Sirena Seafood Restaurant – Shangri-La — Restaurant in Malay

We reside on the island, just 2 minutes from Shangri La. On the occasion of a birthday, we decided to visit Sirena Seafood Restaurant to treat ourselves to some fine food and here is how it went.

Positives:

Food was decent in good portion sizes. Service was good in parts. Beautiful views and constant sound of the waves. We got a wonderful table. Complimentary bread basket with 3 butters was the best dish of the evening. Beautiful property. Our waiter Mark was a very polite person eager to help.

Negatives:

Another reviewer put it perfectly, it felt like we were entering an embassy. Underwhelming entrance, from the security person asking our details, where we stayed and noting it down on a paper, to the ones in the lobby who were only interested in why we were there, everyone was robotic and paranoid rather than being warm and friendly. This is normal in the Philippines and Shangri-La was no exception. If I was staying here and had that reception, I would be very disappointed. Tables not attended to. Poor Mark was running all over the place. We had to ask for the mussel shells to be cleared a couple of times. The staff who poured the white wine sauce over the mussels, spilled some on the table. Did not bother to clean it up. They sang happy birthday at our backs for some reason. It was a nice gesture and cake but why at our backs? Our bank card was taken away for a good 10 minutes. For what? And then the terminal brought to the table. We arrived at 5:45 and left at 7:45. The entire time, although most of the tables were occupied, the place was dead. No music, no band, no singer. Seriously? When asked we were told music starts at the time we left.

Over all a mixed experience but one made nice by some of the good staff and the location. The food was very average, the sloppy fish, the mussels that barely had anything, the wet prawn salad and the unavailable service.

The menu is added to the photos if you want to...

Gorgeous place for an early dinner, especially at the outdoor seating on the small cliff overlooking the beach. The seafood is very good but very very pricey (Php 1000 for a main dish, inclusive of taxes). Consider Indigo at Discovery Shores as an alternative.

The quick grilled Tuna was fork tender, juicy, and filling. The salmon fillet was just perfect. The chefs obviously know what they're doing. And that's important at this price point. I noticed they had the same kids and dessert menu throughout the resort.

While there, consider cocktails at the Solana bar. The basil mojito is refreshing.

Note they do not accept reservations for the outdoor seating so go early which is what we did. What they did not tell us on the phone though was that all the tables were already taken before 515 and there was a four party waiting list for the first table that freed up - fat chance of course. It was really quite disappointing as the indoor seating is dark and unremarkable and while I had been there a number of times, it was the first time for my wife and kids and I really did want them to enjoy.

It was a good thing we ran into Nicholson, a super friendly waiter we met at Kerry Hong Kong. He gamely took our photos. And Jocelyn, our server, was very attentive and proactive.

Three stars only. Lots of good things but at this price point, service needs to...

Amazing sea view and cocktail, that’s the only words! Plate expensive for an average to good quality, nothing exceptional far from a five star hotel. Need a Michelin chief on this kind of standing hotel !(?) Service very long and note really accurate (order plate without spice, as mentioned to the waiter before and plate come with spice, send it back to the kitchen and wait for another 30mn, I’ve finished my plate and my wife even start her plate has it was wrong order.. her sides (plate) arrive in the same time than my main course but cold… Expensive dishes for the quality as we excepted from a five start hotel, we are far from the European 5 five start hotel restaurant. I highly recommend the manager or director to the hotel to have a look of is kitchen staff and chief and have an open mind to make sure is hotel standing match good with his proposed restaurants in the complexe , After a long wait of 30mn the bill arrive wrong (extra drinks added and not ordered mistake between the tables, staff are pleasant but in my opinion organisation could be better. Also wish to mentioned no smoking area available excepted done to the swimming pool… from the rooftop a bit far in my opinion no! Our expectation was way far from what we’ve got there! It worst the view but not the diner in Sirena...