Mint Cafe @ Greenleaf Hotel Gensan

Mint Cafe. Aptly named since mint is one of the strongest scented herbs. This restaurant is part of Greenleaf Hotel's main dining area. I won't be surprised if this will be one of the strongest restaurants to beat in Gensan for sure. It is where the buffet breakfast is served every morning for its guests. 

Its interiors is an extension of the nature-inspired theme used around the hotel, with the microscopic framework of the leaf evident in its ceilings and mirror encrusted towers. So this might be how the royal queen bee must have dined in her hive - very posh interiors! 

I have dined here maybe around three times already since it opened its doors to the public, and I am awed not only of the restaurant's interiors but the quality of food they serve. 

For my first dinner here, I tried the Aged Tenderloin Steak. I ordered it medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. The meat was tender and flavorful, and the steak comes with your choice of sauce: Blackpepper Sauce (try this if you want a sort of spicy gravy); Bernaise Sauce (a buttery sauce with a hint of vinegar and herbs, one of my faves) or the Roasted Garlic Butter (not as liquid as the bernaise sauce, but the garlic and herbs has a rather unique taste for your steak --try it too!) The steak will take you back for about P460 for the 6oz steak.

The Sarangani Bay Seabass is also one of the must try dishes at the Mint Cafe. The seabass fillet is seared just right and the mix bell peppers, tomatoes brings out the flavor in the fish. Surprisingly, this hearty meal will only cost you about P300. For a restaurant in a four star hotel, their price for me is reasonable and not too pricey even for Gensan standards.

Of course we cannot simply fail to try their Grilled Lambchops. Put aside your notion of overpowering flavor and tough cuts, you simply must try their lambchops. The lamb is tender and succulent. This dish will set you back for only P390. 

The dishes we tried are all part of a Special Ala Carte Menu which comes with a complimentary light and easy buffet of green salads, condiments, dressing, soup of the day...

and a selection of breads in the bread station. :) 

For drinks, I tried the Watermelon Shake. Refreshing, but try the green mango shake instead. Nevertheless,at P80, it was okay by far. 

At one time, my daughter and I also dined al fresco at the Mint Cafe. I ordered the Seafood Marinara. I chose the penne pasta for this particular dish. The taste is nothing notable for me since I've had better seafood marinaras. But what I like about this particular pasta is the fact that the chef obviously used fresh tomatoes for his sauce coupled with fresh herbs. Be prepared to shell out P150 for this dish. Not bad huh? Plus the serving is big enough for sharing among two people.

We also tried their clubhouse sandwich labeled as The Club. It was okay, although I was expecting bigger portions of it. Maybe after a dip in the pool and you just want to sink your teeth into something light to eat, then you can try this. It costs about P175. 

The Mint Cafe can sit 150 guests. It also has a VIP room for groups of twelve, for intimate lunch or dinner with friends or family or a luncheon/dinner meeting. 

Mint Cafe is open daily from 6AM till 11PM. For inquiries and reservations, you may contact the Greenleaf Hotel through this number: (083) 552-1111/ 302 1111 Fax (083) 552 8822. Email them at info@greenleafhotelgensan.com or through their website at http://www.greenleafhotelgensan.com