Prime 101: A Hidden Treasure for Epicure's Delight

It was a normal day for me, doing my daily routine and having meetings. This time, meeting was set at Prime 101. It was not the first time I have heard of this place but it's my first time dining here. Opened up my Waze and drove. I know where Pasong Tamo is but I had a hard time imagining where Prime 101 was.

Location of Prime 101 via Google Maps:

Upon arrival, I didn't know where to enter. I just asked the guard if I can park on the spot I parked (parking was double parking type) and he said yes. Went up a semi-spiral wooden staircase and was wow-ed with my entire dining experience after that.

Here's how it looks like inside:

The restaurant interiors itself is enough to make an impression to anyone you'll bring here. Fine furniture and fixture, fine dining ambiance, and dimly lit but well lighted surroundings, perfect for dates, meetings or simply to impress anyone, anytime of the day!

The paintings, fixtures (even the dining tables), and other items are also for sale. This restaurant was initially just Casa De Dios furniture showroom. It was then re-modeled to house a fine dining restaurant which serves food that will definitely satisfy most appetites because they can also cook items off the menu, as long as ingredients are available in the kitchen. Think of it as a chef's special, specially made for you.

One of the creations by Casa De Dios. Almost everything you see is on sale. They use locally available materials, as well as getting local suppliers and artists / furniture makers. They sell a wide range of furniture from bed side tables, dining room fixtures, and others as well. Check out their catalog when you visit the place. They can also do custom furnitures.

The blue curtains are very relaxing but, the color blue is supposed to suppress your appetite. For some reason, it has no effect here. In fact, when I had my first bite of their appetizer, my eyes were just fixed on everything arriving on the table. What color blue?

Baked Portobello Mushroom | P 480

Stuffed with spinach foie gras and truffle cheese, this is my ultimate must-order recommendation! Although mushroom is something you can already expect the taste of, the toppings and sauces made this exceptional! The truffle sauce isn't too strong smelling and I didn't know where the foie gras was but I know it's there. The combination was just perfect! I forgot if I ate 1 or 2 but I could've easily eaten all 3 if this wasn't a business meeting. I kept my poise. lol.

Wild Mushroom Foie Gras Dumplings | P 450

Steamed dumplings filled with foie gras and truffle paste. If you are not a fan of truffle, don't order this. It's much stronger smelling with this dish compared to the portobello mushroom BUT, it didn't bother me at all! I felt like I was eating a mix of Xiao Long Bao because it has a bit of a soup inside with the fragrance of the truffle plus the usual texture of foie gras, which makes it so good! The texture of the foie gras is not for everyone but for those who wants it, this makes it another must-order! I can visit Prime 101 and just eat all their appetizers and I'd be a happy kid.

Pumpkin Soup | Compliments of the chef

It was nice of the chef to serve us complimentary soup before the start of our meal. It was also a good thing that the serving was just in a small cup otherwise, we would've been too full to enjoy the rest of his epicurean delight.

Jalapeno Poppers | P 300

Inside is a mixture of different cheeses that neutralized the spiciness of the jalapeno peppers. It still has a bit of sting but when teeth digs into the crispy golden brown outer layer, the soft cheese mixture inside is a wonderful play of texture and flavors inside the mouth. Not a must-order for many but for spicy food fans, specially cheese fans, you must also try this.

Prime 101 Signature Steak (500g) | P 3,999

Most people I've asked knows Prime 101 for their steaks. I was hoping to prove them wrong by saying that their appetizers were far better than the steak! I just kept my mouth shut by not talking but I couldn't during my meal! On my first bite, I thought it was fat I was biting in to. It was that tender that I can't explain how a steak looking like that can possibly melt into your mouth! You just can't have enough of the tender steak! It isn't called a Prime 101 signature steak for nothing and now, I'll be the one to tell you that other than appetizers, they do have excellent steaks as well! This dish comes with two side dishes and we got the mashed potato and pasta side dish.

Seafood Pasta | P 380

Mixed seafood with armoricaine sauce in linguine. A little backgrounder, armoricaine sauce is a traditional french recipe originating from the coastal Brittany created back in the 1860s. It's most commonly prepared with shellfish, or used to flavor white-fleshed fish. This pasta dish is among the favorites of the guests dining here in this restaurant, as well as some of the owners. It's a good carbo alternative rather than just getting rice. (Although the steak comes with 2 side dishes already)

It would've been very anti-climactic if the ending wouldn't be as impressive. For endings, we had this bespoke four cheese, cheese cake! Bespoke because the chefs there create different designs using molded sugar, on top, around or wherever part of the dessert to create a visual art! So you see, not only can you be impressed with the interiors, the actual food, but also with the visual art surrounding your dessert! That day, he made a fountain effect on top of our four cheese cheese cake. Of course, the cheese cake itself is also worth the mention because of smooth, creamy, not too sweet taste! The thickness of the consistency was just right and the crunchy bottom layer was a nice ending to each bite. Overall, this cheese cake, matched perfectly with the coffee I ordered is a perfect ending to what was already a perfect meal.

Four Cheese, Cheese Cake | P 250

Thinking about my meal here, I quickly scanned my calendar to check when the next special event would be. I was trying to justify in my mind that the next one would be special enough to dine in here. I have decided to eat here again in July, because it's the first July 2015 EVER. Isn't that a good reason to celebrate? Kidding aside, every living day we have is already a reason to celebrate. So if it hits you that you want to celebrate life and get some good food, I suggest that you try out Prime 101. It's one of the best fine dining restaurants I've been to in Manila in every aspect I can think of. I know that taste is subjective but when you have something from Prime 101, getting a majority consensus won't be hard. It's like when you want a contract signed, wine and dine them here. You might just have secured 50% of the deal.

Prime 101
Address; 2226 Chino Roces Street, Bangkal, Makati City
Telephone Number: 7208674
Operating Hours:
Monday to Sunday
11am - 2pm / 5pm to 10:30pm
Facebook page: Prime101

PS. The venue can also be closed down for private functions.

Prime 101 Menu

Cheftonio
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