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Philippines Dinner

Bailliage of Philippines
Cebu, August 17, 2019

For the love of chocolate
" Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino was the setting for the occasion "

Chocolate took centre stage at an event called “Chocolate Decadence,” where every dish served, from appetizers to the main dish, included an element of chocolate.

Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino was the setting for the occasion. Dress code was “Filipiniana Modern”. The men wore the Barong Tagalog while the ladies were elegantly-attired in fashionable Filipiniana/Terno gowns.

Anders Hallden, the hotel’s General Manager, and his culinary team created the exquisite dishes with the assistance from special guest Chocolate Sommelier Raquel Choa.

Tavernello Sangiovese 2017 was poured and the appetizer was served: New Zealand lamb carpaccio; Goat cheese croquette; Pear, arugula, dried apricot and pumpkin seeds salad with Balsamic vinegar; Tablea chocolate dressing with black summer truffle. The many elements gave multiple flavour levels - taste and smell of oaky, nutty, sweet, bitter and earthy, bound together by the chocolate dressing. Oh, what a dish!

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Porcini mushroom and chestnut soup cappuccino
hint of bittersweet pure chocolate

Criollo chocolate ravioli, ricotta, pumpkin
quail egg, grated Cacao de Bola

Snow chocolate and lemon sorbet

Steamed zucchini coated cod fillet
red onion ginger Tsokolate marmalade
citrus fresh cocoa beans sauce
Caliterra Reserva Chardonnay 2017
Casablanca Valley, Chile

Sous-vide NY prime striploin
mokka roasted cocoa bean crust
Gorgonzola sauce, ube (purple yam) and potato croquette
Mouton-Cadet Rouge 2016 - Bordeaux

Vanilla panna cotta, Malagos chocolate ganache
passion fruit sorbet, Tablea sponge cake

My palate was silently searching for elements of chocolate in each dish throughout the evening. Tweaked to a higher level with marmalade and chocolate sauce the fish dish was my favourite. Food dissection was a given. Your writer had tasted dishes whose flavours were complicated hence his palate had to work overtime analysing the dishes complex nuances. The dessert was easier to understand because chocolate is an essential ingredient in many desserts.

More chocolates were served with the Casa de cacao buffet featuring the favourite cakes of Chocolate Sommelier Raquel Choa.

Dr Nestor Alonso
Vice-Chargé de Missions

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