Greenbelt becomes Manila’s culinary hotspot this May as 15 restaurants, together with Appetite magazine, bring you the Tasting Room.

Now on its second year, Tasting Room offers Pinoy gourmands an array of culinary best-sellers and samplers from some of Greenbelt’s sought-after destinations: Mr. Rockefeller, Tropezz, La Maison, Capricciosa, Haiku, Gaudi, Cyma, Mezze, Fish & Co., Bubba Gump, Kai, Nuvo, Italianni’s, Max Brenner, and Solihiya.

At Tuesday night’s launch hosted by Appetite, bloggers (moi included) and journalists were given a sneak preview of what the Tasting Room had in store. It was difficult to stick to our diets, so consider yourself warned–resistance will be futile.

Starting off with dessert
Standing by Japanese restaurant Kai’s table, the first thing I saw was the panacotta in cold mango soup (with a full seven-course meal at P1,095). While I like my food in color, I couldn’t resist eating dessert first–and I wasn’t disappointed. The slightly sweet panacotta combined with the sour taste of mango was just my right mix of dessert sweetness–sweetness that doesn’t overpower the palate, that makes you want to have more.

The next table warmly welcomed me with some carbs, so while I had sworn to stay away from meat and pasta or bread that night, upon Arpee’s prodding, I decided to help myself to a small serving of Capricciosa Ristorante Italianno’s penne with bacon in tomato cream sauce (summer sampler course with dessert, cocktail, and another pasta dish at P999). I am not a big fan of tomato sauce, but the cream tempered the richness of the tomato base. Arpee was right (trust a food blogger, wouldn’t you?). For lack of adjectives, let me just say, it was good.

Who can resist chocolates? In the middle of dinner, I found myself at the Max Brenner table and graciously accepted an offer to try out the choco banana trifle (with a complete course at P1,200), which every chocolate lover won’t resist. The banana toned down the sweetness a bit. Be warned: If you’re allergic to peanuts, this is not the dessert for you.

I know I should have started off with a cocktail, but it was in the middle of the food tasting that I finally got to Nuvo’s table and didn’t know how to politely decline a shrimp cocktail (with a complete course at P1,230), served cold (I need to mention at this point that I prefer my food hot). The temperature notwithstanding, I loved the clingy aftertaste of the shrimp, coupled with the sweetness of mango bits and some cocktail sauce.

The next table offered me something sweet to balance the sharp taste of the cocktail. Tropezz Restaurant Bar made me try a spoonful of Jell-O in buko pandan and lychee flavors with mango-yogurt sauce (they call it duo of dessert Jell-O shots, at P145). If your kids like gelatin, this is a dessert they will love not just for its creamy taste but also for its colorful ensemble.

I finished my meal right with a dessert, again from Tropezz: crispy banana-coconut cigars (also P145). Yes, the humble turon, but with some peanut butter cream and hazelnut sauce. It sealed the deal for me.

Plus: Buy the latest issue of Appetite magazine and get some special coupons you can use when you visit the Tasting Room this month.