Handout photo

Handout photo

Handout photo

Photo by Angelo G. Garcia

Photo by Angelo G. Garcia

Handout photo

Handout photo

Handout photo

MANILA – One of the hottest clubs and restaurants in Mactan, Cebu is finally opening its doors in Manila.

Ibiza Beach Club is a restaurant, club, and entertainment center rolled into one. It’s the brand’s first branch and initial step to its planned global expansion.

Opening on Easter Sunday, April 16, the establishment is located on the sixth level of the new W City Center in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Covering an area of 4,000 square meters, it hopes to attract Manila’s posh and picky crowd with its Ibiza-inspired interiors, top-notch food and world-class entertainment.

Owned and operated by Manuel Osmeña or more commonly known as Manny O, Ibiza Beach Club is proudly Filipino in every detail despite its foreign inspiration. It serves Manny O wines, uses furniture from Cebu, the hostesses’ dresses are designed by Cary Santiago, the wait staff’s shoes are custom-made in Marikina, and the entertainers are all Filipinos.

“Ibiza Beach Club is a philosophy. For the longest time, I’ve been searching. When I was younger, more than 30 years ago, when I started doing business, I traveled all over the world. Whatever money I made, I would put 90 percent of it to look for the best restaurant, to eat the best food, to drink the best wine,” explained Osmeña, chairman of the Manny O Group.

“For the longest time, I was in a quest, I thought, how do I elevate the experience of dining? That’s why I realized that it has to involve all senses. That’s why I say it’s a philosophy,” he added.

Ibiza Beach Club serves international cuisine but it is most famous for its Mediterranean fare. The 15-course Balearic-inspired meal is composed of different kinds of grilled meat, from beef to seafood.

For P2,500 per person, guests can enjoy a variety of grilled protein— like filet mignon wrapped in bacon, chicken thigh, tiger prawns, beef short ribs and leg of lamb, among others — served churrasco style (cooks or waiters carry the grilled meat in skewers and slice it directly onto the plate).

The meal comes with a salad, a choice of starch (rice or mashed potatoes), grilled vegetables, a variety of sauces, and the Queen Piña dessert (grilled pineapple covered in cinnamon and spices served with cream).

The a la carte selection, on the other hand, is a mix of different cuisines. There’s a tapas menu featuring house-prepared charcuterie, bruschetta, jamon Serrano, gambas, imported cheeses, and many more.

There’s also paella, various pasta, and Manny O’s personal favorite, the wagyu beef burger.

When it comes to the space, Ibiza Beach Club has several sections — two sunken lounge areas located at each side of the stage, a formal dining area, a main dining area, an al fresco area with sunken seating, and a Jacuzzi area where guests can take a dip and enjoy the view of BGC’s skyline.

What makes dining here more of an experience is its entertainment. The establishment has its own group called the Ibiza Beach Club Show Team. It’s a group of local artists, mostly from theater, who are products of the brand’s own artist training center, the IBC Performing Arts Academy, Inc.

The group performs three different 45-minute shows, six days a week. One of its shows, called “At the Movies,” is a live performance of various musical numbers of Hollywood movies from different decades.

According to Osmeña, Ibiza Beach Club is a trademarked brand and has been copyrighted in 20 different countries.

After the Manila branch, the company is building another one in Boracay. Osmeña is already in talks with Chinese developers to open Ibiza Beach Club in Shanghai and Beijing.

He plans to likewise bring the local artists abroad in future expansions.

“We will be grooming Filipino artists and export to all franchisees around the world,” he said.