Lolo Dad's Chef Ariel Manuel Opens New Tagaytay Restaurant: Sinta
The old Malate landmark lives on.
Sinta Contact Details
5385 Mystic Hill, Sitio Catmon, Ligaya Drive, Tagaytay City
Contact: 0962-453-3570
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sintarestaurantph
On soft opening starting March 8
(SPOT.ph) There was a time Lolo Dad's was the place to eat in Malate. Located in the ancestral home of the Ayuyao family at the corner of Quirino Avenue and Leon Guinto, this fine-dining spot was where you went to mark a special occasion, be it a graduation, an anniversary, heck, even a proposal, with damn good food courtesy of Chef Ariel Manuel. Now, you get a taste of all the past goodness, and the new now, at the chef's freshly opened spot in a secluded area of Tagaytay overlooking Taal: Sinta.
Table of Contents
- What to know about Sinta Tagaytay Restaurant
- Classic Sinta Menu Items
- Must-try Dishes From The Updated Sinta Menu
- How to Get to Sinta Tagaytay Restaurant
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What to know about Sinta, new Tagaytay restaurant of Chef Ariel Manuel
Sinta, like the name suggests, is the type of place you'd bring a loved one; a special place for a special someone. Tagaytay is, of course, dotted with pretty little dining spots that would work great for dates and the like, but Chef Ariel Manuel aims for his restaurant to be a cut above the rest, much like Lolo Dad's once was.
"It was a landmark," Manuel says about his family's old restaurant. He reminisces during a media dinner for Summit Media how they started out with only 25 seats before eventually expanding to cover their home's entire ground floor—"Nakikipag away pa kami noon when it comes to reservations," he says; how they were among the first to do tasting menus; and were one of the first restos to have an open kitchen. "We started the trend as an independent restaurant." Lolo Dad's was no chain or franchise; you really had to visit the Malate location to get the taste and feel of it.
Dining-scene trends have changed aplenty since Lolo Dad's closed in the mid-2010's—"Now it's very scientific," he says—and so Chef Manuel wants for Sinta to bring back the same tenets that made their old restaurant such a hit. Sinta should be "a gamechanger," he tells us.
Nowadays, most dining spots are "so modern," but for Sinta, Chef Manuel wants to "do the traditional." It's more about the feel of things, he tells us. And you can tell by the food that he means it, with heart and soul.
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Old Favorites: Classic Sinta Menu Items
Oysters with Foie Gras
Price: P650
The Lolo Dad's claim to fame was, of course, the baked oyster topped with slivers of foie gras. At the time, "You can only get foie gras from the hotels," the chef tells us. Sourcing his ingredients was quite the challenge, but now, Sinta gets their meats and seafood from a trusted supplier that imports from across the globe. And so what you get is fresh and plump Hokkaido oyster swimming in a rich chardonnay cream reduction, topped with even richer seared foie gras. This deep, creamy, earthy, and slightly briney treat is balanced out by a bit of a surprise: just the right amount of soba noodles to ground it all together. Chef Ariel tells us he used capellini for Lolo Dad's, but soba matches better with Japanese oysters.
Rack of Lamb
Price: P3,590
Another classic is the rack of lamb. Chef Ariel barely changed the recipe for this dish, and we get it: you can't improve on perfection. Think three perfectly seared cuts of Australian lamb (so tender your knife goes swiftly right through) atop Roquefort cheese risotto, with roasted garlic on the side. Meaty, cheesy, and hearty. What more could you want?
New, Must-try Dishes From The Updated Sinta Menu
Mains: Chilean Seabass, Eye of Rib Eye, and Scallops
The list of mains on the menu reads like an absolute dream. There's the Chilean Seabass (P3,340) with unagi on top and truffle to complete the flavors; the Eye of Rib Eye (P2,770), a cut of loin topped with rendered fat, think sisig, only with A5 grade US steak; the Scallops (P2,980) with gorgeously plump and Japanese scallops; and more.
Appetizers: Warm Spinach Salad, Four Cheese
And don't think to skip the starters and enders. A personal favorite of the chef's is the Warm Spinach Salad (P680). We know a salad being warm seems counter-intuitive, but the combination of the greens with shiitake and button mushrooms, bacon, soy vinaigrette, and more truly makes sense.
Desserts: Apple Pie, Souffle
Cap it all off by ordering a plate or two, or really, all, from the dessert menu. Our two faves were the Apple Pie (P480) and the Souffle (P550). Both need 15 to 20 minutes to prepare, so it's best to notify your waiter as you order your mains—they're well worth the wait. The apple pie is presented more like a tart, with the warm and jammy fruit atop a flaky and buttery base; the real star is the scoop of creamy gelato on the side, with a hint of spices (we think cumin) to give the classic American dish a distinct touch. The souffle is a straightforward but stellarly executed plate with a soft, moist baked cappucino base and creme anglaise.
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How to Get to Sinta Tagaytay Restaurant
With a stellar Taal vista and a garden perfect for private events, not to mention the main dining space that can sit 70, all clad in modern yet warm furnishings—with stunning art pieces all around—Sinta's property itself is worth driving all the way to for. Some might recognize the space as the old The Observatory events place, which you can pin orn your navigational apps. They revamped the area and added to it, but don't worry, the scenic deck is still there should you want to book the spot for an occasion. The main dining hall sits around 70, with a function room below, too.
Once you make it to Ligaya Drive from the main road of Tagaytay, it should be an easy drive. Just be sure to take the right path (literally) when you get to the fork. If you hit the sloped, curved parts of Ligaya, you've gone the wrong way. Drive down the road on the right, where you'll be greeted by the unmistakable Mid-Century modern facade of Sinta right at the very end, complete with ample parking space.