VILLA CAFÉ: Babi Rocks!

by Twinkle

When Chef Jam Melchor of Villa Café posed the question “What’s your favorite cuisine?”, I was ready with my usual repertoire of world delights: Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Korean. But before I could answer he said, “Di ba people usually say Mexican, Italian, para sosyal? Bakit hindi Filipino?” (Don't people usually say Mexican, Italian, to sound sophisticated? Why not Filipino?)

Hmmm… he did have a point.

Whether for a power lunch or liesurely dinner, expect classic Kapampangan recipes
 given a contemporary culinary makeover

Say hello to Filipino food that even your lola would approve of.  They say that Kapampangans are the ones to beat when it comes to Filipino cuisine.  Both hailing from the famous culinary capital of the Philippines, Chef Sau del Rosario and Chef Jam Melchor have dug up their treasured family recipes and used them as the foundation for their new venture – Villa Café.

“This is authentic Filipino cuisine sans the palayok,” says Chef Jam Melchor
who, together with fellow Kapampangan chef, Sau del Rosario, runs VILLA Cafe.

The first thing I saw as I walked through the doors was the pastry showcase right across the room.  Before I knew it, I was headed straight to the desserts! As I peered into the display of Filipino-inspired temptations – chocolate dulce de leche cake, dulce de tsokulate, tsokonut sansrival, etc. - I made a mental note of which items I wanted to try -- except I realized I wanted to try each one!  If they put this much thought into the desserts, I wondered, I had every right to be excited with the Villa's menu.

Our journey through the Kapampangan food wonderland began with their buro with mustasa (P195) -- a colorful array of fresh local ingredients served side by side with crispy hito (catfish) flakes, and Pampanga’s famous buro (fermented shrimp and rice).  Dig in by making your own wraps.  Slap some buro on the mustasa leaf, then put a bit of everything on it before rolling it up.  Get ready for one big bite!

The Kapampangan food experience wouldn't be complete without a taste of their famous buro.  

The slightly bitter leaves of the mustasa give way to the juicy baby tomatoes, bits of native onions, red egg, buro and crispy hito. The interplay of crunchy, salty, sweet, and bitter combined with the surprisingly creamy tang of the buro melded so well that the flavors seamlessly danced across my palate. The last mustasa leaf, (a.k.a. the diyahe piece), caused a stare down for ownership between Ryan and yours truly, which was only broken by the arrival of more appetizers.

Tasty bites of suso.  It actually crossed my mind to have this with rice. 

The tinapa (smoked fish) pate was so flavorful you can’t deny its ‘tinapa-ness’.  It was followed by spicy garlic suso (snails) with lemon grass which where were simply a labor of love (P250), each one shelled by hand and served ready to eat.  The dominant spicy tomato flavors that dress the earthy bites of suso are complimented by olives and capers. Picture a kaldereta dish sans the thick sauce. Although it is not an overwhelmingly big serving, these interesting bites are definitely meant for sharing.

With the open kitchen nearby, the irresistible scents took me back to my own lola’s kitchen.  I couldn’t help but ask Chef Jam how loyal their dishes were to the heirloom recipes they were based on.

“We improve on the presentation, and stay true to the flavors,” he proudly said.

I’ve always been weary of restaurants that describe their fare as ‘modernized’ or as ‘fusion’, then serve a pretty plate in front of me. I’m all for the pretty, but sometimes the dish drowns in all the froufrou that I forget it’s supposed to be comfort food.  At the end of the day I’d still go for comfort food - the type that you randomly crave for at odd hours; where thoughts of it linger in your mind until you finally have that first bite.

Chief of Stuffed: Villa Cafe's bangus relleno

My worries were put to rest as they served the kare-kare crispy pata and the villa relleno (P375). As promised, the dishes emerged in post-makeover fashion with no palayoks in sight.  Although it was prettier than the traditional serving style, the dishes were still recognizable and good to share.

The relleno had that homey feel to it that made me feel like I was having Sunday dinner with family.  The chunky big bites of fish (instead of the indiscernible flakes) carried with it a strong guisado flavor which made me abandon the traditional banana-ketchup-and-relleno pairing.

On the left:  Villa's crispy pata with kare-kare sauce.
On the right:  The sisig sausage with greens tossed in Japanese dressing.

My heart skipped a beat as we dug into Villa’s crispy pata (P495). The marinated pork knuckles were studded with whole peppercorns and served with kare-kare sauce (although I prefer the thick richer version, their kare-kare sauce is perfect for those that like it light) on the side.  A bite of it’s tender meat, and crisp skin would make any crispy pata fan (me) happy.

The last minute addition – the sisig sausage – was welcome with open arms.  The spicy pork sausage is served with a crisp salad tossed with a light Japanese dressing – all I needed was a bottle of ice-cold beer.  To sum it all up, I’ll have to agree with Anthony Bourdain’s love of Philippine pork - babi rocks!

The desire to serve hearty Kapampangan comfort food drives Villa Cafe's dedicated staff

 Against the protests of our already full bellies, we followed our heart, ordered dessert, then walked around a bit to make space for the grand finale.  How can you say no to a generous slice of rich chocolate dulce de leche cake anyway? This simple dessert was a pleasure to have with a cup of freshly brewed coffee.  To the rest of the desserts showcased at the counter here's what I'd say: “I shall return”.

Ms.Lori got it right - desserts do come first!
In photo above: a chocolate cake with dulce de leche.

Villa Café is a pleasant addition to my where-do-I-take-foreign-guests-for-Filipino-food list.  If I could only take them to just one Filipino restaurant, why not win them over with food from the culinary capital?  

Villa Cafe

7427 Glory Building, Yakal St., San Antonio Village, Makati

Contact (63) 917 4343143

Visit www.villacafe.biz

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Diwal-icious at the Mandarin Oriental

by Ryan

Sometimes one good thing leads to another: While tracking down a baker from Ilo-Ilo known for her homemade yema cake, Twinkle and I ended up with invites to a Visayan-themed luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental. As it turns out, the baker in question was also guesting at Paseo Uno for this week's Diwal-icious Visayas: Bounties of The Sea. Not only did we have our fill of yema cake (flown in from Bacolod no less), but also of Chef Pauline Gorriceta-Banusing's other specialties inspired by Ilo-Ilo's thriving culinary scene.

Just this week: Diwal-icious at Paseo Uno

Expect a variety of shellfish including diwal
'Angel Wing' clams (upper right)  during the week-long festival

The food fest revolves around diwal or Angel Wing clams - succulent, juicy shellfish flown in from Capiz. Placed in the endangered species list years ago, diwal has made a bold comeback thanks to the concerted efforts of Capiz locals, the government, and the scientific community. So serious are they about seafood that they hold a yearly seafood festival in Roxas City to celebrate the return of diwal.

Personally I've never been much of a seafood fanatic past the occasional fish and chips. (Which is a shame I know given that I live in a country of over 7,000 islands.) Live shrimp and lobster at Chinese restaurant aquariums intrigue and horrify me, and when cooked and served whole, impress me more as subjects for dissection than potential dinner.

Mmm... Can somebody say facehugger from Aliens?

Bring on the Filipino flavors. Clockwise from upper right: Shrimps in aligue, tuna kilawin, fresh lumpia

Still, it's hard not to resist Mandarin's current seafood buffet (even though diwal's scientific name, cyrtopleura costata, still unnerves me). Expect baby lobsters, shrimp cooked with crab fat, blue marlin, seaweed salad, and pink salmon among the cast. As for the famous clam, you'll be surprised by how much meat there is in each shell. Found fresh, it's already surprisingly sweet. But at the buffet, a little garlic and rock salt adds some welcome contrast. Abroad, diwal is called Angel Wing clams; a prettier, gentler name taken from it's long, oblong-shaped shell reminiscent of angel wings.

Sweet, delicate, juicy Adriana Lima -er, Angel Clams

And while you dine on Visayan seafood, God forbid this be an Ilonggo buffet without all-stars like chicken inasal, chicken binakol, and batchoy.

I'm only happy when it rains...and I'm eating batchoy

Chef Pauline's Chicken binakol has subtler flavors

After what seemed like endless trips back to the buffet table, Twinkle and I finally sunk our forks into Chef Pauline's winning yema cake. Part of The Philippine Daily Inquirer's list of 25 best desserts for 2010, the yema cake will spoil you from first to the last mouthful. Texture-wise it's very dense with layers of meringue icing and yema spread that, as a whole, surprisingly, isn't as sweet as you'd expect. There's a welcome sprinkling of cashew on top as well. Last holiday season, Chef Pauline received a total of 113 orders a few days before Christmas, prompting her to fly from Ilo-Ilo City to Manila on board with more than a hundred boxes of yema cake. Now that's dedication.

The infamous yema cake

Thankfully, she's found an easier way since then: Manileños can order 5 days ahead from Chef Pauline and expect their cake flown over and made available for pick up at her family's restaurant, Freska, at the Promenade in Greenhills. In the meantime, you can savor as much of it as you want the whole of this week, or hoard taro-based toffee bars and servings of ibo (a type of local suman) drizzled with molasses and slivers of Guimaras mango.

Twinkle trying to pry the yema cake recipe from Chef Pauline...

Diwal-icious Visayas: Bounties of The Sea is available at Paseo Uno, The Mandarin Oriental, Makati City from September 19 to 25. Buffet starts at Php 1,800.00++. For more information contact +63 (2) 7508888 ext. 2412/2413.

To order Chef Pauline Gorriceta-Banusing's yema cake contact +63 (2) 7443446, +63 09209039603, or e-mail paulineiloilo@yahoo.com.

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InDinePendence Day Part 1

Street vendors have started selling Philippine flags once again which could only mean one of two things: Either the symbol of our nation can also double as a handy pranela or Independence Day is coming up. Whether or not you paid attention during Araling Panlipunan class, June 12 combines two important milestones in Philippine history – the start of the hot-blooded rebellion against Spain, and later on, graduation from American colony to nation of jeepney-honking, balut-eating patriots. There's no denying our heritage is rich and vibrant, and you don’t even have to go textbook thumping to find out why. Just ask esteemed national historian Professor Yoyoy Villame:

So in honor of Independence Day 2011, Forkplay celebrates our liberation from the drudgery of bland food with 12 of our favorite Filipino dishes (in 2 parts) as redone by some of Manila's top chefs and restaurateurs. Whether it's Claude Tayag's scrumptious pan de bagnet or the deconstructed adobo of KYSS, we've been lucky enough to sample some of these bites, and lived to tell the tale. So we hope you celebrate this Sunday as 'InDinePendence Day', which we admit is blatantly corny, but still, it's a great opportunity to check out how Filipino cuisine has evolved in a globalized world. Let's get started!

Forkplay's Top 12 Favorite Modern Filipino Dishes (in no particular order)

Bacon chicharon. Good things St. Luke's ER is only a few blocks away.

12. BUFFALO BACON CHICHARON

Where: 2nd's, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Claim to fame: 2nd's plush interiors might look like the snazzy set of Mad Men or Boardwalk Empire, but this is undeniably comfort food at its most posh. Their irresistible bacon chicharon, whether served in a pile or with the Brutus (Caesar) salad, is a broad, crisp strip of fried pork that comes with a muscovado mustard and spiced vinegar dip. 

Always order at least two of Chef's Bruce's buko pie martini.

11. BUKO PIE MARTINI

Where: Chef's Table, Infinity Tower, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig   

Claim to fame: Chef Bruce Lim just might be the Indiana Jones of local cooking. He's traveled around the country, picking up peculiar lambanog flavors from Quezon or kilawin from Tabon-Tabon, and possibly eating cooked bat on at least one occasion. Chef Table's buko pie martini is a hot, sweet, and creamy concoction that's made on the open counter of Bruce's kitchen. One is never enough.

Claude Tayag's pan de bagnet. One of the few reasons  to wrench yourself from bed
on a lazy Saturday morning and drive all the way to the Fort.

10. PAN DE BAGNET

Where: Mercato Centrale, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig / Bale Dutung, Angeles City, Pampanga

Claim to fame: There's an ongoing debate among the Forkplay bloggers whether it's better heading to Mercato Centrale on mornings or evenings. If there's one reason to opt for morning's though it's Chef Claude Tayag's pan de bagnet - a Kapampangan homage to porchetta that combines delicate slices of fried pork with lettuce, tomatoes, and bagoong, drizzled with a zesty Asian sauce, in a crusty ciabatta bun. It packs quite a punch for lunch or a mid-morning heavy snack.

This bold-flavored pizza is almost as racy as Rizal's 27th girlfriend.

9. FILIPINO PIZZA

Where: Gourdo's, The Fort Strip, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Claim to fame: Longganisa bits, farmer's cheese, slices of green mango, and salted egg - these are the last things you'd expect to describe a pizza, and yet for all its unusual ingredients, Gourdo's patriotic pie paints a good picture of how Filipinos eat. Big on contrasts, each bite can be sweet, salty or sour, gooey or grainy. Some will find it amazingly versatile, others, quite schizophrenic. Bold and creative, this pizza is a must for the more adventurous diners.

Sisig and noodles. Fat and carbs. Heaven and hell.

8. SISIG PASTA

Where: Hyphy's, The Veranda, Robinsons Galleria, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City

Claim to fame: Hyphy is San Francisco slang for 'hyperactive', which describes much of the menu: a frenetic, gastronomical whirlwind tour through SanFo's many districts and cultures as put together by Chef Bruce Lim. Their sisig pasta will raise a few eyebrows: Pork maskara and a tangy cream thrown in with chilies, cheese, and calamansi. Every forkful is potent with flavors, but it can get cloying after a while so make sure to order other dishes as well.

Gratifying and guilt-free: Pino's kare-kare will make you think twice about vegan cuisine.

7. VEGAN KARE-KARE
Where: PIPINO, 2nd Floor (above Pino restaurant), 39 Malingap Street, Teacher's Village, Quezon City
Claim to fame: Sure, PIPINO is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant, one of several that orbit around UP and the Loyola Heights area, but if you're expecting folk music, faux meat, and the scent of patchouli, think again. Chef Ed Bugia, Alessa Libongco, and their partners have come up with solid, satisfying vegan fare that anyone can appreciate. The homiest of the dishes has to be the house kare-kare, a heart-warming stew of vegetables served with brown rice and black bean-based bagoong. Perfect for rainy weather, and days you want to detox from the week's binge without cutting back on flavor.
   

Where to next? Check out bibingka soufflé and leche flan turon in part 2 of the list on June 12th.

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Cash and Curry

Welcome to the future. Beep boop beep.

Over the years, I’ve nursed a secret love-hate relationship with Bollywood movies. Bombastic, over-the-top, and always packed with cheesy song and dance numbers, I lack the willpower to watch an entire film in one go, preferring instead to take things piecemeal. At Swagat, for instance, a low key Indian diner in Makati, the sari-clad staff will let you mull over roti and curry while watching an endless stream of Bollywood clips: From break dancing Sikhs to weepy princesses to mustachioed matinee idols. (You can also rent Bollywood DVDs and buy jewelry.) You’ll get the same treatment at Swagat’s younger, more upscale sibling, Namaste in Burgos Circle. The tandoori might come from an authentic clay oven, but the atmosphere is just as homey. Owner Komal Khanchandani hovers around like a doting Indian mother, gently prodding diners if they want seconds of crackling papadom.

Roghan Josh at Namaste

Currently, I’m still reeling from Enthiran, Bollywood’s biggest billeted film ever. Equal parts Transformers, The Matrix, and I Robot, it’s the Indian action genre at its most outrageous. Dr. Vaseegaran (played by Asia’s second highest paid actor after Jackie Chan), builds a super-smart robot that looks like him called ‘Chitibubu’ because, you know, it’s a kick ass name in Hindi. When not programming Chitibubu to do the Hammer dance or beat up his lab assistants, Dr. Vaseegaran still has time to flirt with Aishwarya Rai’s character. What a horndog.

Eventually Chitibubu goes rouge, rampaging across a three-hour film filled with exploding cars, smoldering looks, and musical numbers. Suspension of disbelief does not begin to describe Enthiran. Especially so when Chitibubu rides a policeman like a surfboard then multiplies into mean, leather-clad Oompa Loompas who merge into a giant cobra, and gun down dozens more of Indian officers. Throughout most of the climactic battle scene, you’re left shaking your head at how a loveable Indian robot could graduate from break dancing to large scale destruction.

It’s the perfect popcorn flick, but since it’s Bollywood, samosas might be a good substitute. The thing is Indian cuisine continues to fascinate and confuse me: I’ve gawked at aerodynamic wraps of dosa in Singapore’s budget terminal, double-dipped my bread in masala sauce at a Bangalore food court, and hoarded biscuits from the local Indian grocery just because the child on the packaging is adorable. 

Who can say no to those eyes? Those eyes!

In a way Indian food and film keep crossing paths: Couples ply each other with fruits as they playfully chase through forests, weddings are always a feast, and action stars tear through kebabs with relish.   

I have yet to finish Enthiran, but from where I left off, Aishwarya Rai survives, although most don’t including my fragile mind. Somewhere along the way, even before Chitibubu magnetically turns the policemen’s machine guns against them, I lost track of time. It may have been the desert courtship scene. Here, the lead actor who is well over 60, wears a thick toupee. Hiding his gut under layers of scarves and jackets, Dr. Vaseegaran sways his hips to the singsong tunes of Tamil music. There, frolicking amid the sand dunes with his leading lady, I realize I’ve gotten more than what I had bargained for. -- Gastro Boy

This is what all women fantasize about.

Craving for curry? Head to these outposts of Indian cuisine right in Makati and Manila:

Swagat Indian Cuisine

For close to 8 years a mainstay along Rada, you can chow down on your chapati next to Indian expats and AIM students. Swing by during Diwali season to see Swagat decked out with colorful lights. Beware though; you'll easily lose track of time with all the Bollywood DVDs they play.

119 FCC Building, Rada Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City

(632) 501-5079 / 752-5669

Everyday 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM

Namaste India

Fairly new, Swagat's upscale sibling has a built-in clay oven for an even more authentic feel without charging an arm and a leg. Look for favorites like the Roghan Josh, Chicken Rashmi, and Malai Kabab. There's burfi to be had too - a coconut-based sweet that's just like our bokayo.

Unit 1A, Burgos Circle
Forbestown, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

(632)  403-6088
Everyday 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM

Assad Mini Mart

I just love Assad. From wacky snacks to piping hot samosas over the counter, this is the place to go if you want to dabble in cooking Indian at home. Should the exotic offerings puzzle you, the staff's on hand to explain what goes with what else. There are two branches: UN Avenue in Manila and along Jupiter Street in Makati.

Eurocrest Building, Jupiter Street, Bel-Air Village, Makati City

1268-IJK Midtown Hotel Executive Homes
United Nation Avenue, Paco, Manila

(632) 5261349 / 5265034

Everyday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM

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