With safety protocols in place, The Podium is laying out the red carpet for couples ready to dine
It’s a safe bet to say that for a number of couples, there’s still some apprehension about heading out to dine this Valentine’s Day. That's why The Podium is going that extra mile to create the right kind of ambiance—under that stars, for their special Season of Hearts promotion.
On the 6th level, you and your loved one will be ushered to the Rooftop Garden, where eight to 10 couples will be seated at socially distanced tables and feted to a wonderful dinner courtesy of Shanghai Saloon and Wolfgang’s. It’s al fresco dining at night in a cool, cross-ventilated area that's been transformed into a magical, romantic garden.
Each table will be given little spray bottles of alcohol, and with flourish, the pre-ordered Shanghai Saloon and Wolfgang’s curated menu will be brought to the tables. There’s even a Hendricks Gin cart to start off the night with cocktails and mixed concoctions.
First on the menu is Shanghai Saloon’s appetizer tray of crispy pork belly, a duck wonton, slivers of foie gras on egg, and Szechuan chicken salad. This is followed by Shanghai’s sea conch soup, a delicately flavored broth with morsels of meat and sea conch to give texture to the second course. The appetizers were a great surprise. To be honest, I did not know much about Shanghai Saloon and it modern Chinese cuisine; but on the strength of these two courses, it’s a sure bet that I’ll be visiting its establishment in the very near future.
The pork belly was crispy to the right degree, while the bits of duck in the wonton were steamed to near perfection. I don’t normally go for egg after breakfast, but this one stayed subtle, with the foie cutting into the after taste of egg. The Szechuan salad stayed on the right side of spicy. This was truly my personal highlight of the dinner, this tray of appetizers, if only for the fact that what was to follow were already known commodities.
Shanghai Saloon’s Sea Conch Soup 
Wolfgang’s Sirloin Steak with Sidings
After the soup course, Wolfgang’s made their presence felt. The main course was a sirloin steak, with sidings of creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. I like my steak medium rare, and this one came in the right shade of pink. For dessert, we had its traditional New York cheesecake with a righteous dollop of schlag.
There may be some of you out there questioning the combining of Shanghai Saloon courses with those of Wolfgang’s; but believe me, it somehow worked together, elevating the whole dining experience. Food is food, and great food just can’t be beat. Somehow, the courses complemented each other in a strange manner.
As part of the dinner, floral arrangements from Fig & Vine (F&V) suddenly appeared. If you're still not familiar with this flower shop, be ready to be entranced. I loved the Fig & Vine Christmas wreath I got last December. Trust me, this flower shop of Stephanie Coyiuto-Tay never disappoints. Its arrangements are lush, artfully arranged, and you’ll love how F&V always throw in some customized, personal touch to make you feel you’re a very special customer.
An official photographer will also be on hand to gift you a souvenir of this most romantic of nights. It’s happening from the night of Feb. 10, 2021, Wednesday, up to the night of Sunday, the 14th. The worst kept secret is that The Podium intends to maintain this rooftop garden dining scenario in the months to come, with other Podium food establishments taking over the curated menus. That’s definitely something to look forward to if you don’t make the cut for the very limited number of tables available.
There will be two sittings, one at 6 p.m., and one at 8 p.m. Head to The Podium Facebook and Instagram accounts to get details on the phone number and QR code you can employ to reserve your table. Romance when you Dine Under the Stars at The Podium is THE reservation for this year’s New Normal Valentine’s season.