First Philippine restaurant to earn mention in prestigious Michelin Guide

FINE DINING ---  A luxury I aim to always have, in good times and bad.  I try to justify the experience. And happily, an occasion presented itself when a college friend whom I haven't seen since the 70s (when she went to Europe and I came to the US) came to the Bay area this week. So I took her to dinner at Bistro Luneta in San Mateo CA

INTRODUCTION TO FILIPINO FOOD

Filipino cooking is a mish-mash of influences from the blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Spanish, American and other cultures.

One of our favorite staples is adobo which can be chicken and/or pork slowly stewed in vinegar, soy sauce and seasonings. But this adobo, which essentially means marinade or seasoning mix is hardly the same as what you'll see in Hispanic restaurants.

Since we serve adobo all the time, we wanted something else that would be a feast to our taste buds.

When we arrived at Bistro Luneta, we were thrilled to note that this is fine dining FUSION! Always ready to try anything, we agreed to go the whole route: appetizer, salad, main course, desserts, and wine, of course.

We were even more delighted when we heard that this restaurant earned mention in Michelin Guide!

MICHELIN GUIDE RATINGS

As a quick review, this is what Michelin Guide looks for:

The MICHELIN Guide uses a system of symbols to identify the best hotels and restaurants within each comfort and price category. For restaurants, Michelin stars are based on five criteria:

• The quality of the products
• The mastery of flavor and cooking
• The "personality" of the cuisine
• The value for the money
• The consistency between visits

Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants offering the finest cooking, regardless of cuisine style. Stars represent only what is on the plate. They do not take into consideration interior decoration, service quality or table settings.

YELP REVIEW

We were so happy with our dinner that I posted a review on YELP. I'm not a food critic, but I know what makes my stomach happy.

Let's not forget, however, that presentation plays a critical role in total satisfaction. I give this place four stars. It will need a few changes (ambience, china, stemware, linens, wait service) for it to get five stars from me.

Overall, I'd go again!