Eat like royals
Here’s a chef, who has cooked for Queen Elizabeth II, and he has prepared a banquet for you.
Marco Polo in Ortigas is not yet fully operational, but it’s already a showcase of what we can look forward to. Its two-month-old restaurant Cucina celebrates all things bright and beautiful. Francis Libiran designed the uniform of the attendants and servers. The interiors’ woodwork, which evokes the Banaue Rice Terraces, reminiscent of Singapore’s Parkroyal Hotel lobby, is designed by emerging furniture artisan Jinggoy Buensuceso.
But Cucina’s greatest delight is the food, fit for royals.
Its executive chef Benjamin Roy Rendell, with his almost four decades of experience, has cooked for Queen Elizabeth II, various presidents like Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and prime ministers including former United Kingdom Prime Minister Edward Heath during state dinners.
He prepared lobster thermidor during Heath’s luncheon. And he will be making this creamy lobster dish sautéed with shallots and tarragon and infused with brandy and white wine available every Saturday in the kitchen of Cucina (pronounced ku-chi-na).
The rolled sea bass fillet, which he served for Her Royal Highness, is not available. Or, at least, not yet.
“We have no set menu, but our buffet has a wide selection. We want something recognizable on your plate,” say Chef.
Chef Ben is married to a Thai. Since Thais and Filipinos have almost the same palate, Chef says, what he has in store in Cucina are selections “closer to home.” There are a few Filipino food choices in the buffet, like pancit and sometimes adobo with balsamic vinegar, while every Wednesday there’s chicken inasal as well as pork barbecue with lemon, garlic, and soya with atchara and kropek on the side—but Filipino foodies do not seem to mind the mostly Continental and Asian offerings.
Besides the lobster thermidor and chicken inasal, it also offers five other permanent ala carte dishes available every day, which features the best of the best of Chef Ben and his team’s cooking expertise.
Chili crabs are on offer on Thursdays. Chinese chef Clifton Chianpian prepares artfully handcrafted dim sum and crabs, Cantonese-style. The only problem with his crabs, though, is it’s hard to get all the fatty, savory meat in every pincer. Request a crab clamp next time.
On Fridays, French mussels and French fries are served to showcase the finest imported mussels prepared in the age-old tradition of moules mariniere braised in herbs, garlic, dairy butter, Chablis wine, and beer for the extra kick. To cap off the weekend getaway, the Sunday offering highlights Filet of Beef Wellington (beouf en croute), coated with paste and wrapped in puff pastry. Weekdays are days for pan-fried duck liver with spring salad, as well as Thai beef salad with grilled US beef fillets mixed with Thai dressing and chili.
In Cucina, there are seven days, seven different selections, and seven reasons to stay, come back, and eat some more. And oh, singer Lorde says we can never be royals, but we beg to differ.
No comments:
Post a Comment