maybelle victor

I hardly go to dinner concerts or concerts at that.  Although I love music, I have never been a patron of crowds and sweat and swearing or perhaps, “noise” but then again I found myself seated on a dinner-concert at the Heritage Hotel Ballroom waiting for a so-called John Ford Coley whom my dad said to be a singer of songs I am familiar of.  Really now, he couldn’t even name one that I could be familiar of.

Oozing with sarcasm, I was looking forward to the menu.  It says:

Mixed Salad

Pan Roasted Tenderloin Beef with Onion Marmalade, Healthy Leeks, Potatoes and Buttered Seasoned Vegetables with Natural Juice

Mango Mousse with Peach Compote

It was too late for me to realize I had to take pictures for a better but I have to admit, the food was great.  Bread and butter was served first, then the mixed salad which was generally composed of Romanian lettuce, tomatoes, carrot strips topped with a sweet, tangy and tasty sauce was served next.  It was a good start.  So good that I used the wrong utensils for my salad.

The main course was pretty heavy for me.  Plainly speaking, I find that it’s steak with mashed potatoes and yummy gravy on the side, plus steamed vegetables (broccoli, carrots and potatoes) as garnishing.   The thing was the “steak” was medium rare and it’s really juicy and the meat is savory – mouth-watering, you just need to put on the next bite one after the other… until you realize that you’re actually really full.  I don’t like the sweet taste added as perk for the steak though – I love the meat, not the unique sauce.  I love the gravy and the mashed potato but I don’t like the “heavy” feeling it gave me after I ate.  I was ultra-stuffed.  I could hardly start with the dessert and had to order coffee early.  If there was red wine with that steak – man, that would have been heaven.

After dinner, “Olivia,” the Jazz Princess sang with the opening song, “Promise Me.”  It was my first time to hear her sing and she was pretty good and a pretty sight too.  Her voice is unique, a full voice that can reach high notes without having to go on falsetto.  It’s pretty weird seeing someone as young as her sing songs from Dionne Warwick.  But then, I could be as young as her and I was seated there.

Prior to John Ford Coley’s appearance, a short presentation was flashed on the screen.  It was then I found out who he is.  The concert entitled “Love is the Answer 2009″ (which I just found out through that presentation) was a giveaway.  He was the man who popularized the songs:  “Just Tell Me You Love Me,” “Sad to Belong” and “I’d really love to see you tonight” which he sang during the concert.

He also sang a couple of popular songs (of his time) like “Time in a Bottle,” “Leader of the Band” and “Make it With You”.  I must admit, when your expectations are low and your sarcasm is high, it never fails for you to be surprised.

Dinner concerts, after all, do not have the “sweat,” “swearing,” and “noise” I’m complaining about.