"Now this is exactly what a Proustian moment is," we told fellow media guests at the dining table. Manila Bulletin Lifestyle was recently invited to a sneak peak of Westin Manila's latest degustation experience.
Offered at the Seasonal Tastes restaurant, "Lik•Hain: A Six-Course Degustation of Filipino Cuisine" by Executive Chef Rej Casanova, features contemporary and creative renditions of classic Filipino cuisine.
Each bite of Chef Rej's dishes at the degustation transported us back to our childhood, where the flavors were familiar and comforting, bringing back a flood of happy memories.
The "involuntary memories" conjured up by the dishes - these Proustian moments (derived from the mind of 20th century novelist and thinker Marcel Proust), trigger a sudden and vivid flood of memories from our past. This is because our senses are closely linked to our memories, and the smell or taste of something can instantly transport us back to a specific time and place.
"I want to share my pride and love for our own dishes," he says, when talking about the night's menu. "After all, my love of cooking began with my mother and grandmother's home cooked Filipino meals. Heirloom recipes bring me comfort, and I was fascinated by our local produce, cooking traditions, and the numerous ways we can turn them into delicious memories with the family even when I was little."
He continued, "For 'Lik•Hain,' I'm bringing together those memories and flavors and turning them into delectable plates with a variety of textures, forms, and compositions. I make sure that whatever well-loved favorite I recreate remains true to the flavors that have become familiar to the local palate and that they stand out with every bite.”
Chicken Liver Mousse
Chef Rej's first course conjured memories of eating isaw with our older cousins in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Isaw is also Chef Casanova’s favorite street food. "It is actually chicken liver mousse on a garlic breadstick with onion ash, spiced vinegar gel, and shallots," he explained.
Tuna Tartare
The dish was followed by his own version of the popular Kilawin. “This is composed of tuna tartare, calamansi, cilantro dressing, green mango, and chili-tomato glaze.”
Beef Consommé
Chef Rej's Bulalo is a warm and comforting beef consommé with braised oxtail in cabbage confit, served with sweet corn pudding and bone marrow cream. The dish reminded us of our childhood in Tagaytay City, where we would sip on the delicious beef broth of Bulalo on cold, breezy weekends.
Slow Cooked•Emperor Fish
Ginataan is a seafood entrée made with slow-cooked confit emperor fish, pumpkin mousseline, coconut cream, and laing. The dish is then garnished with labuyo caviar and crispy rice cracker, which are assembled to look like pearls and a seashell.
Pan-Roasted Australian Beef Rump
The main course was the highlight of the meal. It was a deconstructed Beef Steak Tagalog, made with pan-roasted Australian beef rump fillet, Adlai rice with malunggay chimichurri, onion textures, and calamansi and soy emulsion.
The dish brings up happy memories of meals prepared by our mother, during the halcyon days of out youth in Laguna. A true comfort food, to be sure.
Dessert was a deconstructed version of the classic Filipino dessert, Halo-Halo. The dish is made with caramelized custard, langka compote, red bean purée, nata de coco, condensed milk pudding, coconut Chantilly, crispy milk foam, and ube granita.
The "Lik•Hain" degustation menu is available on Aug. 15 and 30, 2023, from 7 p.m to 9 p.m, at P4000 nett per person.
For table reservations and inquiries, e-mail [email protected] or call +632.8256.2020.