Sunday Lunch at Nest Alabang

January 24, 2015

I have a love-hate relationship with Sundays. It's the day of the week that says "It's Monday tomorrow. Why, of course, you should squeeze in every non-work thing you have during this wonderful day!" And that's what I usually do, plus one thing to Treat Yo Self! (Er, myself)

For this particular Sunday, I went all the way to Alabang for lunch. Going there was the errand but the lunch itself, I surely can call the treat.

Located at the 31st floor of Vivere Hotel is the Nest Alabang. It offers a dining in the sky experience, familiar comfort food, and warm and excellent service. Like the hotel, this recently renovated restaurant is owned and managed by the Garcia siblings, who beeteedubz are amazingly just around my age. And as it is family-managed, one can definitely feel that homey vibe. Like what Anina Garcia (owner) said, it was kind of like how birds would fly back to the nest for safety and comfort, and to eat.


Upon entering the room, it's very noticeable how everything is so bright and serene, practically how every perfect Sunday lunch would look like in my mind. Thanks to the natural ambient lighting, the place and the food served were all undoubtedly Instagram-worthy.

Now, onto the food. I have posted last Sunday's menu above for your reference. The food description and its respective prices are copied from the menu and in italics.





Mango Salad with Scallops, Php 475. Grilled scallops wrapped in spinach and bacon, topped with hollandaise sauce, served with mixed greens, feta cheese and mangoes, 
tossed in a refreshingly good strawberry vinaigrette. 

I was partial to this salad the moment I saw the word "bacon." Because who does NOT love bacon? Oh, and the grilled scallops were good, too. Serving size is more than enough to share between 2-3 people. Did I already mention there was bacon?



Crispy Catfish Salad, Php 390. A delightful green mango salad topped with crispy 
fried flaked catfish meat, onions, peanuts & cilantro leaves.

It had red pepper bits which gave this dish that spicy kick. Definitely loved that element! As for the green mango, I'm a fan of sour food but this was a bit weird for me. I think the green mangoes were too sour for the salad, maybe? 


Beef Salpicao, Php 450. Vivere's best selling sizzler! Tender U.S. Beef Chunks, 
cooked in lots of garlic. Served with Garlic Mashed Potato. 

Everyone loves a good salpicao sizzler! But it takes fine cooking and quality meat to make a sizzling beef salpicao that's so juicy and tender. As the server brought this out, you'd know by smell that it will be a good one. That chunky mashed potato was phenomenal, too. This was my favorite among all the dishes we tried!


Buffalo Chicken Wings, Php 380. Five fried chicken wings, given a kick by a hot 
and spicy glaze, served with blue cheese dressing.

This dish in one word: bitin. Just when you're already feeling the spice, you'd realize that you want more. You reach out for one more wing but to your dismay, the dish is already empty and the main course is about to arrive. Oh well, at least it did its job really well! We were all appetized and ready for the main course.



Crispy Binagoongan, Php 475. Our Bestseller! Lechon kawali simmered 
in shrimp paste and tomatoes with lady fingers and chili.

It's an almost deconstructed binagoongan. I loved the lechon kawali on its own. It was everything a good lechon kawali should be. I do have one qualm though. It tasted like the bagoong flavor richness didn't really seep inside the pork meat too well. To enjoy this dish, make sure to dip into the shrimp paste.


Pan Grilled Chicken & Garlic Steak, Php 380. Marinated grilled chicken thigh steaks topped
with lots of roasted garlic chips, and served with steamed white rice 
with grilled chicken drippings & grilled vegetables.

The chicken was perfectly grilled and yet not dry. The roasted garlic chips was a nice touch and it definitely didn't hurt that it complemented well with the chicken. I still remember how much I liked this dish, but not as much as I loved the salpicao.


Vongole, Php 310. Fresh clams stewed in white wine, tossed in olive oil, 
butter, garlic, chili and fresh home made linguine. 

The dish was okay. If the sea clam taste was more prominent and it would have been the perfect healthy pasta dish.


Bistro Steak, Php 1155. A hearty 225 grams of succulent well-marbled meltique striploin, 
tender and deliciously juicy with each cut oozing in savory goodness. 

The menu description reads tender and juicy and I must say that tender and juicy is RIGHT. Cooked using Prime Angus Beef Tenderloin, this steak definitely delivered as advertised. Paired with their phenomenal chunky mashed potatoes, it was, for sure, one of the favorites.




Frozen Brazo, Php 220. A frozen version of the classic Filipino dessert. Soft and fluffy meringue tops, 
layers of graham crust, custard, and mantecado flavored ice cream.

I'm not a fan of the classic brazo so I wasn't expecting a lot and boy, was I surprised! This was the dessert I loved the most. It was the right amount of sweet and cold and it will make you go for another bite to the point where I literally said, "Wow! I wasn't expecting to love this!" Definitely coming back for this.


Mango Creme Brulee, Php 220. Creamy custard perfection topped 
with mangoes and crisp caramelized sugar.

It's a good balance between fruit and dessert in a fruit-based dessert. The sweetness of the mangoes blended really well with the custard creme and that caramelized sugar was crispy just the way I like it. This was my second favorite dessert!



Decadent Molten Lava Cake, Php 220. Melted truffle-filled chocolate cake 
with salted caramel sauce. 

On a side note in the menu description, the cake was guaranteeing to make people fall in love even further. Because of this detail, everyone was expecting to be blown away by this one. But as the Frozen Brazo proved, expectations can be easily overturned. It was a good dessert, don't get me wrong but it couldn't compare to how the Frozen Brazo made me feel with every bite.

To wash it all up, try the Lemongrass Iced Tea. Not too sweet but definitely refreshing.

For the ten years I have lived in Metro Manila, this was only the second time I've been to Alabang. I must say it was worth the hassle commute and it opened me to the possibility of exploring the South a bit more. Thanks to good food, excellent service, and most importantly, good natural lighting! *hashtag priorities* I will most likely go back to Alabang and the Nest, and might even drag a friend or two.
...




The Nest Alabang | Vivere Hotel
5102 Bridgeway Ave., cor Asean Drive, Fil
invest Corporate City
Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines 1781
Tel No: (+632) 771-7777
Fax No: (+632) 771-0158
Instagram: @thenestalabang
Email: info@viverehotel.com.ph | fnbinformation@viverehotel.com.ph

Disclaimer: Along with other bloggers, I was invited by Aldous of Aldous Ate The World to try out the dishes of Nest Alabang. In the spirit of full disclosure, I did not spend my own money for the food listed in this post. All food photography were done by me.

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