Millie's All Day Dining at UP Technohub

My second visit to Millie's was in their Technohub branch. This time around, I was just in time for their Holy Week and summer menu. Millie's is named after the mother of Microtel's president, who has an extensive experience in the hotel industry. This restaurant has its 3rd branch in the Philippines, with its other branches near Mall of Asia and Batangas. The Techohub branch is the biggest of them all with an indoor and outdoor seating area.

The restaurant specialized in home-cooked favorites, unlike anything other hotels have served. Their penchant for simple, homey cooking truly caught my attention.

I first tried the Mango Graham Smoothie. At Php 160, it was chock-full of milky goodness. The toppings were comprised of thick whipped cream, a cheesecake wedge, 2 wafersticks, and graham tidbits. It was atop a thick milkshake with fresh mangoes.

It was so good that I wanted another glass of this splendid concoction.

We even had a complimentary bread basket with the sumptuous meal which was to come.

The dining area was bright and spacious. It also had a wonderful view of their lawn and the surrounding buildings in Technohub.

The Burata Caprese was the appetizer of the day. It cost Php 550. It was a white substance made out of feta cheese and dough served cold with tomato, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar garnish. Every bite had a chunky, cheesy flavor with a hint of salt and sour tastes.

The Baby Back Ribs cost Php 550. It was a half slab of beef ribs packed with their special marinade and baked to perfection. It came with coleslaw sides, salad, and ranch dressing. Every bite was perfect with the tangy taste of the ranch dressing sauce. 

The Hainanese Chicken cost Php 350. It was a half serving of chicken on rice with the customary broth, chili sauce, soy sauce, and ginger. The meat was tender and much more flavorful with a dip in each of the sauces. The soup was great in itself. It was full with chicken flavor.

The Tropical Grilled Marlin (Php 475) was a chunk of grilled Marlin over soft mashed potatoes and salad. It came with Mango Salsa for that sweet, fruity flavor. I liked the fact that the meat was well-done with a hint of oil for flavor.

The Seafood Marinara was at Php 310.00. It was a mix of their finest seafood selection which included mussels, clams, shrimp, and squid over linguine noodles and tasty tomato sauce. It was truly made for pasta and seafood lovers. The meal was done freshly.

The Pan Fried Salmon cost Php 630. It was a huge helping of Salmon mixed with capers, mashed potatoes and salad. The capers, paprika, and olive oil gave it so much distinct flavor that I couldn't help but almost finish an entire plate. The fish itself was fresh, too.

The Panna Cotta was at Php 195. It was a small serving of milk jelly with mango and cherry sidings. I liked the fact that the jelly itself was quite soft and easy to digest. It had a slight milky flavor too.

Lastly, we had 4 varieties of their gelato. I particularly liked the Artisan Gelato Siling Labuyo & Orange Swits at Php 220. It was an excellent combination of iced cream, chili, and orange gummy candy which made its fiery taste noticeable at the back of the tongue. The others were also similarly priced at Php 220, with the Vanilla Gelato taking the cake for its simplicity.

For those with conservative tastes and an inkling for no-frills international comfort food, Millie's offers something for their taste buds. It is located at 1/F Microtel Technohub.

Millie's: an Exquisite sampling of Filipino and Foreign Favorites

My invitation to Millie's was initially filled with some skepticism. As an avid traveller, I know for a fact that hotel food isn't the most memorable food that one will ever taste in his lifetime. However, this restaurant called Millie's changed all that, at least for my perception. 

Millie's is a multi-branch restaurant located at several Microtel branches in the Philippines. The name came from the mother of the CEO of the Microtel group, Mr. Jose Mari Del Rosario. She was a jetsetter who craved the fast paced lifestyle. In honor of her memory, Mr. Del Rosario created the restaurant as a testament to his amazing mother.

Upon my visit to their Mall of Asia branch, I immediately noticed that the place was replete with Millie's memorabilia. Passports, cigarette lighters, European hotel toiletries, and fans were abound. The restaurant had this old world charm that beguiled its guests. The food, on the other hand, was a variety of local international favorites.

Microtel's executive chef, Chef Gino, extended us warm hospitality and generosity. He showed us the top notch selections in the menu. These included their amazing appetizers such as the Gnocchi in Bleu cheese, the Boquerones, the Gambas, Tuna Carpaccio, the Tagliatelle Bolognese and the Seafood Marinara. I must say that these were all above the standards I expected. The Gnocchi was a heavenly delight. It was composed of baked dough swimming in a pool of bleu cheese and other ingredients. It was truly made to be paired with garlic bread. The pungent smell of bleu cheese was greatly minimized without compromising on the tangy flavor. The Boquerones was not on the menu, but Chef Gino served it anyway to check our response. I'd say that this dish must be included. It constituted a line of anchovies dipped in olive oil and topped with black olives. The anchovies were uncooked, and were served like kilawin. The fresh taste was excellently complemented by the sweet taste of olive oil. As for the pasta, I preferred the Bolognese over the Marinara. The Bolognese had an overload of mushrooms and ground beef. The meaty taste perfectly suited my preferences. On the other hand, I noticed a few things about the Marinara. The mussels in the dish were not that fresh anymore. However, I still liked its presentation. The Gambas were remarkable as well. It had a mixture of a pepper sauce with chorizo. This dish truly captured its Spanish heritage. It also went well with garlic bread. Lastly, the Tuna Carpaccio was also excellent. The fish was fresh, and while paired with lemon zest, served as a good tapas cold cut dish.

The viand plates were also the best in their game.. These included Kare-Kare, Lamb Chops, Baby Back Ribs, and the Chicken Parmigiana pasta. While others say that the Kare Kare was a bit sweet, I still commend Chef Gino's mix. The sauce's taste wasn't too overloaded with peanuts. The dish was also filled with a variety of fresh ingredients. It was truly great with steaming, hot rice. The Lamb Chops and the Baby Back Ribs were pretty exquisite in their taste. They were cooked to perfection. While the servings were a bit small, the presentation and taste outclassed this shortcoming. The lamb, in particular, was devoid of that slimy texture that the meat is known for. According to the Chef, he marinated it in lemon and their special sauce. As for the ribs, I'd say that the meat was tender; and the dish was baked to perfection. Lastly, the Chicken Parmigiana was pretty tangy. It was a chicken baked into a patty and mixed with pasta and tomato sauce. It paled in flavor compared to the other viands; yet it was still considerably tasty on its own.

We also tried their Panna Cotta and Tiramisu. These two remarkable desserts were prepared with utmost regard for discriminating tastes. The panna cotta was remarkable for its jiggly texture. It shakes when touched. The Tiramisu, on the other hand, has a considerable amount of alcohol that can make kids a bit tipsy. I love it for that distinct chocolate-mocha flavor.

Come visit Millie's for that wonderful old world charm and delectable fine dining experience. I'd surely go back for more.

The story in pictures:

Gambas and Garlic bread.

The Kare-kare

The Tiramisu

Millie's personal effects

The Boquerones

The delectable Gnocchi

The dining area

The Chicken Parmigiana

The Tagliatelle Bolognese

Another shot

Panna Cotta

The Seafood Bolognese

The Millie's logo

The delectable array

The Lamb Chops and the Baby Back Ribs