![]() Thank God for that halo-halo! Therese Jamora-Garceau We were full from the food but felt light with the fun company, before we plunged right back into the reality of our hot summer. Desserts new to their menu were served and the blueberry crumble was a favorite-but the famous Pen halo-halo was the star. We ended our meal nowhere else but in the grand lobby. I had the tender beef cheeks served on a bed of spinach. For the main course, we moved to Old Manila. ![]() Among the Asian specialties served, my favorite was the Thai catfish salad. The group chatted away as starters were served at Spices, our first stop. I was literally a moveable feast as we transferred from one restaurant to another for lunch. And having it felt like we were indeed truly home again. Just when we were content with all the culinary wonders, out came the famous halo-halo, which we could never resist. The new menu had some sinful indulgences: The Limoncello Almond Tart and the Gâteau au Chocolat were tops on our must-have-again list. Nothing beats dessert at The Lobby, with the magnificence of that multistory ceiling punctuated by the sunburst sculpture of National Artist Napoleon Abueva. The Atlantic Turbot was divine, complemented by a champagne beurre blanc and crisp squid ink tuiles to add just enough saltiness. Old Manila, Pen’s take on French bistronomy, brought many surprises: The amuse-bouche of creamy foie gras in a crispy puff with a honey melon leaf and balsamic pearls was beautifully composed on a bed of tiny white pebbles. Entering Spices was a nostalgia trip with the teakwood paneling and antique ceiling fans transporting us back to our favorite colonial mansions and serene gardens around Asia with the food to match: The Yam Som-o and Yam-Pla Duk Fu salads were refreshing starters teased with just enough chili to energize and the Tord Mun Gung was perfect with the plum sauce, completing the balance of flavors that satisfied all our Thai cravings. It’s always a delight to “come home” to The Pen because it brings back memories of happy times shared while enjoying favorite dishes through the years. Appetizers were at Spices (sun-dappled and still filled with‘ladies who lunch’.) Then, it was on to Old Manila for our mains where I selected a Beetroot Salad (endives, goat cheese, walnuts) as a nod to a 19th-century Ermita favorite, Ensalada Russa or Russian Salad, along with a bouillabaisse-flavored Prawn and Lemon Ricotta Ravioli. Guerrero-although I really didn’t need an excuse to table-hop and revisit its charms. The Pen has also always been writer-centric-one of its salons is named after my uncle, Leon Ma. Refuge of Manila’s 400 and its billionaires, the Manila Peninsula still stands tall post-pandemic, like a Downton Abbey grande dame. Once, when Gloria Diaz entered The Lobby, they played Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko. Their music, ranging from classic to pop, adds pleasure while you leisurely dine at The Lobby. ![]() I am also forever fascinated by the mini-orchestra that plays from the Gallery. At The Lobby, the pancit luglog and halo-halo (the finale of our moveable feast) are musts for me and my friends after watching a concert or show elsewhere. My other addictions at the Pen are the shrimp cake (which we had), seafood laksa, and tom yum at Spices. The Atlantic Turbot with oyster velouté, asparagus and a whiff of champagne was good. I probably can, if it is the olive bread at Old Manila, which I’m quite addicted to. Matthew the Apostle said that man cannot live by bread alone. And yes, it is a moveable feast as Hemingway meant it to be: a memory that we will always have with us and carry wherever we go.
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