Astralis was supposedly inspired by an expensive wine of the same name.  Astralis in Latin means stars or anything relating to stars, which translates to high standards of service –aptly named as such since Astralis is under the same management as Diamond Hotel.

Prawn Napolitana 🙂

–

The first time I was in Astralis in 2008, I thoroughly enjoyed their wine and raclette night.  They have changed most in their line-up and introduced a recently launched menu.  I was with Spanky, Richard, Glenn, Yedy, Jonel, Melanie and Lian last week to uncover the new digs at Astralis in Powerplant Mall.  

READ MORE:

Wine and Raclette Night at Astralis

On the Table

Pan fried Chicken Quesadillas PHP 415

Grilled chicken breast, mozzarella cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream

We had two plates of this and it was a goner in a matter of minutes.  The Quesadilla was gorgeously toasted that it gave a crunchy exterior.  The filling of grilled chicken breast, mozzarella cheese and diced tomatoes never fail to satisfy, especially when scraped with pico de gallo and sour cream.

Lobster Bisque PHP 275

Generous slivers of succulent lobster with lemon foam

This was my order but had Richard take a spoonful while I took a spoonful of his order of double-baked wild mushroom which I liked more, it turned out.  Richard also preferred the taste of the lobster bisque which was on the salty side for me.  The pureed lobster is good but I really prefer the saltiness toned down a bit.

Double-baked Wild Mushroom PHP 255

Served crowned with phyllo crusts and Gruyere cheese

If you’re thinking of soup, I suggest you go right ahead and order the double-baked wild mushroom soup.  It’s fool-proof for me.  I love the semi-thick creaminess of the soup and the evident woodsy taste of the wild mushrooms that complements the nuttiness of the gruyere cheese.

GM’s Salad PHP 285

Sautéed fresh mushrooms, Mesclun greens, cucumbers, fresh basil, and sweet coconut-lime dressing

The GM’s Salad is named after the General Manager of Diamond Hotel who likes this salad a lot.  It arrived sexily inside a parmesan crisp bowl with sweetened balsamic dressing on the plate.  The broken leaves of Mesclun provided a soft-crisp texture and a distinct leafy taste to the cluster of cucumber and mushrooms.

Caesar’s Salad PHP 255

Fresh hearts of Romaine, shaved Parmesan, bacon and croutons

The Caesar Salad was much tastier than its presentation.

Seafood Risotto PHP 495

Shrimps, Mussels, Blue Marlin and Calamari in Spanish Saffron

Creamy seafood risotto was cooked right, had the right bite and yet softness flavored by Spanish saffron and probably seafood broth.

US Choice Porterhouse Steak PHP 1,195

14 oz. With grilled asparagus PHP 75

This was my choice of entrée.  Yes, I’m a man-eater… I mean, meat-eater.  A BIG meat-eater at that!  My preferred doneness was medium and the kitchen got it perfectly with the most geometrically paralleled grill marks!  BRAVO!  The meat was soft, juicy and flavorful – the three words IMPORTANT to me for any steak description.

I love my grilled steaks with grilled asparagus on the side.  I was a happy camper.      

The porterhouse was huge, while the earlier dishes were filling, so I was able to finish the tenderloin part of the cut and 1/3 of the strip / rib steak. 

The rest was polished off by Richard, who is a great dining partner, especially that night.  We were 2 seats apart across the table and still can communicate when it comes to sharing delicious food.  Foodies unite!

Roasted Norwegian Salmon PHP 435

Crusted with fresh dill sauce and rice mélange

Glen ordered the salmon, which I was eyeing too while perusing the menu but told myself, I got to be true and order what my heart beats for.  Har-har.

Prawn Napolitana PHP 615

Spicy, crushed tomatoes, and grilled buffalo mozzarella

This was Jonel’s order and it looked yummier in real life more than this photo.  I’m probably ordering this next time I’m at Astralis.

US Choice Rib-eye

Spanky’s order I think

Lamb Shank Kaldereta PHP 545

Braised in tomato and liver sauce with carrots and sweet red capsicum

Lamb Shank Baby!

–

Very interesting.  I also saw lamb shank kaldereta in another restaurant a few days before this Astralis dinner.  Chefs seem to like making our Pinoy Kaldereta stew with lamb shank.

Australian Baby Lamb Chops PHP 1,145

This was Ricardo’s order.  He gave me 1 or 2 chops which I finished in a sec.  The lamb chops had intense flavor without the gamey taste.  I’m sure Bubba would have enjoyed this too.

Trio Sorbet PHP 195

Mango, coconut and strawberry sorbet

I was so full towards the end of the dinner that I almost couldn’t move.  When Melanie and Ricardo asked if I wanted to have dessert, I almost declined.  YES, ALMOST!  At this point, Spanky Spanx already skipped the scene for a drinking sesh so I was spared any additional teasing.

Richard and I decided to share the Trio Sorbet.  I prefer sherbets over the more refined sorbet and only liked the mango sorbet in this trio roster.

Overall, Astralis still provides consistently quality service that is inclined to your needs and dishes that echo equally high quality ingredients and cookery.  Whenever at Powerplant Mall and you want a quiet dinner that doesn’t fall short of satisfaction, Astralis should be your stop.

Astralis by Diamond Hotel

R1/Lvl. Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Dr. cor. Estrella St.

Makati City, Metro Manila

Philippines

(632) 890 7124

Astralis Album

Related Post:

Wine and Raclette Buffet at Astralis

—