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A nice, New-Agey Italian man married to a local showbiz talent manager once told me the Philippines was part of the mythical lost continent Lemuria, which is believed to pre-date Atlantis. Yes, of course. And Jose Rizal is Adolf Hitler’s real father, right? We guffawed and the conversation switched to homeopathy. Months later, I heard one of the leaders of the local organic food movement also believed in the Philippines’ link to Lemuria. Apparently, she is part of a group that communes somewhere in the south to harness the energies of the lost civilization (or something like that).

So when Chef Golda May Ranada of the four-month-old restaurant Lemuria explained to me that the place was named by owner Kitt Schroeder after the Philippines’ connection to the ancient lost continent, it was already a familiar echo. The obscure location inside Horseshoe Village in Quezon City fits right in with the “lost paradise” theme.

The restaurant has been operating by appointment only because seating is limited, but Chef Ranada says an expansion area has been set up at a nearby house to serve walk-in customers. Lemuria was previously a venue for Mrs. Schroeder to hold tasting events for her wine distribution business (Brumms Quality Wines). Caterers were hired to bring food to these events, until Mrs. Schroeder decided to hire her own chef and serve her own food.

Chef Ranada, formerly of Beluga Bar, Dreambar in 6750 Ayala, Le Soufflé, and Max Brenner, recommends you try the following on your first trip to Lemuria:

STARTER: Appetizer plate. Cucumber gazpacho soup, Lemuria paté, duck breast served with zinfandel poached pears (Lemuria smokes their own duck). Good for three. P650. Mushroom and gruyere soup. Cream of mushroom topped with gruyere cheese. P290.

MAIN COURSE: Pork belly. Twice cooked, aged balsamic, with sage butter risotto. P580. Braised lamb shank. With apricot and red wine sauce. P720. Poached sea bass. P860. Grilled salmon. With corn and mushroom crepe and spinach. P690.

Special note for carnivores: Wagyu beef is on the menu. Is an aneurysm worth risking for this fabled, marbled meat? The “foie gras of beef”? You decide. We only live once. P2100.

DESSERT: Valrohna soufflé cake. Chocolate cake with Mandarin orange glacee. P250. Strawberry, basil, and lemon ice cream. Homemade! P220.

Lemuria’s main dining area sits on top of a large wine cellar, so you can take a quick trip down and personally choose a bottle to go with your meal. Chef Ranada recommends the Rieslings, “they are crisper than French white wines”. Oktober is German Month in Manila, so now is a fitting time to sit under the canopy of trees in Lemuria and sip some German wine.

Lemuria is located at #5 Julieta Circle, Horseshoe Village, Quezon City. For reservations, call 724-5211, 722-2185, and 724-6306. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays to Sundays, closed on Mondays. Valet parking available. Go to www.brumms.com.ph to see complete menu and wine list.

Thanks to Michi Calica for the photos.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 9th, 2006 at 11:53 am and is filed under Food and Drink. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.