Let's Eat January 2016

L E T ’S EAT H E L L O G O O D B Y E 1­

LET'S EAT — January 2016

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I S S U E N O . 31

W H AT ' S IN S IDE

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INTERCON MANILA

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INTERVIEW: YANA GILBUENA

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DIN TAI FUNG

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ESSAY: AWFUL FOOD TRENDS

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BRASSERIE CICOU

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LET'S EAT TV RECAP

LET'S EAT — January 2016

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

GABBY CANTERO Crazy year, 2015. We became supersized, spawned a TV show, and because we really loved doing our jobs, probably grew a few pounds heavier.

Our inaugural 2016 issue looks back at the remarkable endings and beginnings of the past year, from InterContinental Manila’s farewell after 46 years of standing proud among the buildings of Ayala Center to Din Tai Fung’s much anticipated arrival.

Like in some of our issues, we’re running a bit high on nostalgia with this one, bidding goodbye to familiar places and faces. As the new year ushers in endless possibilities, we can only hope that 2016, despite the terrible hysteria of choosing the next leader of the country, will bring in more things to look forward to and enjoy.

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Photographer

BERT SANTOS Photographer’s Assistant

MANO GONZALES JL JAVIER RAXENNE MANIQUIZ Contibuting Illustrators

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

A scene at the Cafe Jeepney of InterContinental Manila from the InterCon Manila Archives

LET'S EAT — January 2016

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PHOTO BY BERT SANTOS

GOODBYE TO ALL THAT

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ

After 46 years of being the 5-star gateway to the city, with tales of rowdy parties, shots of tequilas, and their legendary crepes samurai, we bid the InterContinental Manila a fond farewell

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ne Ayala. That definitive address, a proud testament to the genesis of a grand development plan of a town that used to be considered the hinterlands of Metro Manila, just off Highway 54. That road has turned into EDSA, and the small suburban town is now the City of Makati, now recognized globally as the Philippine’s business, commercial, and entertainment center. The address belongs to the InterContinental Manila, the Grand Dame which first opened its doors on April 11, 1969, and to which we all bid adieu on the first of day of 2016.

Ironically, the original premier landmark of Makati will have to give way to the same thing that was its primary reason for being: the inevitable march of progress.

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LET'S EAT — January 2016

02 PHOTO BY GABBY CANTERO

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LET'S EAT — January 2016

1 A photograph of the InterContinental Manila during the 1980s 2 Club Sandwich and Garlic Chicken Adobo 3 The buffet at Cafe Jeepney 4 One of the colorful jeepneys on display at the restaurant

The InterContinental Hotel Group’s management contract on the land it occupies has ended after 46 historic years, and the area will become the city’s new cutting edge intermodal transport hub.

I’ll certainly miss the Intercon, which, as far back as I can remember, is what I considered to be the symbolic gateway of the city.

It wasn’t just a hotel for me. The grand ballroom on the second floor and the penthouse function rooms were venues of so many happy celebrations with friends and family – graduations, debuts, wedding receptions. I’ll also forever associate the Intercon with those romantic liaisons by the poolside; somehow, it became the nexus of my early love life. It was the place to go when it was time to propose and say “I love you,” and hopefully not get busted.

Then, there were those endless nights at the dance club downstairs. For the Martial Law Babies of the ‘70s and ‘80s, it was the “Where Else?” disco and for the party people of the ‘90s, it was “Euphoria”, where many of us had our first taste of Jose Cuervo, which directly led to many more of us falling down its steep stairs. I’m really taking this loss personally, and very

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hard, actually. As I write this, I’m flooded with misty memories, all of them special, all of them good. Well, except for the tequila hangovers.

The InterContinental Manila was the first 5-star hotel in the business district and fittingly, it had two of the iconic restaurants. One of the classiest dining establishments ever, Prince Albert Rotisserie, with its legendary prime rib and fine French cuisine, and the Cafe Jeepney, which used to have actual passenger jeepneys as dining booths. As a child of a more innocent halcyon era, it was the most amazing restaurant in the world. Climbing into an actual jeepney to have my first ever club sandwich? It was unforgettable. For a grade school kid used to cold peanut butter sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, the toasted four-layer creation with ham, cheese, chicken, pickles, and mayo was the height of pretending-to-be-an-adult sophistication. And of course, there is the signature dessert of the hotel, their crepes samurai, The sweetest mangoes enrobed in creamy sabayon, embraced by the delicate, buttery crepes. I used to eat whole bowls of the stuff. My mouth waters as I recall its golden freshness, but my food loving heart is already in mourning for the last samurai.

Future generations will just smile

The InterContinental Manila is located at One Ayala Avenue, Glorietta Complex, Makati

FOR A GRADE SCHOOL KID USED TO COLD PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES CAFE JEEPNEY’S CLUB SANDWICH WAS HEIGHT OF PRETENDING-TOBE-AN-ADULT SOPHISTICATION.

politely when we start reminiscing about the InterContinental. The kids will look at each other and shrug when we mention names like Le Boulevardier, Gambrinus, and Bahia. But oh, the stories we’ll tell about our one beloved hotel. They will be epic.

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LET'S EAT — January 2016

THE GOLDEN AGE

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Why Din Tai Fung is a Michellin-starred juggernaut when it comes to delicately crafted dimsum

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Din Tai Fung is located at G/F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, EDSA cor. Julia Vargas, Mandaluyong

LET'S EAT — January 2016

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hat makes Din Tai Fung so special, so cherished among its fans? What is the reason why so many prospective franchisees woo the family that owns it, the Yang family of Taiwan? And why are so many these suitors spurned, as many as twenty rejections a week? The Wall Street Journal’s succinct quote about Din Tai Fung ought to provide clarity: “The answers are in a single bite.” A bite of what, exactly? Well, just the best xiao long bao in the world.

I used to call them simply as soupy siomai, but Din Tai Fung’s sophisticated creations beg a more poetic description.

As Pulitzer Prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold put it: “The xiao long bao are small miracles; when you pop one into your mouth, it bursts into a mouthful of broth…transforming the filling of meat and aromatics into a loose, savory purée that melts away like pork-scented air.”

Those last three words is uch a sensual description, sublime in its aromatic forthrightness. This is precisely why

1 Clockwise from top left: Chicken Wings in Shrimp Paste, Dan Dan Noodles with Spicy Sesame and Peanut Sauce; Truffle and Pork Xiao Long Bao; Shrimp and Pork Pot Stickers; Chicken Cutlet Fried Rice Vegetarian Mushroom Wontons; Pork Xiao Long Bao. 2 Chocolate Lava Xiao Long Bao

Din Tai Fung is one of the most difficult franchises in the world to acquire. It’s not easy to replicate this level of perfection.

Warren Yang, the chain’s incumbent chairman, is a stickler for detail: each individual dumpling must conform to strict metrics: from the rolling of the dough, the cutting, the weighing of the filling, the pleating, the steaming, and the serving. Even the number of folds in each xiao long bao is counted. It is a delicate art and like all true craftsmanship, a process that cannot be rushed. This level of excellence cannot be passed on lightly. The right partners must be selected.

The Moment Group’s founders, Eliza Antonino, Abba Napa, and Jon Syjuco, recall that it was a long courtship before they received the sweet yes from Mr. Yang himself; a two year getting-to-know-you period before he disarmed them with a simple “go home and find a space.” And while it felt like winning the hand of the love of your life, it was just the beginning.

The team had to undergo grueling sixmonth training in Taiwan, immersing themselves in the million details that make Din Tai Fung Michelin-worthy.

All that hard work by the Filipino partners has certainly paid off. The appetizing ambiance, the disciplined service, and most of all, the incomparable xiao long bao, everything is a crowd pleaser. And here’s the most surprising reveal: the menu items are shockingly affordable. But truth be told, for me, all that is almost extraneous detail. I was convinced, I was a convert, after the very first bite.

DIN TAI FUNG’S XIAO LONG BAO IS S U B L I M E : P R E C I S E LY W H Y D I N T A I FUNG IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT FRANCHISES TO ACQUIRE. IT’S NOT EASY TO REPLICATE THIS LEVEL OF PERFECTION. 9­

LET'S EAT — January 2016

A BRIEF INTERLUDE

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTO BY GABBY CANTERO

Brasserie CiÇou, with its iconic take on French cuisine, briefly closes its doors as it turns a new chapter

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u revoir for now, Brasserie CiÇou. As one of Manila’s best restaurants, and home to what many consider as the best dessert in the city, the Kouign Amann, will be moving out of its Greenhills home at the end of the year, and will transfer a few kilometers south, to the Central Business District. It’s not an unexpected move, as its loyal patrons have been clamoring for an easier way to enjoy Chef Cyrille Soenen’s rustic classics without suffering through the hellacious EDSA traffic. I’m hoping it won’t be too long a wait. In France, they don’t say “I miss you”; instead, they say “Tu me manques”: you are missing from me. Bien sûr. See you again very soon, CiÇou.

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LET'S EAT — January 2016

INTERVIEW: YANA GILBUENA

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PORTRAIT BY MANO GONZALES

Yana Gilbuena has been on a quest to introduce Filipino cuisine to the rest of the world, one pop-up event at a time

I basically learned to cook when I’d be sent to work in the kitchen when I was a child.

It was my punishment for being makulit. And the first food I learned to cook was pasta alfredo, to impress my grandma. The first food I loved was alimango and dilis. I’m such a seafood kind of girl!

What was the inspiration for your Salo Series?

I wanted to represent the breadth of Filipino cuisine

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orn and raised in Iloilo, traveling chef Yana Gilbuena has hosted kamayan-style dinners in all of the United States— from California to Montana, North Dakota to Alaska.

Through these events, she has enlightened her guests about her home country’s heritage and cuisine, and along the way, raising funds for Yolanda victims and the ARK (Advancement for Rural Kids) Foundation, a scholarship and nutrition program for children in her home province.

Though we tend to use the word “hero” loosely these days, Yana—armed only with her knives and her gung-ho

attitude on her solo flights— certainly embodies being one in many ways.

How did you first embark on your culinary quest?

I’m actually self-taught! My background was pre-med, I have a BS Psychology degree from UP Diliman, but I decided not to pursue medicine, so my mom asked me to migrate to LA to get my green card, and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I learned to cook for a living out of necessity.

But as child in the Visayas were you already into cooking?

“ I B A S I C A L LY LEARNED TO COOK WHEN I’D BE SENT TO WORK IN THE KITCHEN WHEN I WAS A CHILD. IT WAS MY PUNISHMENT FOR BEING MAKULIT.”

by doing at least one dish from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in my five-course kamayan dinners, served on banana leaves when available. I partnered with ARK (ruralkids. org) in order to give back to my country, especially in the Visayas where I’m from.

I reached my goal of $5000 and I have been to the school and met the students I’m donating the money too. We’re building them a classroom and setting-up farming and feeding programs that will help them to be self-sustaining.

That’s really impressive, Chef!

So what’s next for you?

I’ve done all 50 states, Canada, and the Phiippines. Up next, I’m taking my Filipino pop-up dinner series to Central and South America, starting with Cuba. Hopefully, I’ll do Europe and Africa and the rest of Asia afterwards.

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LET'S EAT — January 2016

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LET'S EAT — January 2016

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ ILLUSTRATION BY JL JAVIER

Bad food photography, grammar, and buffets: one writer gives the lowdown on a few food trends of the last year that stuck out like sore thumbs

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here’s a lot to be thankful for in the sudden surge of amazing trends in our native food scene: world class restaurants are opening one after the other; young chefs as the new rock stars; and Filipino cuisine is becoming the next big thing in both coasts of the United States.

Although as with any good thing, we do tend to jump on the bandwagon way too much, e.g. hot pandesal, shawarma, lechon manok, milk tea, to the point that these become ubiquitous, then cloying, and ultimately, annoying.

With that in mind, here’s a list of some of the top food and beverage industry trends of 2015, and a few that we’re looking forward to in 2016: 1. Foie Gras and Bone Marrow Everywhere The menu items of the moment; every other restaurant, it seems, has to have these in the kitchen, paired with anything and everything, to varying levels of success. It seems lazy to use fine foie as a quick way to get culinary cred. And as for marrow? It’s still best in a bowl of bulalo, served over hot rice. But Lola Café on Scout Lazano in QC really got it right this year: their authentic

Capampangan sisig served atop roasted marrow is an amazing juxtaposition that begs for extra servings of garlic rice.

2. Instagram Abuse Not everything has to be documented, surely. We don’t need to see that monochromatic oatmeal you had for breakfast, even if it was steel cut. But if you really need to do post it, don’t rely too much on filters. Natural light is best. Flash is taboo. And take the pictures quickly. You’re not shooting for Vogue.

3. Bad Grammar and Bad Habits on Food Blogs “The internet is written in ink, not in pencil”. What you mistype today (or so you say), can and will come back to haunt you. Don’t underestimate the power of copypaste. Grammar Nazis are quick on the draw. And every week, I read about “bloggers” cadging/begging/ coercing restaurant owners for free meals and loot bags. Erm… that’s not why you’re supposed to go into blogging. A little delicadeza please.

4.Goat Herd Mentality: Bashing New Restaurants Give newly opened restaurants a chance to adjust before ranting.

A month is fine. Respect “soft openings”, and give the chefs and their teams to fine tune the food and service. You really don’t have to be first in line and first to dine all the time.

5. Over Reliance on Foreign Franchises Just because it’s a hit abroad doesn’t mean it’s suited for Filipino palates.

Trust your instincts and go local.

You’ll be surprised at the quality of the offerings at our local start-up mom & pop establishments like Taco Vengo, Neil’s Kitchen, Fat Daddy’s, and Frangos.

6. Too Many Mixologists in the Mix I love a tender bar as much as the next barfly, but this trend has gone beyond intoxicating.

Let’s keep it simple and subdued and sophisticated. Stay classy. A “speakeasy” that’s as large and loud and as public as a dance club is akin to a private dining kitchen in SM North.

8. Organic This, Sustainable That All those highfalutin terms.

Sometimes I feel that it’s all a ruse to catch eyeballs (and raise prices).

9. Bad Buffets Quantity does not automatically translate to Quality. Vikings breathed new life into this Filipino favorite, and they remain on top of their game with Niu; but the buffet-come-latelys should strive to provide real value for money, not just variety.

10. A Wish List for 2016 Shake Shack, Cheesecake Factory, and Chipotle please? Now those are worth queuing for.

7. Fresh Culinary School Graduates are Not Chefs It takes years of hard work and training with a great mentor. I refuse to call a 21-year old “chef ” just because he’s the COO (child of owner) of a new restaurant.

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LET'S EAT — January 2016

THE YEAR IN REV IEW : L ET S EAT TV

Now that Let’s Eat has spawned a TV show, our hosts Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi and Spanky Enriquez look back at our first season’s highlights and memorable culinary experiences ILLUSRTATIONS BY RAXENNE MANIQUIZ

SPANKY ENRIQUEZ

STEPHANIE ZUBIRI-CRESPI It’s no secret that I love to eat.

To me dining is a complete experience—it’s really not just about the food but more importantly everything else around it. I love learning about the stories behind the dishes that are put in front of me: Who made it? Where was it grown?

What inspired it? And of course my absolute favorite: Who did I share it with? Shooting the first season of Let’s Eat was truly amazing because not only did I get to break bread and crack crazy jokes with my co-host Spanky, I got to really meet the people behind the plates and talk as candidly as possible about their ideas and more often than not go into delicious off tangent conversations about anything and everything under the sun.

SPANKY ENRIQUEZ I’ve known Steph for around five years now, but our dealings were always on a professional basis. The show gave us the opportunity to just hang out and eat and yes, drink a lot, like, a whole lot! But the best part was just hanging out with

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this vibrant, intelligent, and very funny lady. A lady who just happens to eat much more than me!

STEPHANIE ZUBIRI-CRESPI There were some truly spectacular food moments for me this season—like sinking my teeth into those crazy falling off the bone ribs from Fat Daddy’s or going dim sum crazy at Shang Palace but my absolute favorites had to be these four really special episodes.

Remember our crazy dawnto-night one day shoot in Bacolod? That was exhausting but so much fun, straight into Sugarlandia for some really yummy treats—those Napoleones!—at Virgie’s which really reminded me of my lola’s kitchen then washing it down with some iconic rum at the Tanduay plant. Then of course the wonderful trip to the Farmer’s Market with Chef Claude; those mountains of fresh, plump seafood that were then so lusciously cooked to its prime deliciousness.

I’m looking forward to more provincial trips, and discovering Bukidnon with you as my tour guide. And yes, I’ll bring you back to Pampanga.

That was the sweetest shoot for me, back to my roots, and turning my family into instant TV stars was unforgettable.

That dinner at my Ma Vedus’ house in San Fernando was a way of honoring her for generously and tirelessly cooking for our whole clan all these years.

STEPHANIE ZUBIRI-CRESPI I loved our season ender, our Christmas Special with all of our favorite chefs. It was so full of cheer and lovingly made food, everyone was in such a great mood it really didn’t feel like work at all. I think that’s what’s so great about this show, which I hope you guys

can really get a feel of while watching, is that Spanky and I really enjoy ourselves. We have a total blast! After all as famed food writer MFK Fisher said, “Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.” And rightly so!

SPANKY ENRIQUEZ Amen to that, Steph. Here’s to more restaurants to go to, more people to meet, and more food to conquer!

L E T ' S E AT Y OUR GUI DE TO THE C I TY’S B ES T F OOD S P OT S EVERY LA S T S UNDA Y OF THE M ON T H

The Wholesome Table (30th St., cor. 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig). Photographed by Gabby Cantero.