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Restaurant 101 at Enderun Campus, Fort

June 10, 2011 by Janey

Bubba and I visited Restaurant 101 in Ortigas a few years ago but I’ve never been to Restaurant 101 at the Fort until last month when I went to the Enderun Campus for Discover Cuisine. The stylish Restaurant 101 interiors at the Fort evoke the same casual elegance of the first restaurant in Ortigas.

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Restaurant 101 Enderun Ortigas

In this contemporary Parisian bistro setting, you’ll observe the amiable precision of the student wait staff, working under the watchful eyes of the College’s food and beverage faculty. Their energy brings freshness and unique charm to the 101 experience.

Serving lunch and dinner Mondays to Saturdays, Restaurant 101 already enjoys name recall that mere mention of it creates visual images of things jaded palates yearn for. With Chef Thomas Wenger at its helm, there is much to anticipate. It also offers monthly wine tasting dinners, and with an open kitchen exhibit that stands out from the surfeit of Manila’s restaurants, it has definitely become a landmark, taking the spotlight in dining places to frequent.

Bouillabaise

Restaurant 101 also welcomes the return of its popular Prix-Fixe menus, affordable three-course daily lunch specials for only PHP 300. It can also accommodate private parties and large-scale banquets, in two salon privés and its magnificent, high-ceilinged 240-square-meter Atrium. The chic Bar d’Etoile, adjacent to the restaurant, serves some of Manila’s finest cocktails under a stunning canopy of glass and starlight.

On the Table

Salmon Fillet, Mi Cuit, Caper-Herb Dressing, Warm Potato Salad PHP 380

Mi Cuit means half cooked but it isn’t necessarily raw fish. Some use the technique of lightly curing the salmon in salt and vinegar, vacuum packing it with thyme and olive oil then cooked in a water bath for 6-8 minutes. Others cook it in 104F oil but not all the way through. This certain temperature changes the fish texture and flavor.

Both Carlos and Richard were not enthused by the Salmon fillet mi cuit but I dissent. I enjoyed the subtle and delicate taste of the salmon with just the right acid and herb flavor from the caper dressing coating the block of fish. It was a different take on salmon and I welcomed the newness of it.

The warm potato salad was light and complements beautifully with the salmon.

Chicken Basquaise Stewed Sweet Peppers Bayonne Ham PHP 680

The chicken with a partially crispy outer layer was rebelling with piquant flavors from the stewed sweet peppers. This chicken dish that originates from Basque Region of Southern France was full of flavor and had a slight touch of sweetness and saltiness from the Bayonne Ham.

Louis XV Chocolate Crisp, Ganache, Praline Bar PHP 220

The only other place you can try this dessert is at La Louis XV restaurant in Monaco at heftily priced 15 Euros. Shaped like a commercial chocolate bar, the wafer and hazelnut croquante remind me of Ferrero Rocher chocolate.

There is a play of crispiness steadily poised by certain softness of the texture. The matte finish of the rich chocolate ganache was topped strikingly with edible gold flakes. I’d go skinny dipping my right hand into a bucket of their rich chocolate ganache and just lick to my heart’s desire.

Restaurant 101 at Enderun Colleges

1100 Campus Avenue, McKinley Hill,

Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634 Philippines

(632) 856 5000 local 101 / (632) 856 4656

www.enderuncolleges.com

Restaurant 101 Album

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ADF Enderun, Truly World Class Culinary Education

June 2, 2011 by Janey

Last May 14, I visited the Enderun grounds at the Fort. I have been to Restaurant 101 of Enderun in Ortigas but this was the first time I’m setting foot in their bigger campus. In 2007, Alain Ducasse Formation (ADF) shaped an academic partnership with Enderun Colleges in the Philippines called ADF+Enderun, and it has since grown leaps and bounds to elevate culinary education in the country and in Southeast Asia.

Alain Ducasse, one of the most celebrated of modern French chefs, is one of the rare chefs in the prestigious Michelin Guide’s history to run restaurants carrying three-star ratings in three cities: Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo, Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in Paris, and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London. He established ADF in 1999 to encapsulate his culinary methods and to provide training and consultancy services to the world.

At the heart of the ADF+Enderun teaching philosophy is theory, demonstration, and practice. The Enderun Culinary Center, where all culinary classes are held, adheres to this philosophy. Built in collaboration with ADF, it meets the best international standards in culinary teaching facilities. The building houses hot kitchen laboratories, a pastry kitchen laboratory, a preparation kitchen, and a culinary amphitheater. Enderun also offers the smallest workstation-to-student ratio at two students per workstation and eight workstations per laboratory class. This hands-on approach to culinary education ensures that students acquire mastery of the subject from theory to practice.

Carlos was volunteered 🙂

Chef Marc Chalopin thoroughly showed us how to make Bouillabaisse, which is a traditional Provencal fish stew now more known as a seafood soup that is flavored with a variety of herbs and spices. This supposedly started from fishermen who wanted a bowl of food whenever they arrive at the docks.

I was volunteered too. No fair! Thanks to Richard for this photo!

In Marseille, where the dish originated from, the fish broth is served first in a bowl containing the bread and rouille, with the seafood and vegetables served separately in another bowl. Rouille is a paste or sauce made out of olive oil, garlic, saffron, cayenne pepper and egg yolks.

Chef Marc Chalopin’s Bouillabaisse was probably one of the best tasting seafood soups I have ever tasted in my life. The soup had an elaborate taste but in simplified manner –if that makes any sense. I saw how Chef Marc built up the flavor (painstakingly if I was doing it in my own kitchen) from the fresh fish stock made out of dozens of local fish to the additional ingredients he added layer per layer.

The sheets of flavor are evident in the heartwarming soup. I could finish a tub of Chef’s Bouillabaisse and sit there crying in joy and sipping joy.

Chef Marc Chalopin trains the students in Enderun. The full-time program covers the basics of Culinary Arts in fifteen months, including the opportunity for an internship in France.

The 15-month program opens in June 2011. Enderun, committed to the highest international standards of academic excellence, is partnered with Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland and Spain, and with Alain Ducasse Formation in France.

Enderun Colleges

1100 Campus Avenue

McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio

Taguig City 1634 Philippines

Telephone: (632) 856 5000

Facsimile: (632) 856 4656

www.enderuncolleges.com

Photo Courtesy:

Richard of www.TalesfromtheTummy.com

Carlos of www.FoodieManila.com

Yedylicious’ Enderun Post

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Café Verbena @ Discovery Country Suites, Tagaytay

March 5, 2008 by Janey

I called Café Verbena to reserve a table for two on January 5, 2008. It was my birthday dinner treat for Bubba. Saturday traffic at the South Expressway almost dampened our mood, but a relaxing vibe embraces you as you walk in the 80-seat restaurant of Café Verbena. Decorated in soft Tuscan tones and elegant drapery, Café Verbena maintained that Discovery Suites’ sophisticated look. Our reserved table was located at their enclosed veranda, where one can feel the soft whimper of the night breeze.

Bread, Butter and In-house Salsa -Free

A good opening to what was going to be a very delightful dinner.

Soup of the Day PHP 110++

The soup of that night was pumpkin soup, which is one of our favorite flavors of liquefied starter course. We had to ask the waiter to split into two, which he courteously obliged to. The pumpkin flavor was evident in the soup with a dollop of cream to enhance the flavor.

Organic Mozzarella Cheese Pot PHP 240++

Since we are such cheese lovers, we had to order this. Served ‘fondue-style” in an earthy pot, the cheese serving wasn’t bad at all. Spicy tomato relish and fresh Tagaytay herbs were added to the cheese mixture. It was served with warm focaccia. We had to ask for extra since we finished the bread first before the cheese.

Verbena’s Sampler Plate PHP 650++

We are so ecstatic to try everything on the menu since we traveled all the way from Manila just for dinner. Instead of ordering too many dishes that we might just not finish, we ordered the sampler plate with three small samplings of Verbena’s top entrées. We shared the dish and the price was well worth it.

BBQ Lamb Baby Back Ribs

Nothing too extraordinary. Lamb ribs basted with sweet and spicy barbeque paste. This was served with Polenta fries. I think Polenta is some type of corn mush, which was also eaten as staple by Survivor Africa contestants. Polenta is also used in cornbreads as partner to Chili Con Carne.

Grilled Norwegian Salmon with Arugula-Mushroom Salad

I personally enjoyed the salmon among the rest because the salmon was tasty and juicy. Plus the crispy skin of the salmon is unforgettable –I want to order this again if only for the salty crackling skin. I wanted to steal Bubba’s share of the salmon skin but restrained myself.

U.S. Beef Short Ribs “Goulash”

Short ribs slowly cooked with roasted onion and caraway sauce. This was served with potato puree, which is something similar to mashed potato.

Black Pepper Fettuccini PHP 260++

This was the dish we were least happy about. It almost ruined the whole experience. Since I love black pepper (Bubba even teases me that my food looks like it has sand on it every time I put fresh ground pepper –yes, I put that much pepper), I was intrigued by how this dish will turn out. This pasta dish was served with smoked bacon, roasted garlic and portabello mushrooms. However, the other ingredients failed to integrate and the pasta didn’t have a unified taste.

Overall, the dinner was exquisitely enjoyed. Café Verbena is one of the classiest restaurants in the hills of Tagaytay, which is a definite place for romantic ambience. Hats off to Executive Chef David Pardo de Ayala for bringing his cooking expertise learned from the Culinary Institute of America to Discovery Country Suites

Cafe Verbena Album

Café Verbena

Discovery Country Suites Tagaytay

300 Calamba Road, San Jose, Tagaytay

683 8222

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