Anniversary Dinner at Duo Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Serendra

Chea and I had our May 25 anniversary dinner by pure serendipity. There weren't open restos at SM Aura yet when we went there, and when we walked our way towards Market Market as our plan, we ended up on the Serendra side instead.

It was starting to rain, so we went to the closest restaurant which turned out to be Duo Steakhouse and Wine Bar. We haven't eaten there yet so we opted to try it out.

We had Thirdy along with us but he was sleeping. He got tired from all the swimming he had been doing earlier at F1  hotel.

Duo looked like a fancy restaurant. As their name suggests, their specialty were steaks and wines. Chea and I aren't really into wine, and we aren't really heavy eaters so it's rare (pun intended) that we order steaks.

It was a Saturday at around 7 pm, but there were just around 4 tables that were occupied, including ours. But as the night went on (and the rain continued), patrons started to fill up the restaurant.

Most of their meals are on the pricey side, considering most of them are steaks. Their pastas are comparable with the prices with the other restaurants. I do think that the servings are large though, so sharing would be an option.

I wasn't really that hungry then so I didn't want anything as heavy as steaks. Chea and I agreed on the Pizza, Pasta and Chicken Platter (890 pesos). I also ordered a Coke Zero while Chea settled for water.

You know i'd put in a picture of Coke in there

We waited for a bit since they were cooked upon ordering. We were given some complimentary bread and some butter. The bread was soft so Chea asked for more for Thirdy. The staff were more than willing to accommodate us.

You start with about four of these. I had to eat the first two already :D

When the food arrived, it was a pretty good sized serving. It's enough for a hungry couple, but I think you could stretch it for three people. We actually didn't get to finish everything since we weren't that hungry in the first place.

144 square inches of yumminess

The platter included a mini square vegetable pizza, salami and pepperoni, lasagna bolognese with hungarian sausage, and chicken escalope with au jus.

I started off with the pizza. It was pretty good. Lots of melted cheese.

Next was the chicken. And it was great. The sauce made the difference.

Finally was the pasta. I didn't read the exact menu then so I didn't know what kind of pasta it was when we ordered. And when I saw it, i didn't realize it was the pasta since i was expecting noodles, not to mention that the color was predominantly green. But when I started eating it, i realized that it's actually lasagna. I was accustomed to seeing lasagna like a layered cake instead of having it in this flat, wrapped around form.

The lasagna ribbons were soft and cooked evenly. You barely feel the layers of pasta when you start chewing on it. The meat really gave it a good full flavor. I haven't eaten lasagna for so long so I really enjoyed this one. Makes me want to eat another one as I'm writing this.

Apart from the food, the ambience is good. The clientele were a mix of individuals, couples and small groups. And since the restaurant is small, conversations easily float over from other tables. If you want a quiet dinner, it might be best to ask for a table upstairs.

The staff are generally friendly and very helpful. They don't hover around, (I hate it when people hover), but they're easily there when you need them. The waiter servicing us would assist me in almost anything I do, from opening my canned drink, to pulling out my seat.

When we asked to take home our left overs, we even asked for additional bread for Thirdy and they willingly gave us more.

Eating at Duo was great. Service is good, food is great and the place just feels very welcoming. Just be prepared to shell out at least 1,000 pesos for a great dining experience for two.