Turning 27 in 22 Prime
As my birthday fell on a regular weeknight, I decided to celebrate near my office in Ortigas, so I decided to try 22 Prime in Discovery Suites. The Discovery Group of hotels has always made great strides in ensuring the quality of food in its restaurant concepts. I've had wonderful dining moments in Discovery Shores in Boracay, Club Paradise in Palawan, and even Discovery Primea in Makati, so I definitely had high hopes for a sumptuous dinner ahead.
BREAD BASKET
Foreseeing that my entire family had to endure gruelling Ortigas traffic, I opted to place all my orders in advance so we can eat right away. However, elegant bread baskets were also there to help one’s hungry tummy with the wait. Bread baskets usually boast of just one or two variants; however, 22 Prime’s bread selection will definitely have something interesting for everyone!
LOBSTER BISQUE (P375)
The Prime’s Tomahawk came with three complimentary servings of the Soup of the Day. The creamy soup tasted like a pasta cream sauce in soup form, and boasted of slight sweet tones. However, I just had to try their highly recommended Lobster Bisque, which came with a large piece of juicy lobster. The rich bisque definitely did not hold back on giving out an intense lobster flavor, and its creaminess definitely fills one up quickly. So as not to ruin our appetites for the upcoming heavyweights, we decided to just rotate the lobster bisque and the soups-of-the-day among the five of us.
LOBSTER TRUFFLE MACARONI AND CHEESE (P425)
Keeping up with the lobster theme, I ordered the Lobster Truffle Macaroni and Cheese to serve as an appetizer. This indulgent mac and cheese is coated in a deliciously creamy truffle sauce and topped with thin slices of Italian Taleggio Cheese. The lobster is sliced into bite-sized chunks to ensure that each bite exhibits the distinct flavor of this crustacean. As far as fancy mac and cheese dishes go, I’d prefer this over my beloved Foie Gras Mac and Cheese from Le Petit Souffle.
JUMBO PRAWNS (P950)
As we’re having a huge slab of steak, I decided to pair it with something lighter. I opted for the Grilled Jumbo Prawns which came with a medley of sauces, the Black Truffle Cream, Tarragon Bearnaise, and Piquillo Pepper Sofrito, and a bowl of melt-in-your-mouth mashed potatoes. However, one bite into the incredibly juicy and insanely meaty prawns, and it will make you forget everything else. Each piece is insanely fresh; thus you get a burst of a welcomed sweetness in each bite. I actually only remembered about the interesting sauces after I devoured my piece! Definitely, no sauce is needed for one to enjoy this dish! The Prime’s Tomahawk is one of the few selections in 22 Prime's menu ideal for group sharing. This gorgeous USDA Prime Angus Bone-In Ribeye comes with grilled asparagus, tomato parmesan gratin, and a to-die for Potato Gratin. It wasn’t the best steak I’ve had as it needed a little more seasoning, and I would have loved it to be a tad bit juicier. All in all though, the steak’s quality was undeniable. You’ll definitely be getting your money’s worth!
OLIVE OIL GARLIC PASTA (P195) AND SAUTEED FOREST MUSHROOMS (P175)
I also decided to grab some sides just to help spice up the meal; but unfortunately, everyone got full so fast that most of us failed to sample all the sides during the meal. The Olive Oil Garlic Pasta and the Braised Short Beef (P195) were your typical aglio olio and steak rice sides. Good, but forgettable. Its Sauteed Forest Mushrooms though definitely deserve to share in the spotlight as they were intensely flavorful. It lent a smoky flavor to the steak that made the dining experience significantly better.
Overall, it was a delicious dinner spread shared with my lovely family. Here’s to celebrating 27 years of my existence!
22 Prime
22F, Discovery Suites, 25 ADB Avenue, Wack Wack, Mandaluyong City
Date of Visit: January 5, 2018 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua
