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Business Mirror

Saturday
Nov 21st
In the Company of Angels PDF Print E-mail
Life
Written by Fermentations / Cecile G. Mauricio   
Thursday, 02 July 2009 17:56

 

Perhaps it was that stellar take on pinakbet that started the buzz about Angels’ Kitchen. Or that curious but otherwise delectable chocolate-infused bagoong. (Or that sublime key lime pie with the crushed Oreo-nut crust.) But what’s certain is that just over two years now, the little restaurant is holding its own—shining even—amid the frenetic competition in a neighborhood known for good eating.

It was here that the gentlemen of the International Wine & Food Society (IWFS), Philippines Branch, held their dinner for June, a monthly ritual that always involves the judicious pairing of wines with a chosen menu. Home cooking is what we do here, avers Marnie Ong, a passionate cook who runs Angels’ Kitchen together with her friends—Lucy Ong, Liza Sy, Maizie Qua and Lina Tan. Was there just the tiniest hint of apology in the statement? That perhaps “home cooking” is not quite within the exalted league of IWFS culinary ideals? But on that score, there need not be doubt. The cooking at Angels’ Kitchen is fresh and flavorful, honest and unpretentious the kind of cooking that turns out soul-satisfying dishes—and is therefore in a league of its own.

That evening, Ms. Ong’s menu reflected that ideal. Great platters of food were laid out, buffet, style. The tapas table held button mushrooms sautéed in olive oil and garlic, tortilla española, callos à la madrileña, and a vegetable salad tinted pink by cubes of sugar beets. Main courses were set on a long table running down the length of the room: two huge paelleras flanked chafing dishes that held garlic-studded Iberian chicken, lengua with green olives, and fillets of pez de San Pedro baked in a rich cream and lemon sauce. The selection of wines took into account the pairing with hearty, straightforward flavors. IWFS president and cellar master Bernard Sim had, as usual, chosen well, going for white wines that were bright with acidity and medium-bodied reds with earthy, bright fruit flavors and moderate tannins. 

 

THE company of angels: (from left) Oscar Ong, director of IWFS Philippines Branch and IWFS Asia-Pacific zone secretary, and his wife, Marnie Ong of Angels’ Kitchen; Bernard Sim, president of IWFS Philippines; and Dong Puno, senior vice chairman of IWFS Asia-Pacific zone executive committee
Dinner had to begin with bubbly, an IWFS practice that dates back to its founding in 1933 by André l. Simon, historian, gourmet and wine connoisseur. Champagne, if at all possible, is the aperitif of choice at IWFS dinners. Mr. Sim’s Champagne alternative was the Charles de Fère Brut Chardonnay—elegant, crisp and citrusy with a fine, persistent mousse. With the tapas, the sparkling wine was terrific; with the predinner conversation, it was pure pleasure. Two reds and two whites complemented the main courses. The Verdejo should go with the bacalao in the paella, said Mr. Sim of the zesty, juicy, gently perfumed Montespina Rueda 2007. It did well, too, with the creamy baked fish. The Gustave Lorentz Pinot Gris Réserve was golden-hued and satiny, dry and smoky. My seatmate thought the Côtes du Rhone, with its spice and savory notes, was great with the paella; another one preferred the Château St-Jacques, bright and minerally with firm tannins. Another guest at my table nursed her Verdejo through most of the main courses. Such was the flexibility of the wines, showing off flavors or underlining them so that the pairing of food and wine was an effortless, enjoyable exercise. And then Mr. Sim stood up to say: This is proof that very good wines can be had under P1,000. Which ones? All of them—even the bubbly.

 

By this time, the tapas table was cleared for dessert—and replenished as quickly as the platters and bowls were emptied of the silky crema catalana, a salad of dark-skinned grapes and chunks of fresh fruit, and an incredible chocolate cake that had to be eaten with dollops of caramel sauce and chocolate syrup. Dinner was officially over, but wine glasses continued to be refilled. Over more wine was more conversation. Ms. Ong beamed behind the counter to resounding applause. There was much teasing about who swiped the last of the crema catalana. A new bottle of wine materialized from someone’s wine bag. Will you stay for just another glass? Or more dessert?

More than the celebration of good food and wine, the objective of the International Wine & Food Society is to “encourage those who share the same interests to get together to taste the pleasures of the table in a spirit of camaraderie and conviviality.” It was in that spirit that I was persuaded to take home the last, forlorn wedge of chocolate cake. With extra caramel sauce, please.  One does not refuse an invitation from angels.

Vinofile

  • Charles de Fère Brut Chardonnay, Gustave Lorentz Pinot Gris Réserve 2006, Château St-Jacques 2004—available at all Santis deli stores
  • Montespina Verdejo Rueda 2007—available at Terry Selection: Karrivin Plaza, Pasong Tamo Extension; and The Podium, Ortigas Center
  • aul Jaboulet Ainé “Parallell 45” Côtes du Rhone 2006—available at Bacchus, 6750 Ayala Avenue, Makati 

Angels’ Kitchen: 57 Connecticut Street, North East Greenhills, San Juan; (632) 721-8822, (632) 744-1018.

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Last Updated ( Friday, 03 July 2009 00:06 )