Food, wines and spirits flow at Ordre Mondial dinner

Good food, excellent wines and spirits, and wonderful company best describe the Ordre Mondial’s latest bash held at the newest hotel to rise in Mactan, the Hilton Resort and Spa.

General manager Wolfgang Maier, together with Ordre Mondial vice echanson Michel Lhuillier with his wife Amparito, bai of the Chaine des Rotisseurs Bailliage du Cebu, warmly welcomed members and their guests to the property’s ocean view Vanilla Beach Café.

Gracious hostess Melinda Diotay of Diageo Philippines provided a selection of never-before-seen cocktails to the delight of invitees with traditional tastes, as well as those with adventurous thirsts.

They included Cape Codder (vodka, cranberry, and lime juice with lime wedge), Salty Dog (gin and grapefruit juice), Tsunami (Baileys Irish cream and vodka), and Vanilla Beach (cognac with cranberry juice).

Wine connoisseurs, such as Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Cebu Marriott Hotel general manager Karl Hudson, and Shangri-La Resort’s Danielle Vastolo, savored the Dom Perignon 1993, while the ladies, like Rose Hennessy, Joanna Lhuillier, Aissa dela Cruz, florist Rose Amores, and Carla del Prado opted for champagne that included Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin Brut champagne and Moet et Chandon champagne.

Jean Pierre Zialcita, Jet Ricardo, Raul Alcoseba, and Tom Hines were more than happy with Johnny Walker Scotch Black Label, Dimple, Green Pure Malt or JW Scotch Blue Label.

Executive chef Stefano Verrillo outdid himself with the exquisite menu he specially prepared that evening. Starters included freshly shucked oysters, and steamed prawns with lemon sauce, condiments and mixed greens. The main course consisted of Australian roast beef with shiraz wine sauce, pan-fried fish fillets with lemon, parsley, and capers, and chicken piccata with mushrooms.

An assortment of delightful desserts brought the unforgettable dinner to a gracious close with a choice of Baileys Irish cream, Hennessy Cognac XO and Jose Cuervo Tequila Especial.

Now, that is truly dining at its finest. Don’t you agree?

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The Cebu Holdings Inc. (CHI), an Ayala Land affiliate, formally announced its partnership with Coastal Highpoint Ventures (CHVC) at cocktails held recently at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel.

The team-up is set to develop a 46-hectare residential subdivision called Amara in Catarman, Liloan, Cebu.

Coined from the Spanish word "amarar," which means a "berthing place," this picturesque coastal oasis will be a community of seaside neighborhoods within a master-planned development.

Rene Almendras, president of Cebu Holdings, and Ramon Chiu of CHVI led the toast to the new undertaking that will set another trend in the real estate development in Cebu.