The Long & Short Of It: A Power Lunch at Raffles Makati's Long Bar

A quick lunch with a little more punch. A real power lunch. And here's the long and short of it: order a la carte or go for the set menu, either way, you'll feel like a boss at Raffles Makati's Long Bar. 

The Long Bar launches The Long & Short Of It, the Long Bar's power lunch from 12nn to 3pm, Mondays to Saturdays, offering a la carte and set menu dishes consisting of international classics and reinvented pub favorites. The Long Bar's rich history from its colonial past adds a sophisticated elegance and vibe, and nobody does a power lunch like the Long Bar. Have some cocktails along with your lunch, and complete your Long Bar experience (see more of Long Bar's signature cocktails and bar chow here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2013/06/another-round-at-raffles-makatis-long.html).

The Raffles and Fairmont Lobby, with its elegant interiors, welcomes you to its equally elegant dining outlets, including the world famous Long Bar, home of the famous Singapore Sling. Just the place for a real power lunch, for those days when the usual lunch just won't cut it. And discarding those peanut shells on the beautiful tiled floors is quite a power trip...only at Long Bar.

To start things off, we sampled the Long Bar's appetizers, including the Fried Duck Rolls (P 900), served with ginger plum sauce and a side of fresh greens drizzled with balsamic. Large, crisp spring rolls that look like your regular spring roll...until you take that first bite. Simply...awesome. Rich, tender and savory chunks of duck meat add an indulgent twist on the spring roll, and that's just for starters...

Crispy Rock Shrimp (P 1,000), served with chili mayo, comes next. Large, plump shrimps lightly breaded and fried until crisp, elegantly presented in a glass bowl. The chili mayo has a nice cooling heat for that extra kick, and the creamy texture adding a nice contrast to the crispy shrimps. Another winner...as I go for the last piece of shrimp.

A second serving is served, and a light mist forms around the hip glass bowl, with the shrimps arranged immediately from the fryer so you get it at its peak crispness, as more starters arrived...

And to balance your meal, add some of Long Bar's signature salads, like the Cobb Salad (P 500), a medley of baby corn, lettuce, tomato, egg, blue cheese and a classic vinaigrette...

...The Long Bar Salad (P 700), a mix of Romaine lettuce, lolo rosso, cherry tomato, artichoke, baby carrot, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts with a sweet and tart calamansi dressing...

...or the Classic Caesar Salad (P 550), crisp lettuce dusted with parmesan with strips of prosciutto for an added kick in flavor. As we worked on the salads, the mains arrived...a variety of different dishes from international favorites to inventive dishes fit for a proper power lunch.

Lapu-Lapu "A la Meuniere" (P 800), tender fillet served over roasted potatoes and lemon butter parsley sauce. Tender fillet of grouper draped in a rich butter sauce, topped with a refreshing side of mixed greens. A light dish, and a cool non-meat option, the freshness and premium quality of the ingredients are evident in each bite.

The Long Bar Burger (P 600), premium all-beef patty topped with lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions, tartar sauce and bacon, served with french fries and corn relish on a rustic wooden board. Maybe its the wooden board, or the way the bacon caresses the patty, or both...this is one sexy burger.

The combination of flavors and textures on a single bun makes this another must try at the Long Bar, perfect with a cold beer. Or a nice Panutsa Old Fashioned, my drink of choice at Long Bar.

The Ploughman's Platter (P 1,000), a selection of blue cheese, Gruyere and brie, with pork, ham, beef and turkey pastrami, served with a freshly baked baguette, beautifully laid out on a wooden chopping board.

The combination of cured meats and premium imported cheeses make this simple yet indulgent meal another must try. Light, yet full of flavor, the perfect meal when negotiating a deal or making important decisions over lunch. You are, after all, in the company of movers and shakers of the business world, the Long Bar's usual lunch crowd. Pair this with wine, or one of Long Bar's many cocktails, and you have a perfect power lunch.

Pulled High Pork Sandwich (P 600), tender lechon, lettuce, tomato and Hoi Sin mayo on sourdough bread. Finally, lechon in a sandwich...I've always thought lechon would make a real cool sandwich, and this does not disappoint. Different, yet familiar, with that unique Long Bar touch.

Majestic Ham Croque Monsieur (P 700), local Majestic Ham with gruyere cheese and bechamel sauce on rye bread. A cool take on the French grilled ham and cheese sandwich, using the local Majestic Ham for that flavorful punch. The Majestic Ham's rich, sweet and salty notes complement the creamy gruyere and bechamel combo for another light yet elegant sandwich.

Long Bar B.L.T. Sandwich (P 500), crisp bacon with romaine lettuce, roasted tomato and garlic mayo on ciabatta bread. I've said it before, and I'll say it again...just can't go wrong with bacon.

Steak Frites (P 900), Wagyu flank steak served with french fries and mushroom pepper sauce on a wooden board. Real beef for a real power lunch, my personal favorite. Grilled to your preference, I go for a medium rare, with a juicy pink center. Simply spiced with just salt and pepper, and topped with chopped parsley, the beef flavor really comes through. Peppercorns and rock salt are sprinkled on the wooden board,  enhancing the beef flavor, and the side salad provides a refreshing contrast to the richness of the beef. the fried complete the dish. Nothing like freshly made fried straight from the fryer, with a light crisp outer layer. Note the miniature bottles of Heinz Catsup and mayo for the fries...

No power lunch would be complete without an equally decadent dessert, like The Long Bar Cheesecake (P 300), elegantly plated, and tastes as good as it looks. Rich and creamy, like a New York style cheesecake without any topping, the way I like my cheesecake. The fresh berries add the finishing touch, providing a delicious tartness to the rich cheesecake. A great dessert with with a good cup of brewed coffee.

Warm Apple Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream (P 300), a comforting and homey dessert. As the scoop of vanilla ice cream melts on the warm apple crumble, each spoonful becomes a rich medley of flavors. The contrasting warmth and cool ice cream also add to the play of flavors, another winner.

Mango & Coconut Trifle (P 300), rich, sweet and and creamy with cool tropical flavors.  The fresh sweetness of the mangoes work well with the creamy coconut trifle, and after trying the previous desserts, it's nearly impossible to choose just one.

Bread & Butter Pudding with English Toffee Ice Cream (P 300), another comforting an homey dessert, rich and creamy and another flavorful combo of warm pudding and ice cream. I'd probably go to the Long Bar just for this sweet treat and a cup of coffee. Seriously good.

Another hot latte after the power lunch, cocktails and dessert...

Loni Balagtas-Bayangos, Raffles and Fairmont Makati's dynamic Marketing Communications Manager, shares the concept behind Long Bar's The Long & Short Of It with the group.

The happy and satisfied group after an epic power lunch. Definitely one of the best weekends yet, and once again, another memorable experience at Long Bar. You can go for Long Bar's Set Menu at P 995++ for a choice of one appetizer (Cobb Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, or Gratinated Onion Soup) and main course (Long Bar Burger, Pulled High Pork Sandwich or Reuben Sandwich) or go a la carte. Whichever you choose, you'll feel like a boss with Long Bar's power lunch offerings. Special thanks to Loni Balagtas-Bayangos for an awesome power lunch. The Long & Short Of It, simply one of the best.

Ready for a power lunch? Make it the Long Bar...

Raffles and Fairmont Makati are located at 1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue, Makati. For more information and reservations, you can call the Raffles Makati Restaurant Reservations at 555-9840 or e-mail at dining..makati@raffle.com. You can also connect with Raffles Makati on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RafflesMakati or follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RafflesMakati. 

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