First Bite: Fire Lake Grill

Celebrating new year's with R's family was fun. There were several kids running around and their reaction to fireworks was priceless. I also learned a bit of mahjong which is a more sophisticated and complicated version of well-loved Filipino card game Tong Its (rummy-type game). When the clock hit 12 midnight, we all cheered for 2016 and also greeted cutie pie P a happy birthday. It must be fun to have the whole world anticipate your birthday with you. And to celebrate P's birthday, we all headed to Cliffhouse Tagaytay for lunch.

Hello, Fire Lake Grill! 

It was drizzling when we arrived but that did not hinder us from enjoying the nice view Cliffhouse offers. 

When we got settled, I realized that the P's parents already had everything prepared. All we have to do is choose between steak or salmon for our main course. R opted to get the grilled pepper-rubbed Australian strip loin steak while I went with the baked Norwegian salmon fillet. 

First served was our Greek-style petite salad tossed with red wine-oregano vinaigrette. 

Presentation-wise, it was like I plated it myself. The dressing had that slightly bitter after taste which I dislike. The greens though were fresh and I loved the tangy flavor brought by the small cubes of cheese.

A small cup of leek and potato soup in demitasse sour cream and chives was served next and it was probably the best leek and potato soup I have ever tasted! It was creamy and rich in flavor! I went to soup heaven when I got a taste of the sour cream that balanced off the saltiness of the soup. The only thing I did not like about this dish is that I could easily finish it in one gulp!

Our mains were served next and...

I was disappointed with my salmon fillet. It had a very fishy taste. The thick house tomato sauce tried to mask the taste but failed. In fact, it just murdered the dish even more by giving it an overwhelming taste. 

What saved the dish, somehow, was the parsley-buttered noodles. It had a light taste that slightly offset the crazy flavored salmon. Poor salmon fillet. RIP.

R's steak was a lot better than my salmon though still just mediocre for me. The steak was not seasoned enough and made me crave for some Knorr seasoning. 

The roasted garlic mashed potato though was good. It was fluffy and undeniably garlicky. Yum!

Dessert soon followed and it was just so-so too. The chocolate mousse tasted a bit different because it was infused with rum. I liked the sesame tuile though.

Overall, it was a decent lunch. But it's not good enough for me to go back for more. I'd probably go to another restaurant in the area if I want to enjoy the same view. 

Fire Lake Grill is located at Unit 3, Cliffhouse Tagaytay, General E. Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Maharlika East, Tagaytay City.