Nestled in the hinterland of Barangay Road, Alfonso, Cavite, lies the kingdom of Calma, where chief architect and visionary planner Carlo Calma is piecing together a grand vision for their Lava Rock family estate. Within this "finca", a magnificent structure now dominates the landscape - it's called Asador Alfonso, where Chef Chele Gonzalez reigns supreme.

Asador literally means the sharp pointed metal bar or skewer on which meat is roasted, and by extension, is used in Spain to refer to a grill restaurant. With Asador Alfonso, Chef Chele creates a dream world of elevated Spanish cuisine. Quite literally, during the dinner we sampled, one had to keep pinching oneself to remind us that we had not been transported to some Cantabrian roasting house - it’s that special of a gastronomic journey.

Others will write about the architecture, the calming ambiance, the unique chicken and pigeon houses, the murals in the garden, the braying of the goat, or the migratory herons who come by the pool area. And yes, they’re all part of the transportative magic one experiences when visiting the Asador. And others will offer photos of both Carlo and Chef Chele. But for this feature, I’d like the images of the place, and the food, to do all the visual "talking".

Here is the set Menu (there are four to choose from, and one can go a la carte) that we indulged in when we visited Asador the evening before it officially opened on May 17:

Espárrago is white seasonal asparagus with celeriac toffee purée and extra virgin olive oil. This was simply magical, showcasing the finest Spanish ingredients with a purée that uncovered new dimensions to the buttery asparagus. One of my personal favorites!

Pan y Mantequilla is literally bread and butter, which you may think isn’t worthy of being recognized as a separate dinner course. However, one bite of the homemade sourdough with their anchovy butter will have you nodding your head involuntarily, and I don’t have to say anything more.

Jamon de Wagyu is their signature homemade cured A5 Japanese Wagyu jamon. The Tosta de Boquerones features boqueron marinated in vinegar, parsley, and olive oil, topping toast bread. The Matrimonio consists of anchovies, boqueron, and red peppers merged in union, as the name "matrimonio" suggests, and this one was acknowledged as the "king" of the trio of appetizers. My son, Matteo, declared this his favorite starter of the night.

Carabinero is a flat-grilled Spanish red prawn. It’s a house specialty, given that the red prawn is not available in Pacific waters and had to be flown in. One bite of the prawn, and you’ll appreciate how sweet and juicy these prawns are. Don’t be surprised to hear the sucking of the juices found in the heads of these prawns.

"Setas y Trufa" features sautéed mushrooms, egg yolk, shaved truffle, and cured pork jaw. How best to describe this to an Asian diner? Think of Agedashi Tofu, but with a thicker sauce, and with the chopped mushrooms providing more texture than tofu.

"Lechazo" is slow-roasted Spanish suckling lamb rack, served with green salad. And this is where the Maestro, a special roasting oven crafted by Hornos Jumaco Maestro, goes to work. Fueled by wood, and quite unique to Asia, it infuses smoky flavors into the Asador Alfonso dishes. The lamb rack stays tender, moist, and flavorful. I can honestly say that biting into this lamb was the ultimate transportative moment of the dinner, as one just doesn’t get this quality of lamb served in any fine-dining restaurant here in the Philippines. Asador Alfonso would be the first.

The dessert, a Vanilla Flan family recipe, was the perfect note on which to end the dinner. It’s light, doesn’t go too sweet, and had a unique soft texture.

To Chefs Chele Gonzalez and Rodrigo Osorio, a full-blooded congratulations. It’s all in the experience, and Asador Alfonso ticks all the right boxes in making the drive to Alfonso so worthwhile. And we’ll be curious to revisit, and see what new delights Carlo will have come up with, as he turns the estate into his personal eclectic playground.