Chef Carlos Garcia of the Black Pig is back with a vengeance
Chef Carlos Garcia and Tiago's tasting menu
After over a year of preparing local comfort food staples for quarantining travelers, he’s back to flexing his creative culinary skills at Tiago’s at Somerset Alabang.
We were treated to a preview of his luxurious tasting menu that premieres on Christmas Eve.
Oyster and Russian style caviar
We began with oysters with prosecco, ginger, and pineapple. The best pairing for oysters? Why, champagne of course, in this case, flutes of Delamotte Brut.
A tart of whole wheat was topped with an orb of foie gras mousse with a port and apple glaze. Complementing it was egg yolk on toast, crowned with caviar from sturgeon raised in a small town called Riofrio in Granada, Spain, where the temperatures and conditions of the water are perfect for natural breeding.
Tarts and a variety of bread
We had to force ourselves to stop bingeing on bread so we’d have enough room for the dishes. We had a choice of crisp baguettes, focaccia, or spiral pan de sal. We asked for all three, of course, and dipping bowls of extra virgin olive oil.
Caprese salad and seabass and nori dish
Next, a play on a Caprese salad, with chunks of lobster atop pearls of mozzarella in a tomato consomme with a dash of basil oil.
The seabass and nori dish with dashi beurre blanc to accentuate the umami flavor was a lovely play of textures. It was delightfully paired with Hable de Ti, a Sauvignon Blanc from Extramadura, Spain.
Wagyu striploin with black garlic and a celeriac puree and dessert
The piece de resistance, beautifully seared Wagyu striploin with black garlic and a celeriac puree, was served with a fruity Clos du Val Merlot from Napa Valley.
For dessert, a decadent 70% Valrhona chocolate and banana mousse. Valrhona turns a century old next year and is made in a small town in Hermitage, a wine-growing district near Lyon.
A tray of petits fours included our favorite turrones from childhood, chocolate covered almonds, and chocolate truffles.
Request an outdoor and enjoy the December breeze poolside. We assure you it’s quiet in the suburbs of Alabang, far away from the hustle and bustle of Makati or elsewhere. Definitely worth the quick trip south.