Craving Vietnamese? C75 at The Funny Lion Is Worth the Trip!
Heading to Puerto Princesa? Here's a chic new dining spot you must not miss
Confession: I've been having some sort of a Vietnamese phase lately. This goes not just for food but for the country in general. I've been finding myself searching a lot more Hanoi and Sa Pa travel vlogs on YouTube, and my husband and I have this newfound appreciation for Vietnamese cuisine (not that we weren't fans before). This time around though, every time we dine at a Vietnamese restaurant, we're enamored by the sheer amount of vegetables in the dishes, the freshness, the explosion of flavors—you get the picture. So lucky me (I love my job), as I was recently invited to sample the goods at The Funny Lion Puerto Princesa's newest French Vietnamese Bistro "C75".
The Funny Lion, dubbed Palawan's no. 1 boutique hotel chain, has properties not just in Puerto Princesa, but also Coron and El Nido. Their Puerto Princesa property, set against lush a coconut tree forest, its chic interiors and minimalist aesthetics designed by Eric Paras prove to be a feast for the eyes, and a much-needed haven for relaxation for the oft burnt out city dweller.
During my stay, I felt as if I was being lulled to not do, but just be. To savor every moment I spent there, and savor it I did. I sampled their offerings at HUNT, their in-house restaurant where buffet breakfast, a la carte lunches, and dinners are served, and tried their cookies and took a sip of their famous coffee offerings at their coffee nook just right beside the resort's entrance. I water cycled one morning to their floating kubo, explored Puerto Princesa town, and had a relaxing massage to boot! Safe to say everything was enjoyable and the food was mouthwateringly good, but I'm here to talk about the main reason I came to Puerto Princesa, and that's to find out what C75 restaurant is all about.
The restaurant is found at the third floor of the resort and its ambience is very cool and cosmopolitan, with a terrace that faces the view of the pool and the ocean. Very inviting for in-house guests and walk-in customers alike, C75 is the place to be if you ever find yourself in the Puerto Princesa area.
At the helm of the restaurant is Chef Greg Villalon, the chef who heads all of the resort chain's culinary offerings. At the launch of the bistro, we were greeted by an offering of cocktails to get the evening started, and I opted for a virgin mojito. I wanted to make sure I was tasting everything properly, and not with a tipsy state of being. He told us about the concept behind the restaurant, and as he was doing so, we were handed a mysterious looking envelope that had a "CONFIDENTIAL" stamp on the outside—which turned out to be the restaurant's menu. What it stated got us even more curious about what we were about to experience. We love a restaurant with humor, and this is proof that C75 has just that:
It was then that I learned about Palawan's huge Vietnamese settlement and how Puerto Princesa is known for its Vietnamese cuisine. I couldn't believe my ears as I was hearing this because I've been to Palawan quite a few times and this is the first time I've heard about it. Safe to say I learned something new that night, apart from getting acquainted with delicious dishes. Chef Greg merged French flavors with distinctly Vietnamese dishes like pho, baguette bread, and spring rolls, along with a host of entrees that promise to satisfy the palate.
Swipe through the gallery below to check out the delicious fare we got to try:
C75 at The Funny Lion
C75 at The Funny Lion
Fresh Spring Roll
Mahi-mahi, pickled veggies, and fresh herbs in rice paper. This tasted very fresh and herby, and the taste of the fish was very fresh as well. It was a delicious starter that already had a hefty serving of greens.
Grilled Duck Skewers
Duck breast marinated in spices with remoulade sauce, pickled veggies, and herbs. Another hit for the starters, the skewers were very tender and the combination of crunchy veggies and smoky duck meat were great with the sauce.
Fried Spring Rolls with Ratatouille
This off-the-menu starter can be requested for those who are on a vegetarian diet. The hearty ratatouille inside the crunchy rolls were deliciously paired with cheese fondue!
Bouillabaise Bun bo Hue
Mixed seafood, shrimp terrine, fresh herbs, rice noodles in a spiced seafood broth. This had sweet and rich seafood taste to it at first sip. The serving offers big chunks of seafood and shrimp cakes. When paired with their homemade bread, it's one dish to remember!
Boeuf de Luxe
Braised beef ribs, raw tenderloin slices, fresh herbs, rice noodles in a rich beef broth. This one had a smoky beef flavor right off the bat, with raw slices of beef getting cooked in hot soup. The dish was paired with their homemade bread and beef tartare, a creative way to complement an already outstanding dish.
Trois Champignons
Braised mushroom, oven-dried mushroom, pickled mushroom, fresh herbs, rice noodles in a mushroom vegetable broth. Being the mushroom fan that I am, this pho iteration was literal chef's kiss. It had an explosion of umami flavors that makes it an unforgettable bowl of pho.
Ga Nuong Grilled Chicken
Grilled half spring chicken with lemongrass infusion, brown rice bacon mushroom duxelle and cilantro sauce verde. This could very well be my favorite dish out of everything we ate as I am a fan of anything roasted or grilled chicken. The uniqueness of this dish lies in its tenderness, and the taste of Vietnamese herbs in every bite. An absolute must-try.
Apple & Duck
Fresh apples, house-cured duck breast, quail eggs, raw pineapple, celery, cilantro, roasted cashew, crème fraiche. What's meant to be a salad appetizer served as a refreshing break from all the savory dishes we've had.
Beef Bourguignon
Braised tender beef in red wine and Asian spices, seasonal vegetables, served with toasted baguette. If I had not been devouring everything that came before this dish, I would have honestly asked for a cup of white rice to go with it (the Filipino me really wanted to) as this savory dish offered tender bites of beef in a comforting sauce paired with crunchy veggies. Thơm ngon!
Mango Rum Baba
Rum-soaked cake topped creme chantilly and fresh mangoes. The cake just had the right amount of alcohol taste in it, balancing out the sweetness of the mangoes and the cream.
Cointreau Chocolate Tart
Tablea ganache infused with orange liqueur in coffee crust served with candied calamansi. A sweet ending to a truly sweet treat of a dinner, this dessert had just the right amount of chocolate goodness with the tang of citrusy calamansi.
Check out our experience at C75 in video:
The Funny Lion Puerto Princesa is located at F. Ponce de Leon Rd., Barangay San Pedro, Puerto Princesa City, Puerto Princesa, Philippines. Interested to dine at C75? Follow The Funny Lion Puerto Princesa on Instagram and send them a DM.
Photos by Kate Paras-Santiago using Samsung S24 Ultra
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