Gaze into Manila’s new seductive supper club
If your inspiration for a supper club is a legendary mythological being, then you’d have to be able to flex your creative muscles to pull off an experience that is appealing not just to mortals but also immortals.
Of course, the word immortal here is used loosely—perhaps pertaining to revelers who sumptuously hop from one club to the next with nary a hint of lethargy—but one look at Medusa, which just opened at The Palace Manila, and you can tell that it’s built a nightlife destination that won’t turn anyone into stone.
From the creators of Xylo, Revel, Yes Please, and Clubhouse, the shiny new addition to the beating pulse of BGC’s fun party scene blends great food and design with an energy that switches from intimate to in your face.
The standalone destination in The Palace complex welcomes you with a street-facing facade and a private driveway that ushers guests into the ornate venue that can accommodate a total of 220 guests (170 in the main room and 50 in the al fresco area).
The vision is clearly Art Deco with lush tropical details set against a cacophony of deep hues, a fever dream of textures, patterns, and prints splashed across the furnishing and floors, marble and lacquer that add a majestic quality, and a gleaming sky mural that ultimately sucks pleasure-seekers into a metaphorical heaven.
At the center is a standout sculptural oval bar where you can sip signature cocktails (consider the Medusa G&T or The Last Gaze) or, if you prefer simpler, less chaotic setups away from the main room, hang by the welcome bar or the more private lounge bar.
But as it is a supper club, food remains a key component of the experience. Medusa is led by three talented chefs whose experience runs the gamut from Michelin star kitchens to global hotspots: Lisa Revilla (trained under Daniel Boulud and Wolfgang Puck before becoming executive chef at The Dempsey Cookhouse by Jean-Georges in Singapore), David Thien (trained in Cordeillan Bages and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon), and Ruther Sandico (former executive chef of the Bistronomia Group with stints at Rhodes W1 in Grosvenor House Dubai and Skye at The Park Lane Hong Kong).
There’s a lot happening in Revilla, Thien, and Sandico’s menu but it’s certainly compelling enough to have something for everyone, and it definitely brings forward each of their strengths—Revilla’s “refined technique with creative soul,” Thien’s “multicultural perspective rooted in classical French training,” and Sandico’s understanding of international flavors that can pair perfectly with their beverage program.
Start your foray into Medusa’s menu with small plates of croquettas (raclette cheese and bechamel with Ibérico cured ham) or the party-starting crispy salmon sushi, then dive into more things great and small—yellowfin tuna tartare with shiitake and soy dressing, oysters Rockefeller you can’t go wrong with (though you might want to order a couple of these), and meaty mains of chicken Wellington, roasted lamb rack, and fennel kurobuta pork chop.
Scan the dessert section and you’d be hard-pressed to choose just one. The Basque brulee cheesecake with hints of blue cheese, the fresh Eton mess sundae, and the delightful profiteroles are good choices to cap off the night.
Or not, really. Because after a full dining affair, it’s easy to snake your way into the supper club’s more socially-charged environment. Toss in a punchbowl of Medusa’s Revenge (with a Patron Silver base) and you’re good to go—lest you risk tasting the intense Wrath of Perseus instead.
