My culminating dinner at the Tagaytay Food Festival 2025 caps a memorable and successful second edition of the annual event with an exquisite savory feast at one of the southern dining destination's picturesque locations. It was a fitting ending to solid and immersive three-day experience of vibrant flavors, celebrated and anchored on community and local pride. Welcome to Sinta...
The dramatic setting effortlessly weaves the place, cuisine and service in one elegantly effortless and seamless weave with panoramic views of the lake below. Delicately perched on a hillside slope for unobstructed views, Sinta by the PYC Foods Corporation (the same group behind high-end dining establishments in Manila including One World Deli, One World Butchers, The Tattooed Baker and Pardon My French) is one more chef-driven restaurant that's elevating the dining scene in Tagaytay. A purveyor of world-class gourmet products including premium beef in their restaurants and retail stores, it's no surprise Sinta curated an all-beef menu for the Tagaytay Food Festival 2025. Read on for a peek at the savory dishes from Sinta...
The Sinta experience begins when you arrive at the impressive lobby with stunning views of the restaurant and the lake before descending down a flight of steps to the restaurant. It's a feature not only dictated by the land but designed to tease the senses. You may also opt for the funicular cable just in case you want a more relaxed ride down. Sinta simply has everything figured out.
As you reach the final flight of steps, the elegant space reveals itself. From the entrance to the curated art pieces commissioned by Sinta, each step becomes a sensory experience highlighted by the panoramic glass windows perfectly framing the lake. Even on a rainy and cloudy day, the captivating views just takes you in and your dining experience at Sinta is off to an epic start. Like they say, first impressions matter...
The steps leading down to the main dining area makes for quite a dramatic entrance, linking a series of experiences in a tightly woven chain of continuous delight and surprises. At Sinta, it's the whole holistic package. And it all adds up to an elegant experience, first feeding the eyes before the palate with the space, art and views.
High up in the ceiling is a local artist's rendition of Taal Volcano, turned upside down in an intricate expression of metal. Sinta is where inspirational views and art in all its forms meet culinary artistry.
And this meticulous attention to detail goes all the way to the comfort room. That's right, no other comfort room in Tagaytay or even the entire south looks this good.
Completing the loop in a continuous chain of memorable experiences is the legendary Chef Ariel Manuel and his classic and timeless yet constantly evolving culinary renditions at Sinta. The views from your table require and even demand cuisine at such a high level of perfect execution and quality to link all the elements together. And Chef Ariel Manuel leads the near transformational dining experience to end my Tagaytay Food Festival 2025 on a memorable high note.
And for one special evening, Chef Ariel Manuel is ably supported by the PYC Food Corporation's arsenal of exceptional culinary talents with corporate chefs Bettina Arguelles, Nadine Howell, Miguel Gianan of One World Butchers and John Lees of The Tattooed Baker with each contributing to the collaborative special Tagaytay Food Festival Menu (P 5,000+ per person). A powerhouse cast, the evening's dinner continues the festival's flavor-filled days with its elegant culinary style. Tagaytay's food scene remains as vibrant as ever as new restaurants continue to raise the bar.
The continuous links in the chain of experiences and meticulous attention to detail becomes a recurring theme as soft and warm fresh baked bread and butter are served. But all fine dining restaurants serve bread, right? True, but only good restaurants serves good bread. It's a small detail often overlooked, and Sinta is spot on from the start.
The opening act at Sinta begins with an Amuse Bouche of Beef Tartare freshly ground by your table side served with a side of condiments and crisp toasts. That first bite and it immediately becomes apparent, this is good quality premium beef with its fresh, rich, clean and deep flavors lingering long on the palate.
Next, a decadent trio of beautifully plated savory beef Entreés were served starting with the Gallagher Oyster, A5 Wagyu Carpaccio and Bone Marrow Hollandaise, Beef Bakkawa for a medley of rich flavors and textures. Each bite just melts in your mouth draping the palate with its complex layers of indulgent richness complementing the other in an exquisite and delicately balanced dish.
The Compression of Hanger Steak and Goose Liver, Smoked Filet on Foie Gras Chawanmushi is a sinfully luscious expression served in two portions with the steak and goose liver compression above...
...and the chawanmushi below. The intricately layered compression of hanger steak and goose liver brings a double dose of savory richness with its fresh and clean notes while the chawanmushi on the bottom warms the palate with the comforting yet decadent flavors from the smoked beef filet and foie gras. Each component builds on the other reflecting both masterful technique and premium quality of the ingredients.
The last dish in the beefy trifecta is the Roasted Parsnip Miso Agnolotti, Beef Crackling, Mustard Greens, Truffle Demi-glace bringing a rustic and hearty vibe to the Sinta dining experience. The fresh handmade pasta with savory filling adds a flavorful depth to the impressive parade of flavors created by Chef Ariel Manuel and his team for a feast that will long be remembered.
For the main course, Chef Ariel Manuel presented "The King and Queen of Steak" with the Beef Duo consisting of Dry Age Double Ribeye with Uni Ikura Butter topped with Torched Sili Labuyo and the Wet Age Picanha with Salted Lemons, Mixed Herbs and Ember Cooked Mushrooms on a bed of Curried Sweet Potato Pureé. Elegantly plated, the dish is an ultimate expression of pure and unrestrained beefy indulgence from Chef Ariel Manuel and his supporting cast of master chefs at Sinta.
The juicy and tender Ribeye with its medium rare finish and pink center is great on its own but Chef Ariel doesn't stop there. Draped with Uni Ikura Butter, the flavors of the premium slab of beef is elegantly elevated while the Wet Age Picanha delivers an equally rich and flavorful burst tempered by the vibrant hints of the salted lemons. The play on flavors with each dish becomes a masterful display of next level culinary artistry, perfectly matching the stunning views of the lake and the beauty of the space. At Sinta, each component of the dining experience from the setting to the dishes and service comes together in a tightly knit weave leaving a lasting impression.
And just when you think the kitchen at Sinta is just about done, Chef John Lees of The Tattooed Baker shares his own mastery of desserts to cap an epic repertoire of decadent flavors with the Beef Tallow and Salted Caramel.
The light and delicately crisp sweet pastry with silky smooth beef tallow and salted caramel filling is the ultimate sweet ending to a lavish feast at Sinta. Keeping in theme with the Tagaytay Food Festival Menu, Chef John Lees incorporates beef tallow in another decadent creation that just highlights the elevated dining experience at Sinta.
A plate of Petit Fours with Date and Don Papa Rum and Coconut Macarons concludes the elegant next-level dinner at Sinta. An exquisitely crafted feast from starters to mains and dessert, Sinta elegantly moves Tagaytay's restaurant landscape boldly forward with the freshest premium ingredients and culinary artistry in a masterful performance. The Tagaytay Food Festival 2025 unveiled just some of the diverse dining options in the southern destination, and this is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. And there's just nothing that beats elegant dining with a view...like Sinta.
Sinta is located at 5385 Mystic Hills, Tagaytay City. Visit their FB Page and IG Feed at https://www.facebook.com/sintarestaurantph/ and https://www.instagram.com/sintarestaurantph/ for more information and updates or call 0962 453 3570 for inquiries.
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