OPEN AIR FARE

Margarita Forés’ version of new normal dining is THE LOGGIA, her all-day dining restaurant that serves Italian and Spanish cuisine within the Palacio de Memoria in Parañaque

- FELICIANO RODRIGUEZ

A year into the onslaught that is the COVID-19 pandemic, people are now slowly going out to dine as more establishments reopen. But the looming fear of the virus still reverberates in the minds of many. Opening a new restaurant is certainly a gutsy move in this uncertain time. But our host, Margarita Forés, is doing just that, with her new alfresco dining concept The Loggia.

The Loggia, which opened on March 9, is situated inside the three-hectare grounds of Palacio de Memoria in Parañaque, near the edge of Roxas Boulevard. The expansive, open-air grounds enveloping the seven-storey mansion seems like a fitting backdrop for Forés’ new dining concept. With the prewar mansion, guests feel like they have been transported back into the glory days of Old Manila.

More importantly, the fresh air afforded by the alfresco space will give guests a certain peace of mind with regards to their health and safety. “We love this place,” says Forés, when welcoming us, wine in hand. “I think this big open-air space is attuned to what the market is looking for, precisely because the situation has not yet normalized.”

Forés, who was named Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2016, describes her newest creation. “The Loggia is going to be an all-day dining restaurant,” she says. “It’s meant to celebrate the heritage of the space, and at the same time to allow the people to enjoy the outdoors.” She says al fresco dining is the way to move forward in the new normal restaurant scene.

THE CUISINE