Let's Eat November Issue by Tammy Mendoza

LET'S EAT — October 2015

THE

DESSERT

ISSUE

LET'S EAT — November 2015

NOV. 201 5

LORI BALTAZAR

TACO VENGO

W H AT ' S IN S IDE

LADUREE

HONEY CREME

ISSUE NO. 29

SINGLE ORIGIN

THE LIST

LET'S EAT — November 2015

L E T 'S E A T

THIS WAY IN

ON T H E COV E R DON JAUCIAN Managing Editor

PATRICK DIOKNO Art Director

SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Writer

There are two food writers I admire most: Anthony Bourdain and Lori Bautista-Baltazar. Lori’s “Dessert Comes First” elevated food blogging into literature; it is, by far, the best Filipino food blog. Earlier this year, when the Let’s Eat team was mapping out our 2015 line-up, the idea for a “Sweets” issue came up, and Don, Gabby, and I spontaneously and unanimously wanted Lori to be part of it. And we’re very pleased and proud that we did get our wish. It’s been a most challenging year for her, but our idol came through and we’re honored to have her introduce this issue, that in so many ways, she inspired. — SPANKY ENRIQUEZ

GABBY CANTERO Photographer

RALPH HILARIO BERT SANTOS Photographer’s Assistant

MANO GONZALES Contibuting Illustrator

LUCIEN DY TIOCO SVP for Sales & Marketing

ANNALYN DELGADO Editorial Assistant Let’s Eat is published by The Philippine Star 202 Roberto Oca St., Port Area, Manila For inquiries, call 5277901 local 132 or email letseat062013@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/LetsEatPhilStar Instagram: letseatph

Halo-Halo Cheesecake from Indugence by Irene Photo by GABBY CANTERO

LET'S EAT — November 2015

THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE ILLUSTRATED BY MANO GONZALES

Lori Baltazar of ‘Dessert Comes First’ on the thrills and allure of all things sweet

LET'S EAT — November 2015

you down—Honey Creme’s Soft Serve Milk Ice Cream, that is, as forkfuls of Matcha Beignets by Kapeng Mainit make you feel the heat. Yeah, now you’re getting it—the heady hits of cold and hot and the rapture of touch on tongue. As every devotee to sugar knows all too well, it’s the various pronouncements of flavor, texture, and temperature that stoke the flames of dessert desire.

THIS ALL DESSERTS ISSUE OF LET’S EAT IS A PRECIOUS BLUEPRINT TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE NEWNESS OF THIS YEAR’S OFFERINGS.

n interesting thing happens once October scatters its remaining days. There’s a relaxing of restrictions and soon, all sights are set on the acquisition of the sweet. As someone who has devoted her professional life to dessert, having organized numerous dessert buffets and featuring hundreds of bakers on my website, I know this better than anyone. I thrill to the search for new sugar highs, believing as I do that there’s no metaphor more captivating than the love for dessert. Thus, this all desserts issue of Let’s Eat is a precious blueprint to help you navigate the newness of this year’s offerings.

There are some desserts in this issue that give me pause. The 20-Yolk Yema Cake by Wadough seems like a frivolous flight of fancy but oh so fascinating. Is it worth it? I demolish multiple mouthfuls. Yes. Oh, yes. And what of that Halo-Halo Cheesecake by Indulgence by Irene? Let’s put it this way: a motley mix of heaven isn’t always found in a glass. These are but a tasting menu of the sweets you’ll find in this issue. I won’t give away too much since I believe that one wants more when there’s mystery involved. All these treats were carefully chosen, singular pleasures of sugary synergies colliding and combining, beckoning: To you. So, give in to your slackening resolve and surrender to these sweets. The human stomach has an astounding ability to find (more) room for dessert. Enjoy with abandon!

In this edible landscape, there’s something for everyone, whether you be a some-time, at-Christmas-only occasional nibbler; or, if like me, you’ve got a dessert hunger on you a hundred times fiercer than the average human. To begin: The Macarons from Ladurée, fine and familiar, get you started nicely. Follow it up with bites of Taco Vengo’s hot Chwaffle, a churros-waffle hybrid, chased by spoonfuls of a Pandan Trifle from Pepita’s Kitchen. A few swigs of Spicy Mexican Coffee by Boom’s Cold Brew, and now you feel the rhythm revving up. Lick it up and let it cool

LET'S EAT — November 2015

BELLE ÉPOQUE BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTO BY GABBY CANTERO

Delicately crafted and exquisitely sweet, Ladurée ’s storied macarons finally make their way into Manila

Laduree Boutique is located at 8 Rockwell, Hidalgo Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati.

LET'S EAT — November 2015

t’s posh. Very posh. And it’s one of the most elegantly aromatic shops in the whole city, not because of French perfume, but because it’s filled, wall to wall, with what are considered as the best macarons in the world. Welcome to Ladurée. The Philippine flagship store which opened recently is located on the ground floor of Rockwell 8, the newest building in the city’s most

EVERY MACARON IN LADURÉE IS IMPORTED, SHIPPED TO ALL POINTS OF THE GLOBE, DIRECT FROM THEIR CENTRAL BAKERY IN SWITZERLAND. exclusive enclave. It’s the latest global outpost of Louis Ernest Ladurée’s pastry shop, which he first opened in Paris’ rue Royale back in 1862. The history of the Ladurée family and macarons are tightly intertwined, but the macaron as we know it today is actually the modern version. The first macarons originated in Italy, and reached

France sometime in the 16th century. Legend has it that in 1792, two Carmelite nuns, on the run after being driven out of their convent during the French Revolution, decided to make a living by baking. They perfected the recipe for the rustic cookie that used ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar. Their simple pastry became very popular, and the nuns became known as “les Soeurs Macarons”, the Macaron Sisters. But their cookie from over 200 years ago is far removed from the very fancy one we enjoy today. The double decked, pastel colored, crisp and puffy meringue biscuits filled with a creamy flavored ganache, that we know and love, were actually first sold in the mid20th century in Ladurée. They were created by Pierre Desfontaines, a grandson of the founder. The captivating confection he designed, has become the benchmark worldwide. Macarons are produced and consumed by the millions today, but the gold standard will forever be the ones made by Ladurée. Now I’ve had macarons before. Some very good ones, excellent as a matter of fact. So the question I asked myself before taking my first bite of

an authentic Laduree macaron was this: is this all hype? Is this a triumph of marketing and luxe packaging? After all, the product has to live up to the promise, especially when a single piece of the product costs P150. Every macaron in Ladurée is imported, shipped to all points of the globe, direct from their central bakery in Switzerland, so that would explain the equally elegant price point. But again, is it worth it? The answer, as I bit into it, that fragile, eggshell light delicacy, the cookies, redolent with the most exotic scents, the sweetness and intense flavor of the filling,

slowly, then intensely coating my tongue… I have to say yes: it’s the most beguiling macaron I’ve ever had. I took an extra moment to appreciate the craftsmanship behind it. A friend, herself a chef, reminded me to look closely at its “legs”, the bubbly crust that forms at the bottom of the biscuits. That’s the sign of a truly well-made macaron, according to her. And I agree. No wonder people queue up for these. Sure it’s an investment, but it is worth it. Each Ladurée macaron is glamorous, teasing taste of the City of Lights.

LET'S EAT — November 2015

START-UP NATION BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Bonifacio High Street’s new multi-hyphenate restaurant encourages you to start your day with a healthy dose of sweets

ingle Origin is not limited to coffee. Single origin can also refer to wine, and even beer. But the single most compelling reason to visit Bonifacio High Street’s newest restaurant? Their AllDay Breakfast menu. There’s a lot of good food being cooked up here, and the best part is, you can have your fill of waffles and pancakes and toast, along with all the single origin coffee, wine, and beer available here. It’s always Happy Hour somewhere, so why not start at 7:00AM, when the restaurant opens for business? Start your day with a Bacon Infused Bloody Mary. It can be the proverbial “hair of the dog” for those suffering from a hangover, or it can be a healthy, if a bit boozy way to jumpstart your morning. If a tomato juice and vodka cocktail isn’t your cup of tea, then sip Single Origin’s “tea of the week”, the Rooibos Bourbon. Or grab a craft beer if you please. If you’re in the mood for wine, they have Musica en El Camino from Spain.There’s a whole wall of bottles, just waiting to be picked and popped open. It’s fine if you want to stay traditional and start your day with a cup of joe. This is the best place to have one in this part of the BGC. After all, Single Origin’s owners are Carlo and Jackie Lorenzana, the experts who brought Lamill, the world famous coffee company known for sourcing the most premium single origin beans from all over the world, to the Philippines. In their new recovery food restaurant/coffee shop/cocktail bar, they serve coffee from Kenya, Rwanda, Nicaragua, and Brazil. Single Origin’s line of coffees pairs perfectly with their spectacular take on

1 Strawberry Cream Cheese Waffles 2 Single Origin’s Creme Brulee 3 French Toast

Single Origin is located at C3 Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Check their Instagram (@singleoriginph) for more details.

LET'S EAT — November 2015

breakfast 02classics. The man in the kitchen is the Lorenzanas’ partner, Chef JJ Saycon. The alumnus of the United States’ premiere culinary college, the Culinary Insitute of America, is himself a veteran of the local F&B industry. He’s taught at Global Academy and is the chef patron of Pastor’s Gastro Pub on Macapagal Ave. That restaurant specializes in Spanish cuisine, but at Single Origin, he’s All-American. The standards of the breakfast genre are all here, but with JJ’s extravagant tweaks. Rubik’s Cube-sized cubes of brioche, made into French Toast, served with a sprinkling of hard-to-find fresh blueberries. 8-inch wide, ½-inch thick pancakes topped with tangy candied lemon slices, and pure maple syrup from Vermont. His waffles though are undeniably the house specialty. They stay crisp even under a generous soak of the syrup, and a cloud of whipped cream cheese. And just because he can, Chef JJ generously showers the whole production with wedges of the bright red strawberries. I’ve often longed for Denny’s, my favorite late night/early morning haunt in the US. But now, I don’t think I’ll miss it as much. Single Origin is soothing my longing. And it’s even gone one step further. As the serving staff there loves to say: “Come for breakfast. Stay for Cocktails!” Great advice. I’m definitely taking it.

THE WAFFLES THOUGH ARE U N D E N I A B LY THE HOUSE SPECIALTY: THEY STAY CRISP EVEN UNDER A GENEROUS SOAK OF THE SYRUP, AND A CLOUD OF WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE.

LET'S EAT — November 2015

t a certain point in our culinary history, not too long ago actually, there was no real destination for Mexican food in the country. This was in the early 1990s. The first iteration

BATTER UP

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTO BY GABBY CANTERO

Taco Vengo’s churros and waffle hybrid might just be this year’s most deliciously ridiculous idea for a dessert of the Taco Bell franchise had shut down its doors at the Quad car park (as the Glorietta shopping district was called during the Jurassic era), and Mexicali was still a couple of years away. Pancake House was already serving their crunchy tacos though and Tia Maria on Makati Avenue and Katipunan served nachos and quesadillas. These days, authentic Mexican cantina cuisine is a staple for family dinners and post-party noshing. Burritos and enchiladas are everywhere, from a gas station on Gilmore in San Juan to the red light district outside Clark in Pampanga. And when I say everywhere, I do mean in every nook and cranny. The latest discovery is in an alley in Pasig’s Kapitolyo, and it’s called Taco Vengo. Just last month, the Let’s Eat team recognized this new hombre in town as having the Best Taco in the city. It’s a beautifully cooked confit of pig’s cheek—

all the tender and sticky and chewy bits are around and abound, a master class in textures. In all aspects, it is a charcuterie by way of Mexico. Taco Vengo also has killer shrimp tempura, honey soy glazed chicken, and orange chipotle steak tacos too. They even have a vegetarian option, with savory mushrooms and slaw. All this, in a compound composed of converted container vans, directly across Ace Water Spa on United Street. The folks behind Taco Vengo may be Filipinos, but they are no strangers to the diverse menus of Mexico. Ted Manotoc owns Nacho King, the pioneering chain of snack kiosks that are now ubiquitous in malls nationwide. His consultant for Taco Vengo is Chef Mikko Reyes, wildly and deservedly popular for his dishes in 2ND’s, Hungry Hound, and the Palace Pool Club. And then there’s Mikee Mendoza, the young chef from San Fernando, Pampanga, who’s executing that pork cheek confit perfectly everyday. His sous chef, Carlo Hizon, also hails from the province. He’s the lone authentic Mexican in the Taco Vengo gang, well, in a way— he’s from Mexico, Pampanga. Together, they’re not only serving the best soft tacos in the city, they’ve also concocted one of the most stunning sweet treats of the year. It’s such a simple idea, almost a no-brainer, that it’s surprising that no one thought of it sooner. It’s a heartbreakingly good dessert of staggering genius: the “chwaffle”—churros batter, cooked and crisped on a waffle maker, then topped with cinnamon dusted vanilla ice cream, and for that touch of Mexico? A dollop of dulce de leche, made from caramelized condensada.

THE ‘CHWAFFLE IS SUCH A SIMPLE IDEA, ALMOST A NO-BRAINER, THAT IT’S SURPRISING THAT NO ONE THOUGHT OF IT SOONER.

Taco Vengo is located at 16 United St., Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig City. Check their Instagram (@tacovengo) for more details.

LET'S EAT — October 2015 03

LET'S EAT — November 2015

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTO BY GABBY CANTERO

Milk goes beyond its generic form in Honey Cremè’s delightful soft serve

ive friends, stranded in Seoul for three days as Typhoon Ruby lashed the Philippines in December 2014. With a limited range of activities and places to go visit in South Korea’s capital in the middle of winter, they just walked around the city and ate. They enjoyed so much food, talked about it so much, that a light bulb moment lit up their minds: “Why not go into the food business ourselves?” Looking back, it was a moment not just of clarity, but of serendipity. They did find the perfect food franchise: Korean inspired, but made in Taiwan. So began the journey of Honey Crème to the Philippines. Honey Crème is Korean-style Soft Serve Milk Ice Cream specialty store that opened just last month at the SM Aura Premiere. It’s located just off the main food court area on the fourth floor, and it’s become as busy as a beehive. It’s an apt analogy, as honey is an essential component of Honey Crème’s DNA and

Honey Creme is located at 4/F SM Aura Premier, 26th St., BGC, Taguig. Check their Instagram (@honeycremeph) for more details.

LET'S EAT — October 2015

ONE SUNDAE IS TOPPED WITH A TOWER OF COTTON CANDY, A BASEBALLSIZED, P E R F E C T LY ROUND TREAT COVERED WITH DOZENS OF PLUMP PIECES OF CARAMEL POPCORN.

its bestselling sundae, one that’s topped with an actual chunk of honeycomb that’s flown in all the way from New Zealand. It’s soft and chewy; a gentler, kinder taffy almost. And it’s edible, even for kids. And texturally? Incredible. Their other sundaes are just as distinct: there’s one topped with a tower of cotton candy, a baseball-sized, perfectly round treat covered with dozens of plump pieces of caramel popcorn, and my favorite: a tall triangle atop a cone, covered with a finely ground combination of organic mixed grains. Biting into it gives off the same sensation as chomping on a pulvoron. The toasty, powdery surface crumbling into milky creaminess. It’s fascinating, more so for a heavy milk drinker. I’m the type of man who guzzles 3.25% Vitamin D milk down by the gallon, so I consider myself a connoisseur of calcium. So it all boils down, or in this case, churns down to the milk. Honey Crème prides itself on their ice cream. It’s not milk flavored, mind you. It’s just milk, plain and simple, slightly sweetened, and churned into a soft serve. It is creamy icy milk. And it’s really good. I actually enjoy it best without all the toppings, just so I can appreciate the thick milky taste and texture. It’s got a long finish too. I found myself smacking my lips long after I’d finished off my cone. The lingering creamy aftertaste and mouth feel of the soft serve was still there.

LET'S EAT — November 2015

Dough Dealer Cookies With recipes inspired by some of the world’s greatest restaurants (Noma and Bouchon to name just two), Dough Dealer steps up by using some of the world’s greatest ingredients for their one-of-a-kind treats: “gochugaru” chili powder from Korea, premium matcha from Japan, unpasteurized butter from Bukidnon’s grassfed cows, and Davao’s unparalleled Malagos chocolate. The result? Absolutely world class cookies.

Toffee Sans Rival by Mario’s This is the throwback Thursday of sweet treats: a classic sans rival, crisp and creamy, enrobed in the richest caramel toffee frosting ever. It’s exactly the kind of unapologetic, throw caution to the wind, and indulge to your heart’s content dessert that an iconic 44-year old restaurant should have on the menu.

the list

Manila’s Best Desserts We’ve rounded up the city’s most excellent confections for you to hunt down and satisfy that sweet tooth 16

Kapeng Mainit’s Matcha Beignets Here’s the thing that you need to know about one of the best new desserts of the year: be careful when you bite into these deep fried New Orleans-style pastries. Just waiting to ooze out is a generous amount of warm and syrupy green tea filling, its mild tannins, balanced, Zen-like, with just the right amount of sweetness.

LET'S EAT — November 2015 S

Flour Jar by Beatriz’s Hand Rolled Doughnuts A simple idea, executed perfectly: hand rolled doughnuts with Nutella lava, tres leches, strawberries and cream, matcha, pistachio, and malted milk chocolate fillings. Remember your childhood favorite, those lightly fried, sugar-sprinkled Pinoy-style doughnuts? These are exactly like those, but just like you, they’re now all grown up, more mature, and with even better taste.

Halo-halo Cheescake “Would you like to try?” That’s how Irene Co introduced her cheesecakes to the public at a food bazaar two years ago. Back then, she had but one flavor, quezo de bola, but it quickly became a benchmark. Her halo-halo is flavor number 11, and it merges layers of corn and ube cheesecake and a slather of homemade langka jam, into a magical mix. It’s her best yet. No questions asked.

Mr. Graham’s Apple Pie Soda Imagine if you could extract all the juice out of a freshly baked apple pie, add some fizz, and serve it ice cold? Well, imagine no more. This is summer in a bottle: a soda that captures the essence of America’s favorite pie, complete with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, and all the tartness and sweetness of apples.

LET'S EAT — November 2015

The Bald Baker’s Orange Miso Cookies I suspected that Cy Ynares was an advertising man before his new career as a successful baker. And I was right: his cookies come in eye-catching packaging, crafted with an artisan’s originality and baked with a professional’s precision. His newest campaign should win an award for creativity: caramel and citrus, salty and sweet. All together. All very good.

Wadough’s 20-Yolk Yema Cake Leave it to a young, adventurous baker like Wado Siman to take a simple “pasalubong” cake from Quezon and bring it to rapturous new heights. That deep yellow color is all natural: he uses, as the name suggests, 20 egg yolks to create a brilliant and intense icing that coats every inch of the airy chiffon within.

Spicy Mexican Coffee A 16-hour cold brew not only removes all the rough acidic edges, it imparts an almost silky finish to a cup of coffee. Some connoisseurs swear this process makes the coffee seem sweeter. Now infuse the end product with chili for a spicy Mexican kick, and you have the perfect sugar-free beverage to pair with any of the desserts in our list. 18

Burong Mangga Macarons What to do when you have an excess of burong mangga in the pantry? If you’re the pastry team of Fairmont Hotel’s Café Macaron, you make them into macarons, of course. This is their most brilliant creation ever. It’s sour and sugary and creamy and crisp. Every nuance of the traditional Filipino condiment highlighted wonderfully in this most French of confections.

LET'S EAT — November 2015

DIRECTORY Pepita’s Kitchen

0917-866-0662 and 4254605 Lechon Degustacion at Pepita’s Kitchen

Mario’s

Quezon City - 372-0360 Baguio City: (074) 442-4241 Mario’s Group R

Think Wink’s Choco Chip Banana Loaves Winky Sagenes bakes my favorite chocolate chip cookies: thick, soft batch creations generously studded with the most premium ingredients. Her banana loaves have the same qualities, more cake than bread, really. They’re perfectly moist, thanks to the fruit and sublimely sweet chocolate.

Mrs. Graham

0906-531-6406 and 351-5115 Mrs. Graham’s Cafe

Wadough’s

0998-575-5456 Wadough’s

Indulgence by Irene

0917-622-5800 Indulgence by Irene

Think Wink

097-721-48060 and 0929614-3471 Think Wink Cookies

Kapeng Mainit

0917-557-3375 Kapeng Mainit 143

The Bald Baker

0917-511-6370 The Bald Baker PH

Fairmont Hotel’s Cafe Macaron P

Buco Pandan Trifle by Pepita’s Kitchen In just four years, ‘Lechon Diva’ Dedet de la Fuente’s lechons have become the stuff of legend. Ditto for her award-winning desserts. The latest is the most lovely: alternating layers of buco mouselline and pandan mousse, topped with uraro, broas, and otap.

555-9840 Fairmont Makati

Flour Jar

0917-507-5124 FlourJar

Dough Dealer

0917-895-4157 DoughDealer

Boom’s Cold Brew Coffee 0917-575-3319 Boom’s Cold Brew