Circles Event Café: Persian Delights at Makati Shangri-la

Hotel restaurant hopping has been one of my hobbies these past few months. But although I've already been to quite a number of luxurious dining spots, I still haven't tried the wonderful gustatory treats at Circles Event Café in Makati Shangri-la Hotel. Luckily, I got invited earlier last week to sample Circles' offering for their Monday Persian Delights.

Located in the heart of the financial and commercial district, Circles Event Café is Makati Shangri-la Hotel's casual dining restaurant serving a plethora of Asian and Western dishes on its glorious buffet spread. However, for our recent trip, we didn't get to pig out on the buffet offerings as we had something more special -- a taste of Persia personally prepared by Executive Sous Chef Hamed Ghayedi.

After a quick introduction from Chef Hamed, Circles' team of courteous servers brought us a selection of cold mezzeh which I believe were cold appetizers. We had Hammous, Moutable, Fattoush, Babaghanouj and Tabouleh, along with pieces of Arabic Pita Bread.

Hammous, pureed chickpeas with sesame seed paste

Moutable, an eggplant paste

Fattoush, a pita bread salad

Babaghanouj, mashed eggplant with olive oil and seasoning

Tabouleh, finely chopped parsley, tomatoes and onions with olive oil dressing

Honestly, it was my first time to get a taste of these Persian cold mezzeh so I can never tell if these tasted authentic. However, I can definitely say that each of these meal starters were enjoyable for the palate. The Hammous, Moutable and Babaghanouj nicely complemented the pita bread despite having simple flavors. The Fattoush and Tabouleh on the other hand, definitely earned a new fan. They had a fresh, bold flavor that I really dig.

If there's a cold mezzeh, there's also a hot mezzeh. And for this phase, we had servings of the Meat Sambousik -- pocket pies of seasoned ground meat, and Spinach Fattayer -- small triangular pockets of tasty spinach. Although the only pocket pies I love are my dad's special empanada, I can't deny that these two are very flavorful treats.

Although we've already had a hefty start, we were still served with an equally filling Barley Soup also called Aash. Made from a harmonious blend of barley, lentils, beans, spinach and herbs, this hot bowl is not only very tasty and comforting, but also very nutritious.

For main course, we had a big platter of Iranian Mixed Grill which has generous portions of lamb kubideh (kebab), lamb chops, chicken larri, prawns and fish. Being a proud member of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals), this mountain of meaty goodness got me hooked. Although the chicken and fish were a little dry for my taste, the prawns and lamb chunks were grilled to perfection.

We also had the Zreshk Polow with Chicken, a famous Persian dish of barberry and saffron rice over a bed of chicken. Although the chicken itself was nothing extraordinary, the Zreshk Polow got me going ohh and ahh. The rice dish had a nice savory flavor with added chewy and crunchy textures from the dried barberry and nuts.

We also got to sample the Fesenjan which is a Persian duck stew infused with pomegranate juice and ground walnuts. Although not entirely alike, this dish reminded me of our own Dinuguan because of its thick consistency and slightly tart flavor. To accompany our main entrées, our group also had a plate of Polow Safid or Persian white rice.

For desserts, we were served with Kunafa -- a Palestinian sweet made from unleavened dough, and Mixed Baklawa -- a rich and sweet treat made from filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and drizzled with honey. It was my first time to taste these 2 Arabian desserts, but both of them somehow reminded me of some of our local delicacies -- kakanin and napoleones.

We were also served with Mahlabiya -- a sweet, soft and smooth rose and orange blossom water-infused milk pudding topped with chopped pistachios, and a platter of sweet and tangy dates which despite not being my kind of fruit, definitely did a nice job cleansing our palate.

Circles Event Café only offers an array of Persian Delights every Monday evening. For Tuesday, this luxurious dining destination serves up a selection of Italian cuisine. Wednesday nights on the other hand, is a feast of local flavors with Filipino Fiesta, while Thursdays is a play on Indian cuisine. For seafood lovers like me, Friday evenings will definitely satisfy our cravings, while Saturday nights are dedicated for steaks and barbecues. And lastly, visit on a Sunday morning and enjoy a hearty brunch.

THE VERDICT

Although I consider myself an adventurous and curious foodie, I still haven't had my fair share of Persian cuisine. However, I'm glad that my first was with Circles Event Café. Not only did I get to know these hard-to-pronounce food items, but I also got to experience the hospitality and impeccable service at Makati Shangri-la. Overall, Persian cuisine made a nice impression on my taste buds, and I can't wait to try more.

Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 3.5/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Circles Event Café, Makati Shangri-La Hotel
Lobby, Makati Shangri-La, Ayala Ave. cor. Makati Ave.,
Makati City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 840-0884
Official Website
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