Arts & Leisure
Posted on May 27, 2015 05:27:00 PM
By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
A Mediterranean cruise on plates
IF YOU DON’T have the time to go on a Mediterranean cruise, dine at Tapenade, a newly opened restaurant at Discovery Primea in Makati City which offers a culinary cruise to the colorful streets of Morocco and Turkey, ancient Greece, and neighbors Spain, Italy, and France. At Tapenade, no passport is needed, only plates, appetite, and a phone with Instagram to capture the beauty of every dish (#foodgasm!).
Named after the traditional condiment made from olives, capers, anchovies, and olive oil, Tapenade restaurant wants to embody the flavors and bounty of the Mediterranean region. Apparently, each region in the Mediterranean has its own version of tapenade -- the restaurant was born to unify them.
The menu ranges from salads and sandwiches to pizzas and pastas infused and heavy with Mediterranean ingredients. Mediterranean cuisines are healthy. Tapenade has a do-it-your-own salad room with wide selections of greens, cheeses, dried fruits, homemade dressings, and fresh oysters. Meat only makes occasional appearances in the form of steaks and kebabs and is usually mixed in small amounts with sauces to add more flavor and pleasure. The Mediterranean diet leans toward vegetables and fish and smaller portions of poultry, eggs, and dairy.
At Tapenade, prices start at P180 for a homemade gelato. The most expensive item on the menu is the 600-gram Porcini-crusted US rib eye steak in arugula, balsamic, and Parmigianino (good for sharing) at P2,800.
“Mediterranean cuisine is very friendly to the Philippine palate thanks to our Spanish heritage. We carefully selected the dishes in Tapenade to showcase flavors that have familiar yet unique tastes,” said Tapenade executive chef Luis Chikiamco.
MADRID FUSIÓN MANILAMr. Chikiamco said he learned many things from the Michelin-starred Spanish masters who flew to the country for the recently concluded Madrid Fusión Manila. “Everybody in the Madrid Fusión donated something that we’re already using. We looked at what the chefs do and we try the combinations that work,” he said.
The folks behind Tapenade took inspirations from Madrid Fusión chefs like Quique Dacosta and his recetas de arroces (rice recipes), Luiz Aduriz’s mastery of creative plating, and Paco Roncero and Paco Torreblanca’s take on olive oil.
“The Madrid Fusión was very insightful,” said Mr. Chikiamco.
One of the best-sellers on Tapenade’s menu is the spiced lamb kebab with herb yogurt sauce, lemon, and orzo al pesto. The chef said it was inspired by the recipe of renowned French chef Daniel Boulud who owns Mediterranean restaurants in the US. “We have a set of chefs that we looked up to, we study them, and integrate their techniques with ours,” explained Mr. Chikiamco.
BEST-SELLERSLong before the Madrid Fusión traveled to Manila to inspire Mr. Chikiamco, Tapenade’s menu is already the result of research, sleepless nights, and trial and error.
“I do extensive research with my cuisines on what are good friends with olive oil, good friends with rosemary… We’re testing and testing and testing until we arrive to a flavor we like. We try to be as authentic as possible,” said Mr. Chikiamco. His culinary experience spans more than a decade. He’s a holder of a culinary degree in Culinary Arts and Hotel Management from L’Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, and apprenticed at the three-Michelin-starred Auberge et Clos de Cimes, in Lyon, France.
While he is most comfortable with French cooking, Mediterranean cuisine perhaps is his second love. But then again, he is open to anything. He said his culinary philosophy is to learn, learn, learn new things. “Do things with all your heart. While it’s easy to say it’s passion, its’ always putting your heart into a dish. The Spanish chefs in Madrid Fusión were asked what it takes to be at their caliber. Their answer was ‘work, work, work,’ which is true, it’s hard work and dedication,” he said.
HANDCRAFTED PIZZASMr. Chikiamco only had 15 minutes to spare for an interview before going to the open kitchen to make handcrafted pizzas and sandwiches. The open kitchen and its brick oven encourage interaction between diners and chefs. It also guarantees freshness. The pizzas, come to the table fresh from the oven and perfectly crisp. One of the best-sellers is the Davao goat cheese pizza with hints of roasted garlic and leeks, slivers of double-smoked bacon, and generous servings of goat cheese from Davao. The ingredients are sourced everywhere: Spain, Holland, France, Italy, Australia, and locally in Davao, Bukidnon, and Tagaytay.
The pizzas go well with another best-seller, the stone-baked feta cheese swimming in Greek Metaxa brandy, honey, capers, and tomatoes. The feta cheese could be eaten alone, with the slightly charred breads that come with it, or as an additional topping for the pizza.
Everything in Tapenade is a labor of love, and that includes the hand-painted mural on the wall by Filipino muralist Alfred Galvez featuring a lush Mediterranean garden in rustic colors. While Mr. Galvez’s work alone is already eye candy, never skip Tapenade’s sweet selections. End the meal with a sweet punch from homemade gelato, panna cotta, Turkish baklava, bombolini (mini Italian donuts), olive cake, or choco mousse cake.
The dessert menu is still expanding. Mr. Chikiamco’s team is still experimenting. While satisfying the sweet tooth, have a sip, too, of wine, tea, or coffee and let your mind drift and yearn for a view of the Italian or French Riviera or a hike with the gods at the Mt. Olympus.
The menu ranges from salads and sandwiches to pizzas and pastas infused and heavy with Mediterranean ingredients. Mediterranean cuisines are healthy. Tapenade has a do-it-your-own salad room with wide selections of greens, cheeses, dried fruits, homemade dressings, and fresh oysters. Meat only makes occasional appearances in the form of steaks and kebabs and is usually mixed in small amounts with sauces to add more flavor and pleasure. The Mediterranean diet leans toward vegetables and fish and smaller portions of poultry, eggs, and dairy.
At Tapenade, prices start at P180 for a homemade gelato. The most expensive item on the menu is the 600-gram Porcini-crusted US rib eye steak in arugula, balsamic, and Parmigianino (good for sharing) at P2,800.
“Mediterranean cuisine is very friendly to the Philippine palate thanks to our Spanish heritage. We carefully selected the dishes in Tapenade to showcase flavors that have familiar yet unique tastes,” said Tapenade executive chef Luis Chikiamco.
MADRID FUSIÓN MANILAMr. Chikiamco said he learned many things from the Michelin-starred Spanish masters who flew to the country for the recently concluded Madrid Fusión Manila. “Everybody in the Madrid Fusión donated something that we’re already using. We looked at what the chefs do and we try the combinations that work,” he said.
The folks behind Tapenade took inspirations from Madrid Fusión chefs like Quique Dacosta and his recetas de arroces (rice recipes), Luiz Aduriz’s mastery of creative plating, and Paco Roncero and Paco Torreblanca’s take on olive oil.
“The Madrid Fusión was very insightful,” said Mr. Chikiamco.
One of the best-sellers on Tapenade’s menu is the spiced lamb kebab with herb yogurt sauce, lemon, and orzo al pesto. The chef said it was inspired by the recipe of renowned French chef Daniel Boulud who owns Mediterranean restaurants in the US. “We have a set of chefs that we looked up to, we study them, and integrate their techniques with ours,” explained Mr. Chikiamco.
BEST-SELLERSLong before the Madrid Fusión traveled to Manila to inspire Mr. Chikiamco, Tapenade’s menu is already the result of research, sleepless nights, and trial and error.
“I do extensive research with my cuisines on what are good friends with olive oil, good friends with rosemary… We’re testing and testing and testing until we arrive to a flavor we like. We try to be as authentic as possible,” said Mr. Chikiamco. His culinary experience spans more than a decade. He’s a holder of a culinary degree in Culinary Arts and Hotel Management from L’Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, and apprenticed at the three-Michelin-starred Auberge et Clos de Cimes, in Lyon, France.
While he is most comfortable with French cooking, Mediterranean cuisine perhaps is his second love. But then again, he is open to anything. He said his culinary philosophy is to learn, learn, learn new things. “Do things with all your heart. While it’s easy to say it’s passion, its’ always putting your heart into a dish. The Spanish chefs in Madrid Fusión were asked what it takes to be at their caliber. Their answer was ‘work, work, work,’ which is true, it’s hard work and dedication,” he said.
HANDCRAFTED PIZZASMr. Chikiamco only had 15 minutes to spare for an interview before going to the open kitchen to make handcrafted pizzas and sandwiches. The open kitchen and its brick oven encourage interaction between diners and chefs. It also guarantees freshness. The pizzas, come to the table fresh from the oven and perfectly crisp. One of the best-sellers is the Davao goat cheese pizza with hints of roasted garlic and leeks, slivers of double-smoked bacon, and generous servings of goat cheese from Davao. The ingredients are sourced everywhere: Spain, Holland, France, Italy, Australia, and locally in Davao, Bukidnon, and Tagaytay.
The pizzas go well with another best-seller, the stone-baked feta cheese swimming in Greek Metaxa brandy, honey, capers, and tomatoes. The feta cheese could be eaten alone, with the slightly charred breads that come with it, or as an additional topping for the pizza.
Everything in Tapenade is a labor of love, and that includes the hand-painted mural on the wall by Filipino muralist Alfred Galvez featuring a lush Mediterranean garden in rustic colors. While Mr. Galvez’s work alone is already eye candy, never skip Tapenade’s sweet selections. End the meal with a sweet punch from homemade gelato, panna cotta, Turkish baklava, bombolini (mini Italian donuts), olive cake, or choco mousse cake.
The dessert menu is still expanding. Mr. Chikiamco’s team is still experimenting. While satisfying the sweet tooth, have a sip, too, of wine, tea, or coffee and let your mind drift and yearn for a view of the Italian or French Riviera or a hike with the gods at the Mt. Olympus.
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