From elevating Spanish cuisine in our metropolis, to sourcing finer meat products, and a finer source of Spanish products for your home—my week that was
My week was spent juggling the various face-to-face events that have now returned with a vengeance. And when it means dining and road-testing food products, the juggling is done with pleasure. Plus, there was the celebrating of the 10th year in the Philippines of one of the premier names in home furnishings.
Terraza Martinez
Carlo G. Lorenzana of the Nikkei Group has unveiled a new dining concept, partnering with chef Luis Martinez who first got our attention with Alma, his Siargao eating establishment. Terraza Martinez can be found at the Shang BGC. And while there’s a laidback, chic beach vibe to the interiors, don’t be fooled, as it’s out to elevate what Spanish cuisine can mean in our dining landscape. Chef Luis hails from Valencia, and his tastes and flavors highlight fresh produce, with an emphasis on the bounty that comes to us from the sea, and recipes that originate from his hometown, like his Paella Valenciana with chicken and fresh artichokes.
On the day I sampled his cuisine, I was especially taken by the Chopitos and the Ravioli de Marisco. The Chopitos is tender baby squid, with wild mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, fried onion, and a delicious extra salty salsa mery. As for the seafood ravioli, it’s stuffed with prawns, crab meat, vegetables, cream cheese, and prawn bisque. Think of a pasta creation that tastes like bouillabaisse with rouille. Yes, it’s that good!
The Presa Iberica de Cerdo is seared pork slices, sitting on a bed of truffle mashed potatoes. And if you were reading that and having hot flashes of how good this would taste, you’re right! Chef Luis and Terraza Martinez should be your next dining destination. It’s high quality Spanish cuisine that’s both familiar and different.
One World Butchers Resto and Deli
PYC Foods Corp’s President Jun Sy adds another feather to his cap of culinary delights with One World Butchers Resto and Deli on Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati. While it obviously invites all the puns about meatheads and being the newest meat-ing place, know that One World is a fun place, but it also takes it offerings very seriously.
Handcrafted cold cuts, cured meats, smoked sausages, and quality cuts of meat and cheese are what One World is all about. And PYC have spared no expense in ensuring that this resto and deli can substantiate all the talk and bluster by being your one stop shop for all those food items mentioned above.
The Cabanossi sausage, which hails from Poland, was my new and favorite discovery that opening night, when One World closed one Poblacion side street and turned the venue into a swinging music speakeasy. Jun and PYC are also behind Sawsaw and Pardon My French, so you can appreciate what they’ve been doing to enhance our food scene.
Porcelanosa Philippines
The Porcelanosa showroom at the MDI Corporate Center on 10th Ave., BGC became a virtual party place, spread over several floors, as their Philippine representative Casa Europa Inc., was celebrating 10 Years of Porcelanosa here in our country.
As we all know, the Spanish retailer is known the world over for offering high-end surfaces, fixtures and tiles for the well-appointed home, office, bathroom and kitchen. Known first and foremost as one of the most important ceramics manufacturers in the world, the Porcelanosa Grupo offers furniture, kitchen and bath items in over 150 countries with more than 970 stores. Today, it’s product diversification of the highest order, with building solutions for contemporary architecture and interior design.
Minimizing environmental impact, and implementing eco-sustainable production processes are priorities in the sustainable development that Porcelonasa is now espousing. To meet their sustainable development goals, the Porcelanosa Grupo has created Porcelanosa Eco. Check them out, and their interactive catalogues, for your next home needs.