Balesin Islander Restaurant of Alphaland City Club, Makati
It was one of those nights when I just felt like being spontaneous, when my good friend (who happens to be my office mate) invited me to Alphaland City Club. I had hesitations at first because I needed to finish something for work, but since I wanted to unwind, I finally agreed.
We just toured around the area -- checking out lounges, the library, the screening room, the pool and etc. Surely, everything was breathtaking -- luxury and comfort at their finest! After getting tired with the tour, we decided to finally settle down in one of the restaurants. We ended up in Balesin Islander, since it's probably the most affordable among the collection of exclusive restaurants found within the club.
Modernly traditional interior
Just like the other parts of the club, Balesin Islander has this comforting interior embellished with ornaments such as vases, statues, totems, swords and etc. It's a great place to both relax and enjoy dishes at the same time.
There were three (3) of us in the group, and two of us already had dinner, so we just decided to order something light for us.
The Dulong (P250) was rightly seasoned with its perfect level of natural saltiness and made more sensational with its oil. Fresh and exquisite! Touch of garlic adds texture and further excitement to the fish. Two-thumbs up!
The Sinigang sa Hipon (P420) had sweetness that gracefully blended with the light sourness of the soup. Shrimp was undoubtedly fresh as the skin easily came off. Very impressive!
There is still much to explore here in Balesin Islander, so I hope that there will be next time.
Balesin Islander - Overall Ratings and Summary
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings reflect my personal experiences on the times I dine here.
Place ★★★★★
Taste ★★★★★
Service ★★★☆
Value for Money ★★★★☆
Budget: at least P300 each for a light to moderate sharing type of dining experience for a group of at least 3
No. of visits for this particular restaurant/branch - 1 || Date of last visit - July 26, 2017
With the two (2) dishes we were able to try during the night, I have to admit that I was deeply impressed! Balesin Islander certainly knows how to prepare Filipino dishes the way we love them to be (i.e. as comforting as what is usually prepared at home, perhaps even better). Ambiance is undoubtedly sophisticated yet very relaxing. I hope I can further explore other dishes in this restaurant.
Balesin Islander
Location: 6/F of Alphaland City Club, Alphaland Ayala Avenue Extension, Malugay, Makati
Prices are all exclusive of VAT
