttered roll from L’Artisan. VERY NICE.
Our friend ordered the chicken pot pie, thank goodness, as I did a serious double take when the same dish was delivered to a neighboring table. The eye candy? Little black cocottes from Staub, my latest cooking indulgence. A sort of Le Creuset for serious cooks…heehee. I hope the waiters keep an eye on those little pots, as they cost far more than the pot pies that they came with. The chicken pot pie was nice, with a mixture of dark and light meat and veggies, but I must say the crust was a bit of a disappointment. It is hard to freeze or pre-make a crust on this sort of dish, and this one felt a bit like a hard biscuit sitting on top of the stew. A bit deconstructed, but personally I would have hoped for a better crust…
Finally, Mrs. MM ordered the Pan Seared Salmon which came on a bed of french green beans , a cream sauce and a liberal sprinkling of two kinds of fish roe or caviar. It was perfectly cooked, and the fish was nice and tender. At PHP550 we also thought this was well priced. And the nice bonus, some deep fried salmon skin on the side. YUM. We didn’t try the foie gras burgers that has caused a buzz among foodies but we saw several go to other tables. I would certainly want to try that some day soon.
For dessert, we tried a mini-pecan pie with whipped cream. A nice balance of nuts, crust and cream. I could have that for a merienda with a nice cup of tea.
A chocolate sans rival that was intriguing, but I personally am not a huge fan of sans rival so I really should just stop trying them while dining out. The Teen and everyone else wiped out the rest of this dish, however.
Two scoops of olive oil ice cream with salt was the perfect way to clean our palates… Wonderful meal. Not heavy, just right. And you can dine here in a very civilized manner for less than PHP800-900 for the most part. Not cheap but very good value, in my opinion. We will be back to check out the other items on the menu… :)
Lusso
Greenbelt 5
Makati City
632-756-LUXE
632-756-5893
62 Responses
The lobster sandwich seems like a must-try!
Great Post. I’ve been to Lusso twice but never tried the food. I better go back soon. I really enjoy any Gaita Fores owned restaurant, from Cibo to Pepato to Lusso. Just wish her catering business would be more affordable but I’m sure its well worth it.
OOoohhhh…everything looks good!! she doesn’t skimp on ingredients. those are the “real deal”…i like that!! and fried salmon skin! different and tasty. how were the macarons?
Happy birthday MM! Makakahabol pa ako since it’s still the 20th here:) That looks like a really delicious lunch!
The macarons in the photo caught my eye first and and did not see the title of the post and the first thing that came into my mind was: He made macarons! That’s a good take on french fries. I think I’ll try making that since I love Asiago cheese. Being a dessert person, I quickly scrolled down to the dessert. I love pecan pie and sans rival but have not tried chocolate sans rival because I’m more of a butter person. Now, you got me craving for pecan pie. You always post such wonderful looking photos I always get hungry.
that pan seared salmon looks so delicious! i will put
lusso restaurant in my list to go to when we fly there in october…
lilibeth, with the first picture,i thought MM and family flew to europe again…
@Natie.. that’s what i thought.. hehehe..
i just notice the footnote ^___^
everything looked exquisitely done. I thought with that sprinkle of caviar the price will be heavenwards :) A side of fried salmon skin is an original, don’t you think?
Is there any place in the city where one can get wild salmon? I have been looking for some good quality salmon and all I’ve found so far is the mushy farmed variety.
Terrific post – exquisite pictures MM. Happy birthday once again! Now I know where to take the bosses for lunch when they come in from NY in September.
Natie: That could have been a possibility with MM being the jetsetter that he is.
Btw, the sauce of the salmon must have tasted good because of the fish roe although I would have put more instead of just a sprinkling. I even make fish roe sushi. Delish!
oohh. must try that when i get back. the lobster/prawn sandwich looks good. the fried salmon skin on the side with the main meal is a nice touch. ive had appetizers that just included crispy salmon or tilapia skins, even salmon bones! strange but tasty.
also curious to try the olive oil ice cream. was it more on the creamy/milky side or more olive oil tasting?
My friend had the foie burger when we went…very nice! And I like these buns she is using…will try the lobster roll next time :)
I was reading the Lusso and could not help reading it with my heavy Cebuano accent….oppsss…sy.
Woo hoo, we’ll go try this place when we go to the PI next month! (speaking of, there’s no EB or whatever mid-Sept, right? Sayang!)
@diday: LOL! …i dare not say that word myself…ill ask my italian colleague how to say that nicely! :)
i’ve been meaning to eat at lusso, but can’t seem to find the perfect occassion.. occassion or no occassion here we come!
looks like an upscale cibo… the platings remind me of it.
Hi Mr. MM! I would like to request for the email address of Rod. I’ve read his comments on your post last Oct. 24, 2008 “Putong Ube a la Marketman”, and hope to correspond with him. He posted his comments on November 9, 15, and 16, 2008.
Kindly send it to my email OweenJP@yahoo.com. Thanks a lot and happy birthday!
waaah…ang dami ko nang namimiss sa Manila…humahaba na ang listahan ko ng must-try
a must try! :)
hill, I don’t eat out that often and rarely post a restaurant review on this site. My normal rule is to visit a restaurant at least twice, or thrice if possible before I post a review. We cook so much at home, eating out is not a regular thing and thus I am not a good source of places to eat. Lori of dessertcomesfirst or Anton of OurAwesomePlanet do far more reviews of eating places than I do. Oween, I don’t give out readers emails. What I can do is send your message to the person and see if he chooses to communicate with you. suzette, no occasion needed, an hour to catch up with an old friend, a meeting, a celebration lunch (just because). I might even return to this place alone mid afternoon for a snack! Okay, I am missing something, I am Cebuano but not sure what lusso means if pronounced with a strong accent?! Joey, buns are from L’Artisan, and among the best I have tried in a restaurant sandwich here in Manila. Joyce, the olive oil ice cream was surprisingly light, and not oily in any sense… natie, maki & lilibeth, I haven’t even finished my posts from the last trip, several posts from Venice would be very much along these lines… but no, lusso is right in Greenbelt! :) Lilibeth, you are goading me into making macarons, I am still intimidated. And unfortunately, we didn’t taste the macarons at Lusso, though they looked pretty good to me. Thank you guys for the birthday greetings!
speaking of flowers by Fiori di M, we happened to see the arrangements they made for the wake of Tita Cory at La Salle and they were all wonderful…they came from the Araneta family (including Mar and Korina) and they really stood out from the rest of the flower arrangements because of their simple yet unique and very creative look..kudos, Ms Margarita
Lusso, in Cebu, with the accent on the last syllable, is a kind of edible seaweed, with translucent green or gold branches. At least that’s what I remember, there might be other meanings!
Anyway, can you ask Margarita to open a branch on the Upper East side? Her prices are 1/3 to 1/2 that of NYC or Europe. Batali’s excellent Casa Mono tapas dishes are $10-$25 for each platito and that’s considered modest even down on Irving Place and 17th St.
They didn’t get GMA and party who went to the over the hill places. Did GMA’s hosts use a 2000 Zagat’s for reference?
They have olive oil ice cream? Wow..
After the silly (sili) incident, I like to see you exercise restraint. Getting old perhaps? Some people just don’t get it. Good’day MM.
Sounds like a splendid, unhurried lunch.Happy Birthday MM!
Thanks for putting up this blog. The photos, the comments, the great market finds have staved off many moments of missing Manila.
diday, funny and risque’…had to ask my cebuano coworker. Luso is a male appendage which is part of the reproductive system…
I’ve been to Lusso twice. The first time, I had to try the much-raved-about foie gras burger. Although I could barely taste the foie (even though the burger was only cooked to medium rare), it was a wonderfully moist, juicy, and tasty burger. That’s saying a lot for me, since I’m no burger fan. And yes, the bread is terrific! I was disappointed with the fries, though. So many other simple restaurants and coffee shops serve good French fries, but Lusso’s was soggy and bland.
The second time I went, I had the Foie Gras Croque Monsieur (you will remember how obsessed I am with foie). I agree with you, MM, that it’s yummy; but I was very disappointed when it arrived and I saw its dimunitive size. This was my main course, and I was still hungry after eating it. Maybe they should indicate on the menu that it is snack-sized. Though, my suggestion would be to put it under appetizers, so that expectations are managed.
On the upside, I LOVED the olive oil and sea salt ice cream! So refined and elegant. Unfortunately, the last time I visited, it wasn’t available, so I had the chocolate macarons, and enjoyed that, too.
I get a warm and fuzzy feeling everytime I run into the “perfect” place. It could be just a neighborhood bar, a little delicatessen, or in the case of my latest find, a non-descript clubhouse in what is termed “everyman’s yacht club”. This was a room atop a wooden boat shop overlooking a boat yard where all manner of boats were sitting in different stages of disrepair and conversely, some in total splendor. The Bay was just off the end of the pier. You gave the bartender your order, he yelled at the guy in the kitchen and then the bartender yelled at you when your stuff is ready! You get a glass of cheap, red Italian wine whether you ordered it or not! The lunch? Mine was a chunk of Pate, a big slice of grilled eggplant topped with olive oil and asiago and a hunk of sour dough bread. Perfect, I tell you. I sat there with a big smile the rest of the afternoon. Mostly because of the lady with the long legs and the short skirt sitting at the end of the bar!
A little too fancy for me. Prefer bigger servings or a hearty hotel buffet for those prices. It’s the cebuana in me, tihik. Bahala na ang brand, basta sulit lang.
LOL…..I like why you have the big smile silly lolo!!!
Naughty, naughty silly lolo :)
Yeah…Silly Lolo…admiring the lady with the long legs and short skirt…HOLD ON to your horses, Silly LOlo! Did she have her baCK TURNED? nOWADAYS, YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO SURE!….ahahahaha…hope you were not disappointed!
Yeah, silly Lolo, BettyQ is right. You can never be too sure.
I was just admiring the long legs pictured in the sports section of the Post, and I said wow! such beautiful well sculpted legs tapering to the ankles with well defined gastrocnemius that would put Betty Grable to shame. The caption read:”Usain Bolt cools HIS heels (for a change) after a record setting run Sunday.” Yes, the Jamaican sprint runner and Olympic gold medalist had HIS back turned, but caught the “silly Lolo eye” of a photographer and had me fooled! I still think HE has great legs.
Marketman: Don’t be intimated. You will get it as long as you make sure you don’t go over 50 strokes in mixing the macaron batter and pipe it immediately and then leave it to form skin on top and make sure you use insulated baking sheet. Also, tartelette’s macaron recipe is foolproof. It’s actually easy once you get the hang of it because it is not labor intensive. If only I can go to your house and show you how it is done.
beats le cirque!
Natie…MM…my teen-age boys raised an eyebrow when they saw the word ..lusso…it seems that in their so called language, it isn’t a nice word! Alright…I said..you guys just made that up! But it seems there is such a word in the urban dictionary!
Both high end and carinderia type restaurants are what makes Manila food scene interesting, kudos to you Mr. Marketman for exposing both ends of the spectrum. Check out the latest Lonely Planet Philippines. It mentions that Manila is quietly becoming the culinary hot spot in Asia.
wonderful post, marketman! i will surely visit this before i leave.
Hello Marketman,
Flabbergasted when I saw your most recent post on Lusso. Siblings and I also lunched there last Saturday at around 1pm.
Had the opposite dining experience. Ordered 2 kinds of fries, 2 chix pot pies, 1 lobster/prawn sandwich, 1 salmon dish, 3 ice teas and 1 regular coke. The coke arrived in about 5 minutes. Other siblings wondered when their ice teas will arrive. 15 minutes passed, finally asked the waiter what happened to the drinks only to be told that they’re still brewing a new batch.
When the ice teas arrived, siblings all agreed that Cibo’s ice tea has better value: taste-wise, cost-wise and size-wise. The Lusso version has a hint of anise (if a sibling is not mistaken) which they didn’t like at all.
After about 30 minutes, still no sight of fries nor the other food. We already ran out of things to chat about, were really hungry and felt worn down. Even joked that the place seems pretentious – like there’s this “pretense” that we’re not waiting at all haha. Since a sibling has another appointment, we wanted to just cancel and eat elsewhere.
Told the waiter if our orders haven’t been prepared, we wanted out but was informed that they were “nakasalang” already. Had no choice but to wait a total of around 45 minutes to finally be able to eat.
Won’t rant anymore about what we thought about the food and price but will tell you how things ended: 3 siblings who remained in Greenbelt went to Cibo for ice tea, more Coke, shared a sandwich and a cheesecake :–)
KB: I applaud you for having the patience to wait. If I were in your shoes, I think I would have asked to speak to the shift manager and told him that due to time constraints, I would have to bail out. Even in Starbuck’s. sometimes I can undertand that if there is only 1 barista, it would take a while to get to my order. At least the shift manager would notice the wait preiod and would hand me a gift certificate and thank me for waiting. Some restaurants here as well would give free appys if there is such a long wait once you are seated!
Kb: I agree with Betty Q, I would have called for the Manager. You know, that happened to us here in the US. It was Mother’s Day and it was understandable because there were a lot of people so we waited patiently for 40 mins and did not complain and after we got our meal, the Manager came and apologized profusely and told us he is taking 3 out of the 5 meals we ordered from our bill – like getting 60% off. I have noticed too that in the restaurants here, the server or even the Manager will always go to your table and ask if you find everything okay with your meal. Seems like we get better service here than in the Philippines.
Mr. Marketman, I am sure you had a wonderful time with your family. You deserved to be treated on your birthday. I am glad that your family took you out for lunch, instead of cooking at home. Nothing wrong with that.
I am actually eating grilled salmon with grilled peach and pineapple, and steamed medley beans. I would love to try their salmon, it’s another favorite fish of mine.
BTW, would you mind telling us your age? You probably mentioned it already, but it’s possible I missed it.
God bless you and family!
now am thinking if i will risk my hard earned money there…
Kb, sorry to hear about your experience. We dined on a thursday at 1130am, there weren’t too may other tables when we arrived. But it did fill up about half an hour later. I am sure Margarita will read this post and your comments, I hope she looks into it.
Upstate New Yorker, are you kidding? Did you look at the birthday cake in the previous post?
Oh. since you love salmon, try this sensational recipe, grilled or broiled from Allrecipe. This is what we had this evening.
4 salmon fillets
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (red is OK too)
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Marinate for 6 hours in the fridge. With preheated oven at 450 F broil for 4 min. Raise oven temp to 500F and turn over fillets skin side up to broil another 4-5 min. Skin is crispy and flesh is moist. Works for bangus or bluefish (butterflied )as well.
I already had his email ad! I’ve read some of your previous posts, and luckily he posted it in one of his comments. Thank you for taking time to reply Mr. MM!
Yum! My personal favorite was the luxe mac & cheese where they used pancetta. You are right on about saying that luxe really need not be out of reach while dining at Lusso. :) I will try the lobster sandwich that the Teen got! :)
KB,
Looks like they could use better customer service training or honesty. I noticed that about a lot of restaurants sa atin, simple things that would make a world of difference.
Anyways, dyan na lang sana nag indulge sila Pandekok na Presidente
hi marketman,
my family and i had dinner tonight at lusso’s. may i grab some of your photos? i would like to write about it too. i’ll credit you and link your website ofcourse.
for sister.. I think you meant gusso or latto not lusso. Am not sure what the meaning of that word is, just a minute my sil is here I will ask her. Sorry, she does not know either. Gusso is the seaweed that you think it is while latto is the seaweed that looked like tiny tiny green grapes in a bunch, am I right?
Farida, I stand corrected, you are absolutely right. Been too long since I lived in Cebu! Thanks.
For those of you stopping by NYC this summer don’t miss Mario Batali’s Casa Mono and Bar Jamon on East 17th Street and Irving Place. Spectacular tapas and wonderful wine bar. Plates from $10.-$25 but each very well thought out, generous enough to share and absolutely delicious. Have eaten my way through the entire menu on four visits and every offering a gem.
sister, turns out it is a very descriptive word for a man’s appendage. Hahaha. I had no idea. And neither did the restaurant owners. The Cebuano word is luso, with the accent on the last syllable. bernice, with credit to source is fine. thanks.
thank you Bernice. Ma-uwaw man sab ta. Smile, smile. Natie, had the right answer there, too.
happy birthday marketman!
this place looks like a must-try :)
…is that a paper napkin in the last photo? ;p
mia, yes paper napkins to absorb condensation from glasses. But nice starched cloth napkins and proper silverware for the meal… :)
Thanks for mentioning those Staub cocottes which give me alternative idea for presenting individual serving pastel de lengua, mini serving cassoulet or even pate de foi gras. They are expensive at US$50 each. I have avoided the larger Staub pieces and would rather purchase the cheaper cast iron Dutch oven or other covered casseroles made by Lodge. But this mini cocottes are simply irresistible so I will add a few of them to my one and only Staub piece: a 9 in. skillet.
Hi! Would you know where L’ Artisan is exactly located? Thanks! And happy eating! ;-)