Eating on air might be an unheard-of concept but Filipinos got to experience it for the first time when Belgian-based novelty restaurant Dinner in the Sky brought their service to Manila.
It is a dining service that uses a crane to launch people 150 feet in the air as they dine.
Guests would be buckled up in seats as they dig in their gourmet meals while enjoying the Manila Bay view from its lounge in Solaire Resort and Casino, Parañaque City.
The whole novelty would last for one hour. People need to purchase tickets through their website or at Solaire’s ticketing counter to participate.
The restaurant launched their service on April 3 with an accompanying video.
Steep prices
However, there were those who thought twice about dining on high.
A Facebook user noted that the money spent could’ve been used to travel to another country like Hong Kong.
Dinner in the Sky has three packages—economy, business and first-class.
An economy class ticket costs P9,990 per individual while a business class and a first-class ticket costs P14,990 and P24,990 per individual, respectively.
Meanwhile, round-trip fares from Manila to Hong Kong can range from P5,000 to a little over P9,000.
Another user blatantly said that the rate is “crazy” and noted, “Inangat lang nang bahagya, inangat na rin ang presyo.”
Someone commented that the dining service is “not for the average Filipino.”
Here’s where your money will go
Four international chefs serve in the novelty restaurant. They are Hylton Le Roux, Alan Marchetti, Norimasa Kosaka and Michelin-recognized Yves Mattagne.
Kenneth Cacho, the culinary arts director of International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management in Pampanga, is also serving the table.
Le Roux, Marchetti and Kosaka have specialty menus called the Waterside, Finestra and Yakumi, respectively.
Some samples of the food served are salmon roe, smoked goose breast, Dauricus caviar, Chilean sea bass, Mascarpone (cheese) ravioli, Balsamic marinated black cod and Hokkaido scallops, among others.
A jar of a ten-kilogram salmon roe can cost £12 or P873, according to The Fish Society. A goose breast weighing 2.5-3.25 pounds costs $30 or P1,576, reports Schiltz Foods.
A 30-gram Dauricus caviar can costs €60 or P3,839, according to Kingdom Fine Foods. A one pound Chilean sea bass costs $29 or P1,560, reports Seattle Fish Company.
A two-pound cheese ravioli can cost $8 or P432, notes Sun of Italy. A one-pound black cod costs $28 or P1,486, according to Fresh Seafood.
Meanwhile, a two-pound Hokkaido scallop costs $65 or P3,390, reports Browne Trading.
The economy class offers a four-course meal while the business class has an “upgraded five-course” and the first class, a “premium five-course.”
Business and first class ticket holders are also given champagne and wine. Meanwhile, those in the first-class have the privilege to have it free-flowing. — Video by Emjae Villarey
