Le Mitre marks fourth year
Two weeks ago, we rearranged our work schedule to be present at the fourth anniversary celebration of a truly unique restaurant, Le Mitre, in front of San Agustin Church in Intramuros.
The resto is close to our hearts because it was put up by Elvira Go not as a moneymaking venture, but in loving service of the country’s religious, from cardinals to priests, brothers and nuns.
Vivifying Elvira’s unusual motive and mission at Le Mitre is the fact that its menu is made up of dishes that are the favorites of a number of bishops, and thus have been named after them!
For instance, breakfast selections are named after Bishops Emilio Marquez of Lucena, Renato Mayugba of Laoag, Jose Oliveros of Malolos and Romeo Lazo of Antique!
Do you have a yearning for champorado? Le Mitre recommends Fr. Bong Luistro’s recipe, with your choice of fried danggit or dilis. Want to order an omelette? You must try Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Antonio Rañola fave Spanish Omelette with tomato-mushroom sauce.
What about soups? The creamy tomato seafood soup is the special suggestion of Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti. The mushroom soup named after Bishop Nereo Odchimar comes highly recommended, too—as does Bishop Roberto Mallari’s soup of choice, the lemongrass chicken soup—slurp!
As for Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop Emeritus of Manila, he’s so well-regarded and loved that “Lolo Dency’s” pasta selections comprise an entire subsection on Le Mitre’s menu—take your pick of pasta with shrimp in garlic sauce, pasta penne with shrimp and kesong puti—etc.!
Special recommendation
What about Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu? Clearly not to be outdone, “Carding’s” list of suggestions include crispy pata, oxtail kare-kare, humba, callos and Bacalao ala Vidal (seasonal)—yum! (As for Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, his special recommendation is—homemade Silvanas!)
Going through the unique “ecclesiastical” Le Mitre menu is a delicious romp—but actually partaking of the bishops’ preferred dishes is an even yummier treat, as many locals and tourists have pleasurably discovered.
Aside from its menu, Le Mitre is a one-of-a-kind venue because of its “spiritual” decor—made up mostly of religious images and, underscoring the restaurant’s name and special theme, many bishops’ miters all in a row along the upper wall.
