MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Many perceive fine dining to be a self-absorbed activity. The Tasting Room, the local adaptation of the Michelin-starred restaurant in Macau, seeks to change this impression.
Chef de cuisine William Mahi, a 33-year old wunderkind from the Basque coast in France, has worked with the likes of Joël Robuchon, Alain Ducasse, and Christian Têtedoie. Spondi, a kitchen in Athens that he headed in 2013-2014, has garnered coveted stars from the Michelin Guide.
Now, Mahi says, “In a decade, Manila will be one of the key culinary [cities] in the region.” He works closely with seasoned sommelier-turned-restaurant manager Damien Planchenault.
A primerOpulent golden hues color the compact space – painting The Tasting Room with posh vibes. But it’s not as intimidating as it seems for the 136 patrons it can seat for dinner. The restaurant has a casual approach to their highbrow grub: you can make your dinner as personalized as possible.
You can book a dinner at one of two private rooms with a huge flat screen TV on the other end, giving you an Orwellian gaze into the kitchen. Chef William kids that if you wave at the kitchen staff on screen, they would wave back, too.
The degustation menus take the limelight at the restaurant, so expect the portions to be small. But Monsieur Planchenault tells us that there still are times that guests still look for bigger servings. He says, “It’s not because you are eating more, then you will be happy at the end,” because the menus must be as strategic as they are sensory.
Tailor-fit your menu of five (“Damien’s Delight,” P3,200), six (“Chef William’s Mood,” P3,600), seven (P4,200), or eight (P4,500) courses. While the restaurant offers bigger-portioned à la Carte dishes and desserts priced at a range of P300 to P3,500 (with the sole exception of the P9,000 Poularde or fattened hen that serves two), most diners opt for the multi-course menus.
On the written menu, dashes separate the ingredients. This is because the kitchen takes a deconstructive approach to gastronomy. The method enables you to appreciate the chemistry among the components and of the whole dish. This is almost like cold science, but the staff will warmly accommodate you, giving indispensable advice and answering your queries.
The Tasting Room also boasts of a formidable cellar of wines and whiskies to pair with their gastronomic offerings – including some exclusive vintages that may burn a hole through your wallet, by the bottle or by the glass. The 2008 Pessac-Léognan from Clarendelle (P900 per glass) was one of the prime vinos poured at the tasting event we recently attended.
Here's a look at the set we tried – a menu dubbed “Chef William’s Mood (P3,600), curated and designed by the chef de cuisine himself.
Amuse-bouche: Goat cheese, foie gras lollipops, and limoncello jellyThree exceptional hors d’oeuvres are laid out – a preview into Chef William’s method.
Caramel coats a cube of goat cheese, but it’s apparently pulverized bits of Parma ham. Dark chocolate-covered foie gras lollipops, filled with apple compote, play like a symphony in the mouth with its unlikely but clever interaction of flavors. To close this teaser, take a spoon of limoncello jelly to cleanse the palate with its crisp, refreshing citrus.
Breads are also served on the side with two types of butter: an earthy truffle and a briny nori.