Samira by Chele Gonzalez — Restaurant in Tagaytay

When I first saw Samira by Chele Gonzalez on Instagram back in 2020, I dreamed of dining there with a loved one. For our 2nd wedding anniversary, that dream finally came true. It was magical.

We had never been to a fine dining restaurant before, so we felt shy, but the staff made us feel comfortable from the entrance to the terrace table, romantically lit with a beautiful lamp and surrounded by the sounds of nature. The vibe was cozy, peaceful, and intimate.

We ordered The Grill Experience, a four-course meal recommended when I made the reservation because it’s closer to the Filipino palate and yes, it did not disappoint.

DRINKS: We shared a Pineapple Shake and Lemonade—refreshing and great as palate cleansers.

APPETIZERS: The Mushroom & Truffle Croquetas were a revelation. Crispy shell, creamy filling, and rich flavors. The Salmon & Asparagus Pintxos were fresh and balanced, while the Grilled Iberico Pork Satay Skewer won us over with its tender pork and peanut sauce, even surprising my wife who normally dislikes it.

STARTERS: The Baked Brie with Pancetta Tesa came with sourdough and Palawan Honey. On its own, a bit salty, but with honey it was a perfect match. Then came the star: Charred Grilled Octopus. We were stunned. We didn’t expect it to be so tender. It si fresh you can smell the aroma of octopus in every slice. Paired with potato purée, alioli, and black ink crumbs it was unforgettable. Everything blends well but you can taste each component. Never leave Samira without tasting this!

MAINS: By now we were already full, but the mains kept impressing. The Churrasco was cooked medium-well, tender and flavorful, with Chimichurri that my wife really loved. The Pan-Seared Citrus Salmon sang of freshness, topped with charred mayo and crispy fish skin, complemented by asparagus and cauliflower purée. Finally, the Grilled Chicken Paella was a huge, flavorful serving—tender chicken, tasty rice, and delicious socarrat. Too much for us to finish, so we happily took it home.

DESSERTS: The Cheese Ice Cream with Grilled Strawberries was the perfect finale. The cheese ice cream with berry sauce was creamy and bold, the mint refreshing, the strawberries sweet and smoky, and the meringue light yet zesty. Even my wife, who isn’t a cheese lover, enjoyed it.

COMPLIMENTARY: Just when we thought it was over, the staff surprised us with a complimentary anniversary cake—layered with cream and custard, topped with almond flakes, and served with chocolate sauce. Not a tiny slice, but a real cake, beautifully presented with a white chocolate “Happy Anniversary.” Another thoughtful touch that made the night extra special.

STAFF:

MICA - you made our first fine dining experience comfortable with your patience and warm personality. We even shared a few personal chats that made us feel connected. We’ll look for you on our next visit! Thank you!

ALEX - Your detailed explanations about the dishes made us appreciate them even more. You welcomed our questions and made us feel at ease. We admire your craft and are truly grateful.

OVERALL: If you want fine dining at its best, Samira is the place. The atmosphere is cozy, the food is phenomenal, the staff go above and beyond, and the value is incredible. My wife and I are still talking about the food at home. It was the perfect anniversary dinner, and we will...

I dined at Samira with a large party last week and I have to say I’m pretty disappointed. As a fine dining restaurant, we expected more in terms of atmosphere and food. Firstly, the restaurant was ridiculously hot that evening. We asked the servers to turn on the AC and they put some fans toward us but it did not help. We do appreciate their gesture to help however dining in hot weather is very unpleasant.

Next, we had a couple of orders of churrasco at our table. We don’t know if this is on purpose or not, but the potatoes that we thought was originally served as a side were served towards everyone’s last couple of bites of steak. It would have been a much better experience to have the potatoes served alongside the steak. Next, it was notably interesting that my churrasco order was taking much longer to be served in comparison to everyone else. We followed up with our server and soon enough, they come out with a beef tenderloin plate. Turns out there was a mistake, and our plate got switched with someone else’s down the table. The server stood there with the plate and we felt obliged to take it as our dinner despite it not being what we ordered. Another disappointing thing was that the beef tenderloin we ended up eating was basically medium well. Which our expectation was at least for it to be medium rare. The server offered to compensate for this mistake with free coffee or wine and we declined. In my experience with fine dining, a mistake at this scale would be corrected by getting the order we specifically asked for remade instead of obliging us to eat someone else’s order. That is bare minimum or maybe even making my order complimentary as my dining experience was very much unpleasant from not eating the food we originally asked for + the food not arriving on time with everyone else’s. Eventually my uncle asked for coffee and our server offered to make it complimentary. Regardless, I don’t think it was enough to compensate for...

Samira by Chele Gonzales disappointed me.

Disappointed me that it still doesn't reach its audience. Do not let the uninviting entrance fool you, (because believe me, it did.) Because I detest poorly-lit restaurants, but Samira will be an exception. (Their "gay" approach to lighting which is pin-lights, cove lighting was appropriate) that I felt like I was stepping into Barcelona at seven in the evening having Chardonnay with a local artist.

The service is what surprised me. Ms. Alex, our server was beyond hospitable. She made our stay a core memory to remember our friendship for years to come. From having her ask about the bill arrangement before we could even decide amongst ourselves to her having the warmest, inviting smile that even the introverted personas in us wouldn't feel ashamed to ask for an extra glass of iced tea. Keep up the good work.

As much as I wanted to order their set-menu, I knew I didn't had the stomach for it at the time. So (this is something I'm looking forward to return to). But ordering their pan-seared Salmon a-la-carte with a side of generous amount of Homemade Iced tea was more than satiable to quench my dinner. The salmon didn't feel "fishy" nor overcooked, it hit the right amount of "rawness" and "cooked to perfection" that it somehow redefined how I should be able to eat Salmon (and also, I didn't feel eepy intimidated eating the skin).

My friends ordered the Brioche Tartare and Cheese Ravioli which I believe was also up to their standard. Their Hot Chocolate surprised us with the amount — for the environment and price, it was more than we'd expect.

For a fine-dining restaurant situated in the dreamy, secluded place of well-tendered trees and unassuming houses in between, Samira is worth the visit and the money. Would...