HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE
Two food-related events I attended last week could very well stand as testimonials to the saying that food is the language of love – given the enthusiasm, the audible sighs of satisfaction, and the break-out of smiling faces that the events elicited. One was the Venchi X M Dining tasting menu collaboration, while the second was the formal opening of Streetscape at Shangri-La Plaza Mall, a dedicated row of curated dining options found at the mall’s ground floor.
The Venchi event was the premium Italian chocolate’s foray into creative food pairings. Creative, because what Global Ambassador Giovanni Battista ‘GB’ Mantelli enthusiastically led us to sample, were pairings of the iconic Venchi (hard C, so pronounced as Veng-Key) chocolates with traditional Filipino dishes, and complemented with Don Papa Rum cocktails. And not just one dish or two, but an array of dishes associated with meals that Filipinos would partake of throughout a typical day.
‘GB’ Mantelli is a direct descendant of Venchi founder Silviano Venchi, and it would be hard to find someone more affable, friendly, and engaging – a most effective Brand Ambassador. He must have a gift for languages as well, as I saw a video of him in Indonesia greeting viewers in Bahasa. Here in Manila, words like kutsinta, puto, manggang hilaw, liempo, and laing, all rolled off his tongue with an Italian accent; and it was utterly charming. He rolled off full sentences in Pilipino; and smiled, attributing it to his many visits here.
Working with Tippy Tambunting of M Dining, the quite singular tasting event had GB experimenting on the taste profiles of iconic Filipino dishes, and he would then pair them with specific Venchi chocolates – the Cremino, the Nougatine, and his Chocoviar, among the chocolates prominently in use. The premise was to heighten and elevate these dishes, to cross-pollinate distinct culinary cultures, and employ Venchi chocolate as the driver for this blending.
The two courses I found really successful were the Cena Raffinata, and the Buongiorno. Cena Raffinata was liempo and laing, paired with the Chocoviar 75 percent, a creamy dark chocolate, encased in an extra dark shell. I loved how the liempo and the laing each had distinct flavors, and yet, both worked divinely with the chocolate.
The Buongiorno was morning-themed fare of taho in syrup, puto, sapin-sapin and kutsinta; all enhanced by unwrapping the creamy, hazelnut Cremino, and using the melange to awaken the senses. As GB exclaimed, “Chocolate in the morning gives me energy and joy. It’s a ritual for me!” The inside joke within the Venchi chocolate empire is that when GB was born, he was baptized with a drop of chocolate on his forehead.
Here in Metro Manila, the mushrooming of the Venchi stand-alone stores have been an irresistible magnet for those who love their chocolate and Italian gelato; but the growing global trend for the brand has been in travel retail. Over the last three to four years, their presence at airport lounges have multiplied; and the ones managing the duty free departure areas will tell you just how welcome these Venchi stores are. They’re extremely colorful, they’re instantly popular, and they help raise the retail profile of the departure areas.
Over at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong, a newly launched wing of the mall, just by the entrance of the driveway, has become the new go-to for gustatory delights. It’s 12 distinct restaurants or coffee shops that promise quality, and an elevated dining experience. While it’s safe to say that the mall already had/has dining delights, it was wise of them to ‘zone’ this Streetscape; as on the previous days that I dropped by, you’d see the dining public make a beeline for this area.
A Mano, Gingerlily, Harlan + Holden Coffee, Juniper by Josh Boutwood, Longhorn, Manam, Nikkei Sakagura, Red Lotus, Refinery, Sala Martinez, The Wholesome Table, and Wildflour- that’s an excellent collection of a dozen eateries that promise diversity in cuisine, and deliver on consistent kitchen and food quality.
Two new players in the bunch would be Juniper and Longhorn; so a few words on the two will help you understand why their inclusion. Juniper is Josh Boutwood’s first food concept outside of Makati’s CBD or BGC. So I know that those who swear by his kitchen, live in the North, and had to drive to Makati or Taguig, are overjoyed to know that Josh has ‘crossed the River Pasig’! LongHorn is a steakhouse, a casual dining concept from the USA, run by Darden Restaurants, the people behind Olive Garden. Both Juniper and LongHorn are part of the Bistro Group.
For foodies, for those who look to elevate their food experiences, these were two stellar events to chronicle, and look back on as highlights of the week that was. Bon Appétit!