Celebrating Mom at Guidicelli

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A Special Birthday Update for Our Girls in Australia

Dear Nina and Dang,

Last night, we celebrated Mom’s birthday at Guidicelli Ristorante. By its name alone, you know it is an Italian restaurant on the fine-dining scale. It sits elegantly on the third floor of the newly renovated building in Molito—right where the old BMW showroom used to be. I wish you both could have been there with us, but you were definitely in our thoughts!

The Ambience

We were seated at the perfect spot, boasting a lovely view overlooking the vibrant strip of restaurants on the opposite side below. The place itself is beautifully designed—pristine white all the way, adorned with tasteful artworks on the walls. By any interior design standard, it is well above par. The table setting was immaculate, the chairs comfortable, and the service highly attentive. In other words, it is exactly the kind of place you look for to celebrate an important occasion. Or, as Erap Estrada famously put it: "You pay for the ambience."

The Antipasti & Primi

True to its heritage, the menu follows the authentic Italian structure: the Antipasti (appetizers), the Primi Piatti (the first course), and the Secondi Piatti (the main course). I can only recall a few bits of the Italian names, thank goodness for the English translations in small letters underneath!

Our server, Arlee, started us off with beautifully baked bread paired with a very tasty spread. For our antipasto, we ordered the Fichi—a dish featuring fresh figs, assorted ingredients, and delicate little flowers. Seeing it, Pao casually mentioned that he actually has a plant at home that blooms the exact same flower. Well, now we know it’s edible! This was followed by a fresh Burrata cheese, beautifully accented with shavings of cherry tomatoes.

For the primo piatto, we tried a pasta with a thick, chewy texture quite similar to Japanese udon, tossed with shrimp and a single, pristine Hokkaido scallop.

The Main Course

Our secondo piatto was a Chilean Sea Bass served with caramelized onions and juniper berries. Now, lest you think we ordered a separate plate for each of us—which definitely would have wrecked my weekly allowance—we shared! The sea bass came in at ₱2,950, and if I recall correctly, nothing on that section of the menu goes below ₱2,000, save for the Wagyu Burger at ₱1,350.

To complement the meal, the sommelier suggested a glass of Chardonnay, which I happily ordered to pair with the pasta and fish. Mom and Allen, ever the disciplined ones, stuck to non-alcoholic drinks.

A Sweet Finale

For the grand finale, Mom had a rich chocolate gelato. To cleanse our palates, Arlee thoughtfully served a complimentary spoonful of refreshing sorbet alongside a small pour of dessert wine. Last but certainly not least, a birthday cake was brought out, beautifully culminating our celebration.

On our way out, I left a little piece of marketing advice for the staff. I told the waiter, "If you want this restaurant to truly succeed, have Sarah G. come visit and belt out just one song. I guarantee you, the lines outside will stretch around the block!"

The Verdict

Is it worth it? If the goal is to treat and impress my wife, then yes, absolutely. But as I whispered to her last night: "For me, Darl, nothing is worth more than you."

We missed you both at the table, but we made sure to toast to the whole family!


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