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!