Luxurious, luscious Lemuria

Nestled in the heart of Horsheshoe Village's Julieta Circle is The Winery and its little French restaurant called Lemuria. It's housed in a cozy structure that reminds one of a Mediterrenean villa, and it looks absolutely lovely at night, with its candlelit steps and the lush greenery framing the building (boys, if you're bringing a date to this place, the first impression alone will win you a lot of pogi points). The interior design is as pretty as the exterior, managing to be both homey and elegant, making you feel like you're dining in the home of an old friend with exquisite taste.

As soon as we stepped in, Lemuria's effusive and efficient staff seated us (reservations are strongly recommended since the place is quite small, and even on a weekday night it was packed). The menu contains primarily French fare (I believe the head chef trained at Le Souffle), and popular items include the foie gras and braised lamb shank. I had the mushroom and gruyere soup, which was so rich and yummy I was sad to see the bottom of my bowl. For my main course I chose the slipper lobster with porcini risotto. The lobster was cooked just right, with the meat tender but not underdone, and the risotto was a creamy concoction bursting with flavor thanks to a sprinkling of caviar and lentils. We had a bottle of red wine with our dinner, a 2004 vintage from Sicily suggested by the sommelier (who also happens to be the owner; our waiter made a phone call to her to make sure we got a good wine to go with our food). The red wine did go rather well with my dad and brother's steaks, and even with the seafood entrees my mom, sister and I had. The only disappointment of the meal was dessert: the strawberry mascarpone cheese cake had a rather odd texture and barely any hint of strawberry (I should have gone with my first instinct and went with the lavender creme brulee). At least the nice cappuccino I had with it made up for the bland dessert.

Another caveat: the prices are very steep, at par with fine dining restaurants of posh hotels. If the food wasn't so good I would have felt robbed. If you're willing to splurge on some well-prepared, no-fuss French cuisine, plus a bottle of quality wine, then give Lemuria a try. The ambiance is wonderful, the service is great (bonus point: a friendly attendant offers valet parking at the gate), and the food will definitely please your taste buds. If only your wallet were to go home as happy. :p