Lauro and Grace Baja get dolled up and celebrate Valentine’s lunch at La Girolle with Vicki A De Leon

There's always an air of excitement and a promise of hope when a Filipino chef who has trained at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris opens his own restaurant in Manila. Chef Ian Padilla, who studied culinary arts at the New England Culinary Institute and had a two-year stint at the renowned two-Michelin-starred Taillevent, has done just that with his new venture, La Girolle.

Its secret address was quite challenging to find, but when we invited Lauro C Baja III, managing director, chairman and president for UBS Investments Philippines, and his beautiful wife Grace to dine at La Girolle, they immediately agreed.

As the son of Norma and Lauro Baja Jnr, the former Ambassador to the UN and Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Lauro had lived in several countries growing up. He was working at UBS New York in 1998 when he went home to Manila for the Christmas holidays. Grace's mother Virginia Barbers, the wife of the late Senator Robert Barbers, held a Christmas party at home the day Lauro arrived and the Bajas attended. "We were the only young adults there, so Lauro and I ended up talking most of the night," says Grace.

The two were instantly smitten with each other and eventually Lauro asked for a transfer to UBS Hong Kong. "I would visit her every weekend for the next two years - I'd take the last flight to Manila on Friday and fly back to Hong Kong on the first flight out on Monday," says Lauro. They got married in 2002 and they moved to Singapore. In 2003 Grace gave birth to their first son. They moved back to Manila in 2004 and now have another son, aged 4, and a 1-year-old daughter.

From living abroad and travelling constantly, the Bajas have become foodies who love to eat at good restaurants; some of their favourites are Caprice, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon and Lung Kee Heen in Hong Kong; Iggy's, Guy Savoy and Bistro Moderne by Daniel Boulud in Singapore; French Laundry in Napa Valley; Per Se in New York and Arzak in San Sebastian, to name a few. "On Friday nights we have a date," says Grace, who keeps a list of restaurants she wants to try in her mobile phone. "First we eat at a nice restaurant, then usually watch a movie."

La Girolle's menu has limited options, but the items resound with a bang: tartare of lamb loin, terrine of pan-seared foie gras, confit of lamb shoulder. For new diners who can't decide on what they want, a nine-course degustation menu is offered. Chef Padilla came out to welcome the Bajas to the restaurant. He explained each dish as they arrived at the table. The first course that came out was the La Girolle Salad with kesong puti, oranges, roasted beets, grapes, wild and baby arugula in a vinaigrette dressing. "I love beets. I used to live in Brazil where beets were a staple in any salad," says Lauro. Grace agreed about the beets but added, "I like the variations of the greens."

The next dish that arrived was a Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Cheese Ravioli and Lamb Jus. The ravioli was already in the soup bowl and the server poured the thick red pepper soup tableside. Grace enjoyed the flavour of the goat cheese and the red pepper. "I usually like seafood and am a big fan of dessert, Lauro is the one about wine and meat," says Grace, when asked what they usually prefer to order at a restaurant. The main courses that were served next were Pan-Seared Black Cod in Oxtail Marmalade and Garlic Purée and Pan-Seared Duck Magret à la Dragee.

"I'm also serving a Sous Vide French Cut Porkchop with Mashed Potato, Roasted Onion and Lamb Jus, which is not on the menu," says Padilla. He explains that everything is cooked fresh at La Girolle, nothing is kept in the freezer. "When this article goes to print, what we're serving today unfortunately won't be available anymore," he adds. This is the attraction of the menu at La Girolle.

A trio of desserts came to end the meal: Caramelised Lemon Tart, Delice au Chocolate with Salted Caramel and Balsamic Ice Cream and Parfait with Strawberry with Strawberry Sauce and Balsamic Sorbet. Lauro ordered camomile tea; Grace, black coffee. They agree they liked the lemon tart. "It's the best of all the desserts," says Lauro.

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