Last month, Miguel and I celebrated our anniversary at Date and Dine Hotel & Resort in Antipolo. Words cannot express how beautiful the place is! We both just fell in-love with its ambiance and appearance. But what made our stay all the more wonderful were the delicious meals served and the welcoming staff. After our first visit, Miguel and I vowed to make trips to this mini paradise as often as we can. As luck would have it, we got invited just a few weeks later to dine for free. I REPEAT: FOR FREE!
It was around 8 in the evening when we reached the place because of the rain and the heavy traffic. It was an hour and a half drive from Manila but I assure you that the trip was worth it. Upon entering, we were immediately escorted by the staff to our special nook.
Just like last time, all the tables were candle-lit and sweet tunes filled the air. As soon as we were seated, we were asked to choose from their wide range of food choices. For our antipasti, since it was cold and drizzling outside, I picked the Stracciatella Romana Soup for warmth, and Miguel opted for the Cocktail Gamberetti.
A mixture of chicken stock, olive oil, and parsley, drizzled with egg— this famous Italian soup definitely got my taste buds working. The soup itself was light but the fluffy scrambled eggs added some texture to it. This and the two slices of hot bread are a perfect pair for the rainy weather.
The Cocktail Gamberetti came with a generous amount of chewy shrimps submerged in pink sauce which I believe had a hint of mayonnaise, and bits of parsley. It was also served with slices of crunchy toasted bread which complemented the concoction well.
For the main course, I wanted to try something new so instead of choosing the usual spaghetti bolognese, I decided to try their Frutti Di Mare. I’m not a fan of oil-based pasta dishes so I opted for this because of its tomato sauce. It was mixed with garlic, white wine, and olive oil. Perhaps that’s the reason why the dish had a bit of a bitter taste. Since Frutti Di Mare can be loosely translated as “seafood spaghetti”, I found shrimps and bite-size pieces of squid on top of my pasta. Its unusual but rich flavor made me enjoy the dish even more.
There are many ways to enjoy salmon. But Date and Dine boasts of its unique Salmone Mediterranea. The salmon steak was baked with anchovies, capers, zucchini, olives, tomato, and garlic. It’s lightly drizzled with olive oil, and paired with baked potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper. I love how soft the potatoes were and how the salmon just melts in your mouth and leaves a wonderful flavor with every bite.
To add sweetness to our dinner, we ordered freshly blended mango and strawberry juice.
After two hours of eating and chit-chatting, we both decided it was time to go home. But before leaving, we asked the kind staff to take photos of us inside the house because I wasn’t able to post it on my blog last time.
This is definitely a night to remember! Although our evening didn’t start so well because we had to brave the heavy rain and annoying traffic, our Date and Dine experience turned our frowns upside down. We ended our day on a good note.
I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Ms. Del and Sir Acky Francescon for their generosity. Looking forward to spending more dinner dates at this paradise that Miguel and I have already come to love.