Gateway = Fine Dining?????

In all honesty, I've never thought much of Gateway Mall. The shops are the same shops in every other mall and I've been to better restaurants. If I had a choice, I'd do my shopping, dining and hanging out in Robinsons Galleria (home to Povedans!), SM Megamall (for variety), Powerplant (I should start re-exploring!) or Tiendesitas/168/Ukay/Cubao (for the quirky finds!). So imagine my surprise when my mother suggested that we have my birthday dinner at Gateway. I was like, where there? You see, I had a fabulous 20th birthday dinner planned out in my mind already: nice place with a lovely ambiance, great food, and classy music, and all of that did not fit in with my pre-constructed image of Gateway.

Agai, I asked where there? And my mother suggested the indoor garden restaurant located at the center of the mall where the Pilarness and I once had a lovely heart to heart chat only to be disrupted by a waiter offering us a look-see of a quite expensive menu.

Apparently, the Gateway garden restaurant serves Mandarin Oriental cuisine and apparently, Gateway is not incongruous to fine dining!

I loved the ambiance that the dim lights and lush plants created. There was jazz music playing (although the live band wasn't in that night) and the soft gurgle of water was very calming (mini waterfalls? fountains? I forgot). Service was lovely. The waiters sure knew what they were talking about! I loved the steak that he recommended! YES, THE FOOD WAS DELIGHTFUL. Well, the food I had. My sister and I split a rib-eye steak and it was enough for both of us (so imagine what one full serving would have done to me!). The steak was soft and oh so delicioussssss! Loved the steak sauce too! My mom had swordfish but I didn't get to taste her dish because I was too busy savoring mine.

The indoor garden restaurant at Gateway mall
Sorry for the poor quality of pictures!







My mom's Swordfish dish




My lovely rib-eye steak dinner










Awww. Missing dad!

So my 20th birthday dinner turned out to be great after all! YAY!

>INSERT: here's are some other pictures of how I spent my birthday SO FAR<
Sweater top from Lola H!

Adventuring in Cubao X



Me with my presents! HAHAHAHA. A top, a bag,
a silver umbrella (love) and bracelets

My birthday isn't over though! I still have a few people to celebrate with! HAHA! Can't wait for that! Whooooo! Until the next post (which will probably take me another month or so! Haha!)