New Uptown dining concept Alegria Manila features Latin American-Asian fusion cooked over wood fire for its first degustacion
Filipino and Latin cuisine share a lot in common. Both are rich in culture and flavor. Colonized by Spain for over 300 years, the Philippines have had as much Hispanic cultural influences as any Latin American country outside Brazil. Chef Charles Montañez recognizes how alike Filipino and Latin American cultures are, a fact he highlights in his new degustacion restaurant, Alegria Manila.
At his latest dining establishment, the 31-year-old chef continues his mission of bridging cultures, which he initiated when he first opened his sangria bar and restaurant of the same name at the top floor of the Uniqlo building in Bonifacio City, Taguig, in 2017. “I feel like Latin-American culture connects the gaps among various cultures. It’s festive, soulful, happy, and unique, but also very similar to Filipino culture,” enthuses Chef Charles.
Five years later, Chef Charles has now been able to expand his brand with the opening of his cross-cultural tasting menu restaurant at the ground floor of Uptown Parade. With stygian textured walls, custom-made metallic mesh chandeliers hanging above the dining area, banquettes and chairs wrapped in plush blue velvet, and carefully curated contemporary paintings, the space has an air of sophistication.
Chef Charles’ first degustacion at Alegria Manila, Transcultural!, consists of Asian and Latin American fusion dishes, all of which are partly cooked over parilla or open-fire grill. The aim is to utilize the similarities between Latin American and Filipino cuisine to push the boundaries between the two.
“I started with Latin American cuisine. Then again, I think the only way to do a proper tasting menu is to represent where you’re from or where you grew up,” says Chef Charles. “Alegria Manila banks on identity, on how Filipinos can exhibit the complexity of Latin American food.”
One may opt to have the full course that consists of 16 dishes, or the seven or five-course menu, which can be paired with cocktails and wine at an additional cost.
The full course tasting menu begins with a pair of canapés, the Pao de Quijo, Portuguese cheese bread garnished with shaved huitlacoche or corn smut, as well as the Infladita or inflated tortilla injected with smoked mushrooms, mushroom soil, and soya milk.
The Mexican truffle pastry and the tortilla puff set the bar high. They reflect Chef Charles’ penchant for corn. “My favorite ingredient is corn because you can do so much with it. It doesn’t scream for attention or overshadow anything, yet it is capable of being a star on its own,” he says. Eye-openers, these appetizers are easily one of the highlights of the dinner.
‘Alegria Manila banks on identity, on how Filipinos can exhibit the complexity of Latin American food.’
Second entrée is the Dinuguang Sinuglaw, grilled kurobuta pork, market fish, and aji Amarillo or yellow chili pepper, inside a dinuguan or pork blood cup, topped with ikura or roe of salmon, and potato strings.
Next is the Inihaw na Talaba, oysters from Aklan swimming in the Peruvian ceviche, Yakult Leche Tigre, topped with edible flowers. The acidic and slightly creamy stock cuts through the plump and fresh oysters, leaving one wanting more.
Other hors d'oeuvres are the Okoy Tostada and the Pyanggang Coxinha. The former is Filipino crispy deep-fried fritters of crab, flax seed, and kalkag tostada, with smoked mussel crème. The finger food is served in a pretty wooden box.
The latter, meanwhile, is a creative take on the blackened coconut grilled chicken dish of the Tausug tribe of Mindanao, the pyanggang. The traditional stew that uses the aromatic spice palapa itum instead takes the form of the teardrop-shaped Brazilian croquette, coxinha.
Ilocos Empanada Birria follows. Vigan longganisa, green papaya, and quesillo or soft, white unaged cheese, are wrapped in mustasa or mustard plant in a single bite. On the side are salted egg mousse and Mexican beef chili consommé. To eat the bold-flavored morsel, slather the salted egg mousse on the empanada after which you drink the soup.
Mid-part comes the Elote, Cordilleran baby corn char-grilled with chipotle and smoked Baguio strawberries, then covered with quinoa puff. This Mexican street food is one of the simpler dishes but at the same time the most memorable. The slightly bigger variety of baby corn is especially grown for the restaurant by Ambiong farmers from La Trinidad, Benguet.
Afterward is the pre-Columbian gelatinous dessert Nicuatole. Corn in different textures, there’s maja blanca cooked aggressively on an open fire, mais foam, popcorn, corn caviar, and kesong puti. Another plate that is muy deliciosio.
Transitioning to mains, the Squid Silog is black rice from Kalinga cooked over wood fire, topped with sofrito de calamari and fried pusit. There’s an atsara out of zucchini, carrots, and onion, yolk confit, and bonito. Underneath everything is a grilled baby squid stuffed with prawn, aligue or crab fat, and chives.
Kare-Kare uses kurobuta pork loin, flor de calabaza or squash blossoms, almond purée, and an X.O. salsa of fermented baby shrimp.
Bistek Tagalog is striploin salted with asin tibuok or rare Filipino artisanal salt from Bohol, sprinkled with burnt onion powder, garnished with fried onions and leeks, over a sauce made from 30-day fermented black shallots. On the side are a black garlic purée, which is also fermented for 30 days, and the Uruguayan oil-based condiment, chimichurri.
Desserts are prepared by Pastry chef Chico Orcine. It starts with a triage of Champorado Brigadeiro, Sundot Kulangot, and Banana QT, on a single plate. First is a Brazilian fudge ball of chocolate foam, palitaw, pinipig, and golden dilis. The Baguio famous delicacy, on the other hand, gets elevated into a bonbon made of 55 percent dark chocolate shell with kalamay and muscovado caramel inside. Last is the Banana QT, which, as its name suggests, is a tiny version of the popular Pinoy street food. It is a skewer of banana cake, mousse, and chips, coated in white chocolate.
White chocolate macapuno mousse, ube halaya, red bean purée, leche flan, pandan sago, langka or jackfruit compote, nata de coco, leche flan, and liquid nitrogen milk ice cream, topped with homemade barquillos fashioned with a honeycomb pattern. The most instagrammable dish serves as the closing curtain.
Eventually Alegria Manila will have a smaller set menu for lunch.
The restaurant is at the ground floor of Uptown Parade, 9th Avenue and 38th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Open daily from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., except on Mondays.
For reservations email [email protected] or contact 09568348677.
