Dignified

The second dining room of Café 1771 is called "The Lounge" and it's easy to see why. This long table was the one set up for our group, friends from college. The books on the shelves are real; old, used ones but bound like new in hardcover. In fact, the first book I pulled out to check whether they were real happened to come from the library of the university where we studied, which gave us all a good laugh.




My friends and I agree that the earth tones and subdued lighting of The Lounge provide a more relaxing atmosphere than the bright colors and fluorescent lights of yesterday's Whimsy, which is through the doorway where the waiter is standing. We also noticed that the ones who chose Whimsy were in their twenties, while those in The Lounge were all at least in their forties.




Replace the painting on the wall with a wide video screen and The Lounge can very well be in someone's lovely home. A movie would be perfect with the popcorn served as an appetizer.

Memories

Fourteen years ago tomorrow, Exie and I got married at Mary the Queen Parish in the City of San Juan. Our lunch reception was at the restaurant Chateau 1771 in the El Pueblo Real complex in Ortigas Center. It closed last year—for good, I thought, because it relocated to the newer Greenbelt 5 mall in Makati City, a location which better suits its fine dining atmosphere. Happily, I discovered earlier this month that the company only closed the El Pueblo location temporarily. Its interior has been completely renovated and it is now named Café 1771 but it still offers some of the original dishes and its charming facade has been retained. I'm glad to know that our wedding reception memories are not just memories now.




Happy anniversary, love of my life.

Welcome mat

This unique tile mosaic mat greets diners who enter Café 1771 in El Pueblo Real de Manila in Ortigas Center. The smaller text at the bottom of the illustration says "l'esprit du chateau" and it accurately describes the restaurant's new interiors, which I will show you in the next two days.

Whimsical

Café 1771 has two distinct dining rooms. This light-hearted, colorful room is called "Whimsy."

Of lemons and champions

Yesterday, the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles beat the University of Sto. Tomas Growling Tigers 65–62 to win their 5th consecutive University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) basketball championship! Celebrate with us by having a slice of Café 1771's Chewy Lemon Tart.

(Sorry, a little inside joke among Ateneans here.)

One each

I was very happy to find out that Café 1771 has the Chateau Group's famous Coffee Pie. It is the only pastry that my husband and I do not share—we have to get one slice each. Any description I come up with will never be able to do it justice, but think creamy butter mixed with mocha ice cream, and you have an approximation of its melt-in-your-mouth texture and taste. Topped with caramel and more cream, on a chocolate and nut crust. Sinfully delicious.




And the reason for the treat: we're arriving home this afternoon! Whee! I'm sure we had a grand time in Toronto (this is still a scheduled post so I can only guess), but the saying is very true: there's no place like home. I will be glad to sleep in our lumpy ol' bed again.