We got suited up at the resort's dive center, Aqua Sports, at
Fisherman's Cove. Destination was Capitancillo Islet, a lighthouse
island whom the locals shrouded with legend and stories whose plots
vary with the times. It was left unfinished as a Spanish outpost in
the 1800s and finished by the Americans in the 1900s. The Japanese
took over soon after they took over the rest of the country and the
lighthouse acquired its various nuances in architecture.
It took fifty (50) minutes on an outrigger boat to get there. Portside
were views of the beach houses owned by well-endowed families.
Lhuiller's was the modern red house. Structures along the coast are
forced to build down the hillside. Imagine the island like a
mushroom head stuck on the sea; there would be stony outcrops jutting
out onto sandy patches every so often. Anyone who wants to build frst
has to level the stone and hug the slope. This characteristic gives
Alegre its inimitable terrain where one follows patchworked stone
walkways winding to and from one's cabanas (duplex huts) and the other
amenities in the resort.
The private beach houses trickle to lush coastal foliage with a
smattering of nipa huts while starboard, there's nothing but endless
blue water. Our boat (Kanaway 2) was riding against the current and
had us leaping off troughs, leaving clothes salty and sodden, and our
poor heads in a tizzy. The smell of crude was heady on the first deck
and contributed to biyahilo. That aside,all our attention became
riveted to a shiny speck of white on the horizon. Fingers were pointed
and the heavy-duty lenses taken out by the photographers for a closer
look. GM Fritz Kahler explained that this was Capitancillo Islet. From
afar, it may well have been Clark Kent's crystal palace except it's in
the tropics. The modern lighthouse (Australian-made) shone like a
palace tower and became whiter and whiter as we approached.
Unlike diving spots in Mactan, Capitancillo's most attractive asset is
its relative isolation. True, Nilusuan and other islets near it are
just as much a sea life sanctuary as this one off the coast of Bogo.
Sanctuary fees as well as landing fees are paid per head. But at
Capitancillo, you're also given the element of novelty and the visual
impact of a historical structure painted calburo white, surrounded by
white shells and corals instead of sand. The water around it is a
luminous turquoise with darker blues on the deeper end. (I later found
that the islet is surrounded by shelves of sand, that it may seem like
a short distance from shore, but the water is well over six (6) feet
deep just off the sandy shelf! I opted for a sun bath on the rocky
shore after that rude awakening. Capitancillo's rehabilitation has
been through the ongoing efforts of Alegre, the township of Bogo
(explains why there is a town seal) on the lighthouse's base
structure, and the Philippine Navy whose jurisdiction includes all
lighthouses in the archipelago. It was the latter who approached
Alegre to play a part in the islet's welfare. This has been a 2-year
project to date and while the islet's been cleaned up, huts and
grilling areas designed and made, the local fishermen got their own
pitstop too. Better care was given the sea as dynamite fishing was
stopped. Kahler says more exotic wildlife were seen to have been back;
many of whom have been absent from these waters for years. Boating
guests reported seeing manta rays, trigger fish, the dolphins at
sunset, and it may be a little more time before we see the whales again.
Lunch was a desparate effort of formality as staff dressed up plastic
chairs, laid a mantel and rolled up silverware in napkins when most of
us opted to eat with our hands anyway. The beach is always a primitive
affair for Cebuanos as we're always just about 30 minutes from shore.
When we do get the time to play in the water, don't expect us to want
to deal with kubiertos especially when served with grilled seafood.
*Soaps by gema suzara perfumery. Peppermint and oatmeal soap bars.
*Brgy. Liki, Sogod - where the bagon was sourced. 150 small medium
large woven balls used for the christmas tree.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
FEATURE: Alegre Beach Resort
Written by Kristina Suñer Tabon
Word count: 1595
Once in a while one comes across a truly special place. One where
happy memories are always evoked. It's an emotional connection that
may not necessarily be a boon to the establishment as the bar is set
high for the repeat visits. Alegre Beach Resort in Sogod, Cebu, is
such a place. I spent a weekend in the seven-hectare resort as an
impressionable teenager where everything from the custom soap bars,
the local flora, the inexhaustible breakfast, and the endless fun
that I had with family and friends completely enthralled me.
My subsequent visits were never replicas of that first time although
they were as enjoyable. Sitting at the porch to my cabana with a view
of the blue sea, birds chirping in the background, waves crashing on
the shore, while closer by one hears the rustle of thousands of leaves
from the shrubs and trees planted around the cabanas. Despite being a
duplex type where two rooms are connected by a door and may be
occupied by a big family or two separate guests, the clever shrubbery
lends your room a very special exclusivity. You have your own entry
through a raised porch and sliding doors welcome you into a room and
an ample bath and closet area. As a teenager, that bath defined my
concept of a "comfort room," and I spent a considerable amount of
time in there. There are lots to do in Alegre. The resort is seventy-
five (75) kilometers away from Mactan Island where the international
airport is located. Aside from three (3) natural private coves, white
sand, and spectacular diving destinations, they have a lovely swimming
pool and interminable lush gardens of local flora. This last factor
is just one of the inherent charm that works in Alegre's favor. They
use everything available locally. Every species of plant in the
resort is endemic to Cebu. They even grow some of the herbs they use
for the kitchen and an orchid farm now thrives adjacent to the hotel.
These same orchids adorn every centre piece in the resort, from lobby
to dining and even on guest-room tabletops.
Getting there is another story. It is highly recommended to leave
Cebu City no later than midmorning so that you'll arrive in time for
their superb lunch buffet. An hour's drive north of Cebu province,
and you leave the city bustle behind, traversing through sinuous the
foothills along the main supply route (MSR). You'll ponder the sudden
shift from tall gray structures to mere ground-level establishments
where oddly enough, the sputtering from the tricycles and the
thundering of big buses are your only hints to the city life you left
behind. Remember to sit at the van's right side if you want to enjoy
the coastal views. What you'll see is miles and miles of azul waters
stretching into a rain-promised horizon. The panorama unfolding on
portside would be of sporadically sparse hills, lots of nipa
shrubbery, and coconut trees peppered with a variety of other tropical
species. Bananas abound. You will cross the towns of Consolacion,
Liloan, Danao, Carmen, Catmon, and then Sogod. Be sure to make last-
minute important calls and SMS before reaching Catmon as the MSR is
carved along a hillside of sedementary rock (which makes up the entire
island, actually) and will definitely cut off all communication
devices. Reception comes back on upon reaching Sogod. But who will
you want to be texting anyway? The ride is like the cleansing ritual
for Alegre. While one sits in a comfortable shuttle provided by the
resort, one leaves behind the physical and psychological noise until
one becomes aware of the present. Oh sure, your companions will be
chatting away and you'll probably have your iPods with you, but trust
me, a 2-hour bus ride with a view of the sea can be spiritual if you
let it. By this time, you and your companions will be sitting in
comfortable silence. After crossing Sogod town lines, it's only a
minute before signboards to Alegre become common. You can't miss the
chapel the huge signboard sits on. Here we see a subtle shift in flora
as small corn fields come into view as well as occasional bamboo.
Bananas are ubiquitous and so are the coconuts. The road goes winding
up a hill. The van will descend into a goat trail and you'll start
rethinking about the kind of amenities to expect from the resort, but
you'll heave a sigh of relief when the manicured lawns and the orchid
farm come into view.
At the lobby, we were met by Alegre's general manager, Fritz Kahler,
and the lovely women and men who help run the resort. Welcome drinks
were served and each of us were offered refreshing cold towels. One
whiff and nostalgic memories come back. Hints of rosemary and mint
(incidentally two of this author's favorite herbs ever) infuse more
than just the towels. Alegre's bath essentials were specially
concocted by perfumer Gemma Suzara. Whilst at the resort, every post-
swimming shower will be graced with a bar of castile soap with a touch
of rosemary and mint, plus raw oats as an exfoliant. Alegre's PR,
April Tudtud Ramos, wrote in a press release that, "The shampoo has
pure ion-free water, coconut oil base foaming agent, sea salt, wheat
protein, fruit base citric acid, plant preservatives, moringa seed
extract (known as Malungay) and a natural hair protector against
environmental stress and pollution with UV protection. The
conditioner is the same with the shampoo without the coconut oil base
foaming agent but with an extra virgin coconut oil instead.
The bathroom gel has the same ingredients as the shampoo without the
moringa seed extract but with an added amount of coconut oil to
moisturize the skin. For the bath salt, ingredients include salt,
coconut oil scented with Mimosa and the body scrub scented with
Vanilla Oil. These ingredients are environment friendly as they
biodegrade in the water and/or soil. Perfumer Gemma Suzara is an
activist for Peace and Non Violence. She works contemporaneously with
many others all over the planet to conquer all forms of violence
consisting of the respect and care for the environment we live in for
both human and natural. She studied Natural Perfumery and
conceptualized a business that gives her an opportunity to apply her
vast knowledge of fragrances." Everything from soap to gels and bath
salts use natural ingredients and are kept in specially designed
ceramic bottles. This environmentally conscious approach to
housekeeping is another notch on the charms of Alegre.
DINNER AT TALISAY BEACH
The Amihan was blowing in like it does every evening according to Mr,
Kahler, bringing in some light drizzling, yet this teeny detail wasn't
going to hamper dinner out on Talisay beach, so named because of the
Talisay trees decking the shoreline. White dinner plates, formal
silverware, and red napkins adorned a long table illuminated by
lamplights. It was a moonlit night and if this were a dinner for two,
it would have been utterly utterly romantic.
Chef Martin Przewodnik had "slaved" all day to make us (media men) a
special dinner. First, an introduction is in order. Chef Przewodnik
has lived in the Philippines for seventeen years (and counting). With
a wife and three kids, he has been with the Pathfinder Holdings group
(PHPI), having previously been with the Cebu Plaza Hotel. His being a
German national doesn't stop him from experimenting with local
ingredients---voraciously, I might add, that at one point in the 6-
course dinner, we food writers wondered if we were ingesting some
fancily prepared grass growing on the gardens around our cabanas. The
plant species in question was osiman, reincarnated as fritters for
that particular plate, sweated out between seared peppery duck breasts
and proved divine with the caramelized onions and ube mash. The
grainy ube mash provided contrast to the duck meat's lingering peppery
finish. Downed with sparkling white and the buttery notes manifest
just at the back of the tongue. Later quizzed about the sequence of
his entrees, Chef Przewodnik explained that the sea bass would've made
a stronger impression if served before the duck. And he was right,
the sea bass was the winner of winners on that table as it was
beautiful with the sharply orang-ey banana blossom and coconut rice.
It was no simple coconut rice either. The rice was cooked inside the
husk and steeped---completely---in its water. To reveal its precious
insides, Chef Przewodnik brandished a short sword and cracked the nuts
open one by one. Talk about drama. Every bite was a sticky sweet
velvety sensation, then followed by a sip of citrusy Monkey Bay to
cleanse the palate for the next sinful mouthful. It's no wonder the
restaurants overseen by Chef Przewodnik have the stamp of approval
from the Chaine des Rotisseurs.
THE MENU
Green jackfruit mousseline and rock lobster spring roll served with
Balsamic reduction
Truffle and Boletus essence
Grilled duck breast with tisa lemon grass sauce on ube puree and
osiman leaves
Green mango granita with coconut punch
Calamansi-scented Chilean sea bass on spicy banana blossom served with
coconut rice and orange jasmine sauce
Red wine and Bailey ice cream in chocolate syrup
Tea or coffee
THE WINE LIST
Pol Clement Brut
Blanc de Blanc, Vin mousseaux
or Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, New Zealand
2006 Bernkasteler Lay
Riesling, Kabinett
Weingul Dr. Loosen
Cognac/Liqueurs
Word count: 1595
Once in a while one comes across a truly special place. One where
happy memories are always evoked. It's an emotional connection that
may not necessarily be a boon to the establishment as the bar is set
high for the repeat visits. Alegre Beach Resort in Sogod, Cebu, is
such a place. I spent a weekend in the seven-hectare resort as an
impressionable teenager where everything from the custom soap bars,
the local flora, the inexhaustible breakfast, and the endless fun
that I had with family and friends completely enthralled me.
My subsequent visits were never replicas of that first time although
they were as enjoyable. Sitting at the porch to my cabana with a view
of the blue sea, birds chirping in the background, waves crashing on
the shore, while closer by one hears the rustle of thousands of leaves
from the shrubs and trees planted around the cabanas. Despite being a
duplex type where two rooms are connected by a door and may be
occupied by a big family or two separate guests, the clever shrubbery
lends your room a very special exclusivity. You have your own entry
through a raised porch and sliding doors welcome you into a room and
an ample bath and closet area. As a teenager, that bath defined my
concept of a "comfort room," and I spent a considerable amount of
time in there. There are lots to do in Alegre. The resort is seventy-
five (75) kilometers away from Mactan Island where the international
airport is located. Aside from three (3) natural private coves, white
sand, and spectacular diving destinations, they have a lovely swimming
pool and interminable lush gardens of local flora. This last factor
is just one of the inherent charm that works in Alegre's favor. They
use everything available locally. Every species of plant in the
resort is endemic to Cebu. They even grow some of the herbs they use
for the kitchen and an orchid farm now thrives adjacent to the hotel.
These same orchids adorn every centre piece in the resort, from lobby
to dining and even on guest-room tabletops.
Getting there is another story. It is highly recommended to leave
Cebu City no later than midmorning so that you'll arrive in time for
their superb lunch buffet. An hour's drive north of Cebu province,
and you leave the city bustle behind, traversing through sinuous the
foothills along the main supply route (MSR). You'll ponder the sudden
shift from tall gray structures to mere ground-level establishments
where oddly enough, the sputtering from the tricycles and the
thundering of big buses are your only hints to the city life you left
behind. Remember to sit at the van's right side if you want to enjoy
the coastal views. What you'll see is miles and miles of azul waters
stretching into a rain-promised horizon. The panorama unfolding on
portside would be of sporadically sparse hills, lots of nipa
shrubbery, and coconut trees peppered with a variety of other tropical
species. Bananas abound. You will cross the towns of Consolacion,
Liloan, Danao, Carmen, Catmon, and then Sogod. Be sure to make last-
minute important calls and SMS before reaching Catmon as the MSR is
carved along a hillside of sedementary rock (which makes up the entire
island, actually) and will definitely cut off all communication
devices. Reception comes back on upon reaching Sogod. But who will
you want to be texting anyway? The ride is like the cleansing ritual
for Alegre. While one sits in a comfortable shuttle provided by the
resort, one leaves behind the physical and psychological noise until
one becomes aware of the present. Oh sure, your companions will be
chatting away and you'll probably have your iPods with you, but trust
me, a 2-hour bus ride with a view of the sea can be spiritual if you
let it. By this time, you and your companions will be sitting in
comfortable silence. After crossing Sogod town lines, it's only a
minute before signboards to Alegre become common. You can't miss the
chapel the huge signboard sits on. Here we see a subtle shift in flora
as small corn fields come into view as well as occasional bamboo.
Bananas are ubiquitous and so are the coconuts. The road goes winding
up a hill. The van will descend into a goat trail and you'll start
rethinking about the kind of amenities to expect from the resort, but
you'll heave a sigh of relief when the manicured lawns and the orchid
farm come into view.
At the lobby, we were met by Alegre's general manager, Fritz Kahler,
and the lovely women and men who help run the resort. Welcome drinks
were served and each of us were offered refreshing cold towels. One
whiff and nostalgic memories come back. Hints of rosemary and mint
(incidentally two of this author's favorite herbs ever) infuse more
than just the towels. Alegre's bath essentials were specially
concocted by perfumer Gemma Suzara. Whilst at the resort, every post-
swimming shower will be graced with a bar of castile soap with a touch
of rosemary and mint, plus raw oats as an exfoliant. Alegre's PR,
April Tudtud Ramos, wrote in a press release that, "The shampoo has
pure ion-free water, coconut oil base foaming agent, sea salt, wheat
protein, fruit base citric acid, plant preservatives, moringa seed
extract (known as Malungay) and a natural hair protector against
environmental stress and pollution with UV protection. The
conditioner is the same with the shampoo without the coconut oil base
foaming agent but with an extra virgin coconut oil instead.
The bathroom gel has the same ingredients as the shampoo without the
moringa seed extract but with an added amount of coconut oil to
moisturize the skin. For the bath salt, ingredients include salt,
coconut oil scented with Mimosa and the body scrub scented with
Vanilla Oil. These ingredients are environment friendly as they
biodegrade in the water and/or soil. Perfumer Gemma Suzara is an
activist for Peace and Non Violence. She works contemporaneously with
many others all over the planet to conquer all forms of violence
consisting of the respect and care for the environment we live in for
both human and natural. She studied Natural Perfumery and
conceptualized a business that gives her an opportunity to apply her
vast knowledge of fragrances." Everything from soap to gels and bath
salts use natural ingredients and are kept in specially designed
ceramic bottles. This environmentally conscious approach to
housekeeping is another notch on the charms of Alegre.
DINNER AT TALISAY BEACH
The Amihan was blowing in like it does every evening according to Mr,
Kahler, bringing in some light drizzling, yet this teeny detail wasn't
going to hamper dinner out on Talisay beach, so named because of the
Talisay trees decking the shoreline. White dinner plates, formal
silverware, and red napkins adorned a long table illuminated by
lamplights. It was a moonlit night and if this were a dinner for two,
it would have been utterly utterly romantic.
Chef Martin Przewodnik had "slaved" all day to make us (media men) a
special dinner. First, an introduction is in order. Chef Przewodnik
has lived in the Philippines for seventeen years (and counting). With
a wife and three kids, he has been with the Pathfinder Holdings group
(PHPI), having previously been with the Cebu Plaza Hotel. His being a
German national doesn't stop him from experimenting with local
ingredients---voraciously, I might add, that at one point in the 6-
course dinner, we food writers wondered if we were ingesting some
fancily prepared grass growing on the gardens around our cabanas. The
plant species in question was osiman, reincarnated as fritters for
that particular plate, sweated out between seared peppery duck breasts
and proved divine with the caramelized onions and ube mash. The
grainy ube mash provided contrast to the duck meat's lingering peppery
finish. Downed with sparkling white and the buttery notes manifest
just at the back of the tongue. Later quizzed about the sequence of
his entrees, Chef Przewodnik explained that the sea bass would've made
a stronger impression if served before the duck. And he was right,
the sea bass was the winner of winners on that table as it was
beautiful with the sharply orang-ey banana blossom and coconut rice.
It was no simple coconut rice either. The rice was cooked inside the
husk and steeped---completely---in its water. To reveal its precious
insides, Chef Przewodnik brandished a short sword and cracked the nuts
open one by one. Talk about drama. Every bite was a sticky sweet
velvety sensation, then followed by a sip of citrusy Monkey Bay to
cleanse the palate for the next sinful mouthful. It's no wonder the
restaurants overseen by Chef Przewodnik have the stamp of approval
from the Chaine des Rotisseurs.
THE MENU
Green jackfruit mousseline and rock lobster spring roll served with
Balsamic reduction
Truffle and Boletus essence
Grilled duck breast with tisa lemon grass sauce on ube puree and
osiman leaves
Green mango granita with coconut punch
Calamansi-scented Chilean sea bass on spicy banana blossom served with
coconut rice and orange jasmine sauce
Red wine and Bailey ice cream in chocolate syrup
Tea or coffee
THE WINE LIST
Pol Clement Brut
Blanc de Blanc, Vin mousseaux
or Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, New Zealand
2006 Bernkasteler Lay
Riesling, Kabinett
Weingul Dr. Loosen
Cognac/Liqueurs
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Critic's Log: Maya Taqueria and Tequila Lounge
Word Count: 1265
One enters Maya expecting to tread on the presumably familiar ground of Mexican cuisine, expecting the usual nachos melting all over with commercial cheddar. They have a tequila bar and you think, Oh yeah, that one I know very well; referencing doggone collegiate inebriety and the ubiquitous Cuervo.
The world of microwave burritos and cheddar-morphed nachos is what we familiarly call Mexican food around these parts. Sombreros, ponchos, loud music and all things garish usually make for stereotypical backdrops but Maya is proving to be quite the opposite of these pre-conceived notions.
A pair of massive hand-carved wooden doors makes a statement entrance into Maya Taqueria and Tequila Lounge, making one feel as if stepping unto hallowed ground. The religious theme carries on through intricately decorated antique plaques of Catholic deities adorning the wall adjacent to the restrooms. Why Catholic? Because they too were colonized by the cross-bearing Spanish, eventually linking Mexico and Manila in their transatlantic trade route. The floor tiles are cinnabar-red, as in the Mayan practice and where one expects to find white stucco carved with the faces of ancients and glyphs, are gray slate on walls. Various masks liven up the ground floor bar, all from Mexico, says PR Kaye Luym, as were the ancient candle holders in recessed shelves decorating the lounge upstairs and the gigantic mardi gras mask on the stairway wall. Pops of color emanate from the blown glass lighting ornaments from the ground floor window sills, turning up the wooden glow of the simply clad tables.
Seating is a tactile experience as the chairs are upholstered in smooth cozy mocha-brown suede, a bonus for sure after a margarita or two when all senses are heightened. It makes for an elegant and sexy ambience at the lounge. In keeping with the rustic unfinished style so commonly associated with Mexico, Mactan-made wrought iron grillwork painted black make low-profile embellishments to just about everything from the hanging chandeliers flanking the carved entrance door to a divider between the bar and the cozy lounge, to ceiling ventilation grills. It not only echoes the mildly religious undertone of the interiors (the candle holders, the plaques) but also stresses the historical fact that Mexico shares a politico-religious affiliation with the Philippines---and Cebu, being the first city of the conquistadores. From this standpoint, the Hyatts make their rationale behind creating a restaurant like Maya in a slower-paced city like Cebu.
Mood lighting adds to the luxurious feel of the lounge---no need to expound on what they do to our pupils and how that equates to romance---while framing the ninety plus bottles of amber tequila at the second-floor bar. A whiff of any of those potions of 100-percent de agave proved almost opium-like: complex, woody yet heady, with promises of smooth ingestion and the grand possibility of uninhibited interpersonal behavior. A bottle will set you back several thousands and the bottles alone make quite the centrepiece as well since each came with distinct styling, from modern crystalline to colored glass to glazed ceramic.
Maya's getting snaps from the smart set for its margaritas and mojitos both of which they thankfully didn't overdo with sugar syrup. A portion of the glass lips were covered in crushed salt and the organically grown mint leaves were sufficiently muddled that they clouded the mellow yellow of the mojito. 45 mL of tequila per glass will scarcely make any lady lose her inhibitions, so this one gets my recommendation for best post-workday tipple. Stick to 2 glasses and you're still good to drive back home. For more SJP (and Sex and the City) appeal, there's the margarita, the most popular of which is the regular concoction sans the curaçao-induced colors. The men can be more macho about it and maybe knock back tequila shots although dates can be sure their boys won't get serious with the guzzling as it's going to cost them a few grand. A few San Mig lights should do just as fine.
We Filipinos just can't do without our pica-pica while drinking and this is where the nachos and burritos come in. One thing to understand about Maya Taqueria: it's gourmet-prepared plebeian fare in a luxe dining setting. There's no other way to enjoy a hand-ground soft-shell taco with REAL tomato salsa and slow-roasted organic pork than to roll it all up with your fingers and bite off a piece. To eat this reverently prepared food with a knife and fork, I daresay, is disrespecting the gustatory experience. Part of its appeal is the feel of the grain on your fingertips as you roll the taco, the commotion of aromas wafting up your nose as you prepare them, the puckering of your lips as you bite; all integral to the enjoyment of the dish which you'll never experience were you to eat it with kubiertos.
SALSA ROJA
Tomato salsa with coriander, kalamansi, and chilis served with homemade masa chips
For a commoner's dish like the salsa roja (PhP150), there was a remarkable attention to detail, what with chips made from organic sources and the salsa a heavenly macedoine mix of diced tomato, cilantro, and chilis. And no, they didn't scoop this out of a can, which would be a shame to do when the masa chips are homemade and made fresh daily.
The menu opens to a full-page introduction:
"Mexican cuisine that is actually eaten and enjoyed regionally in Mexico, albeit filtered through our whimsical lens. By embracing both Mexican tradition and local sensibility, we offer a creatively classic cuisine that marries well-known Mexican street food from the street stalls of Mexico City and family dishes from the coast of the Mayan Riviera and the inventiveness of the Hispanic community of Los Angeles; we aim to showcase the passion of utilizing the freshest of the fresh to create an original mix of rich flavor in each signature dish."
CEVICHE DE CAMARON
Shrimp ceviche in lime and coriander with horseradish gazpacho and masa chips (PhP235). Mexican fare isn't strange to the Cebuano palate as ingredients are all available locally and were in fact farmed in the outskirts of the city. The seafood we can relate to like in this ceviche preparation. Corn is a historical staple as well. We often hear our elders tell stories about polenta-like staples accompanying their viands. In fact, some of us still have elders who prefer corn to rice! The camaron livens up with the tang of tomato sauce and the cilantro---a combination prevalent in the dishes served us that day.
TACOS/CARNITAS
Six-hour roasted organic pork shoulder with cumin, coriander, and chilis served with fresh tortillas (PhP 455).
COSTILLAS EN SALSA CHIPOTLE
Slow-cooked baby back ribs with smoky chipotle bbq and escabeche (PhP 395). A winner hands down: Perfect for the hungry Jack with carnivorous leanings. You won't have to struggle to get the meat off as it slides of the bone with light twist of the fork and is mouthwatering with a spritz of lemoncito (calamansi).
CHURROS CON CHOCOLATE (PhP 145)
Wrap up the meal with cinnamon-dusted churros dipped in thick tsokolate sauce.
Executive Chef Aimee Tran (2009-present)
Backgrounder on Chef Aimee: http://www.chefdb.com/nm/10711/
Le Cordon Bleu, California School of Culinary Arts, Pasadena (United States)
Contact details:
MAYA TAQUERIA + TEQUILA LOUNGE
Address: Crossroads Banilad, Cebu City, PH
Telephone no.: (032) 238.9552
Sources:
Chefdb.com
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Critic's Log: Cheon San, Imperial Palace’s Chinese-cuisine restaurant
Word Count: 791
Named after the contiguous mountain peaks of China, Cheon San serves just as wide a variety of Korean-Chinese dishes, featuring an a la carte menu, set menus, and fine dimsum prepared by a chef with serious serious Chinese cuisine credentials: Chef Kenny Yong Tze Hin. Here he blends his modern Cantonese dishes with touches of Korean, like the four-part appetizer reminiscent of kimchi.
A starter of yellow-gold chrysanthemum tea was served first which we later realized was the key to lasting through the epic affair of fine Chinese dining.
The dimsum platter did not sound ominous at all when it was introduced. We were to sample a piece or two each of the fist-sized portions of various dimsum preparations like fried bean curd wrapped in wonton wrapper, siomai with crab roe, gorgeously delicate steamed hakaw, and deep-fried taro puff. Then came the deep-fried prawn with almond flakes which gave it different levels of crunch and flavor. I could feel all the bean bean curd and fried wonton settling in my stomach and I thought, I was going to have to skip dinner that night and breakfast the next day.
Perhaps now the Korean dishes will be served, but no, the golden crispy Peking Duck was wheeled in, carved and rolled in wrappers with slivers of cucumber, shallots, with a caramel brown sauce that lingered after each bite. The duck, we later found, was flown in from Beijing just for the occasion.
The more familiar King Prawns (with chili sauce garnished with chopped shallots) made its appearance. It is among Chef Kenny's more popular preparations and smacks of the heavier-sauced predilections of South to Southwestern Chinese cooking. Beautiful as always, especially when followed by another seafood dish with a contrasting texture: silky soft baked catfish, again with a sweet burnt caramel finish edged with tangy mayonnaise. Most unfortunately, as the servers introduced the dish, they refrained from mentioning the cholesterol and calorie counts of each serving, so we turned to our tea cups and downed some more chrysanthemum tea and magically felt we could ingest more of this rich indulgent food. The Peking Duck was later served with a nice chili sauce and champignon mushrooms. This wasn't enough, says Chef Kenny, referring to the numbers rule in Chinese food service. The number of dishes served must never be odd and there we were, stuffed tea-infused gluttons, still at dish number eight (not counting the chili-sauced duck).
The crowd favorite came next---soft-shell crab deep-fried in egg yolk. The men ate it along with its vibrantly orange shell adding to the crunch (as well as the oiliness), the taste of briny sea and the sandy texture of crab roe. As a fitting cleanser to the crab dish, freshly made egg-noodles in black-bean sauce came next. I thought of it as akin to the French onion soup judging from the amount of caramelized onions in it, but Chinese. It tasted nothing like the French's. This was thick and saucy, with the noodle's fresh starch contributing to the soup's texture. It wasn't salty but it was full-flavored, truly something I would crave on a rainy day. There was one other soup dish served earlier on---like a birds' nest soup with the feathery egg-whites in a viscous sauce but laden with an interminable list of chopped vegetables. If I were on sick bay, that soup would have nourished me back to health. Unfortunately, it wasn't welcomed with much enthusiasm by the other food writers, as it did taste more grassy than the usual gamey soups we're more accustomed to (chicken or beef soup). Another of the table's favorites were the taro puffs and of course, the dessert of homemade ice cream and various pudding-like sweets. Thankfully, we had tea to wash all this down with. A wide variety of liquor and spirits were also available.
The menu of Cheon San offers what strikes me as a heavily Chinese-style set of dishes rather than the Korean-Chinese promised by the staff. They claim that this is the same cuisine served at the Cheon San Restaurant at Seoul's Imperial Palace.
Private rooms are available at Cheon San, each of the 8 posh dining areas can seat up to 16 persons and are named after the major cities of China. Cheon San is open for lunch from 12NN to 230PM and for dinner, from 6PM to 10PM.
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