AUTHENTICALLY feeling at home and tranquil, immediately strike me upon entering Alviera Country Club at the media tour on July 26. Envisioned as Central Luzon’s premiere fitness and recreation destination, Alviera Country Club is world-class and strategically located in the heart of the beautiful sprawling Alviera estate in Porac, Pampanga.
The newly opened Alviera Country Club provides a perfect place for family and friends to come together, where different lifestyles converge in harmony through its one-of-kind amenities. Also, the club is designed to complement the natural surroundings, bringing fresh, new lifestyle options unlike anything the region has ever seen.
Upon alighting and making my way to the presscon venue, I espied a long table in front, with appetizing spectacle of different dishes all lined up, ready for photographs. Chef Rafael Hubilla, Alviera Country Club executive chef, started talking of dish after delicious dish, titillating our taste buds with an unforgettable culinary journey of the club’s bestsellers.
“We want to cater to all our members and guests, so the menu is diverse at a reasonable price. It composed of 80% Asian/Filipino cuisine and 20% Western cuisine. I always make sure that we are serving the best quality food and consistent in taste”, Chef Hubilla shared.
For starters, we were served with this properly marinated and fried Buttermilk Chicken Wings and mouthwatering Sesame Crusted Seared Tunaloin. Followed by elegantly plated Parmesan Basket salad and creamy New Orlean’s Shrimp Gumbo soup.
For the main dish, we sampled, a crowd pleaser, Barbeque Baby Back Pork ribs and Pan-Roasted Australian Blackened Salmon Steak – it was easily my favorite due to its freshness and taste and is apparently a chef’s top choice too.
Well-loved desserts, Alviera Chocolate Dream Cake and mango Vanilla Pannacotta gave depth to the culinary experience of eating the confection. Fresh fruit juices and hot coffee or tea paired with cookies and biscotti were readily available.
Chef Hubilla said that everyone (non-members need to present a club member endorsement) should try the unique yet familiar dining options in Alviera Country Club.
Manyaman Restaurant
The Club’s main restaurant, a 112-seater restaurant offers local and international fare. It boasts of Kapampangan favorites in the menu like Bringhe with chicken inasal, classic sizzling sisig, adobo and tibok-tibok that is made of pure carabao’s milk. According to Chef Hubilla the slow-cook Oxtail Kare-Kare and Sinigang sa Bayabas (Bulanglang) are most recommended. Opens daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Sabyan Café
The Club’s specialized café offering freshly brewed beverages and freshly baked pastries. It is ideal for coffee drinkers looking for a chic and more peaceful setting. The indoor and alfresco café has unique furniture pieces from local designers to match the cozy ambiance for precious moments with your loved ones. It’s also a delicatessen of sorts, because of array of cakes and sandwiches available. Opens daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Galo Sports Bar
The Club’s casual dining option, which offers tasty bar chow and assorted drinks. Patrons can enjoy darts, billiards and table tennis over their drinks. Nearby, patrons can also try out the KTV rooms, the game console room and theater for film viewing. This is a section where friends can really unwind, have fun and be entertained. Opens daily for lunch and dinner.
The food and beverage operations is headed by Chef Hubilla, born and raised in Olongapo City, with almost 27 years work experience (16 years as executive chef) in the culinary industry both here and abroad. He ended his stint at Newport Hotels namely Savoy Hotel, Belmont Hotel; The Palms Country Club; and Ayala Alabang Country Club.
For more details visit www.alviera.ph/countryclub.
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