NO, this palette that you’re staring at is no ordinary artist’s palette. The blobs of colorful paint are French Macarons held in place by dabs of melted chocolate. The hole is a colored chocolate praline. The painter’s brush is made of marzipan, and the palette itself is chocolate that has been painted with edible gold. This edible palette was the piece de resistance that was served as the fitting finale to an exquisite six-course sit-down dinner hosted by Crimson Hotels & Resorts at the Grand Ballroom of Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila, the other night (April 11, 2014) to showcase its new Expressions of Luxury.
Expressions of Luxury was a gastronomic presentation put together by Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila, executive chef Alessio Loddo and Crimson Resort and Spa, Mactan, Cebu, executive chef Stuart Blair to showcase what the Crimson properties could do in terms of a la carte, buffet and banquet offerings.
“By luxury, we mean the quality of ingredients that we use and the way that we cook and serve them to guests,” explains Chef Alessio.
The other night, he and Chef Stuart demonstrated exactly what they mean – from cocktail food all the way down to dessert and sweet accompaniments to coffee or tea. Expressions of Luxury began with cocktails in the Lobby, where glasses of Moet & Chandon and Mango Rum and Grenadine cocktail drinks were served as guests started arriving and engaging in light conversations. Exquisite cocktail food was also served, including Ginger Tea Cappuccino in mini cups, Coconut-coated King Prawns and Peking Duck with Hoisin Sauce on skewers.
When the doors of the Grand Ballroom were finally opened, everyone was awed by the luxurious setup. A long table sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by a white canopy ‘tent’ with strings of crystals flowing from the curtain-like roof of the canopy tent like individual chandeliers and dancing with the gentle touch of light. The table was laden with flower arrangements filled with red roses and carnation blooms, and a red light enveloped the whole room and set the mood for a romantic dinner in the company of friends and colleagues. During the course of the sit-down dinner, the light shall change from red to blue to white.
After everyone had found his seat and settled back comfortably, the first course, the appetizer, Liquefied Caprese with Tomato Pearls and Orange Balsamic Reduction, was served. It was a work of art, with a mousse of cheese topped with tiny tomato pearls (yes, little balls only slightly bigger than tobiko, the orange-colored egg roe used in Japanese cuisine, painstakingly carved out of tomatoes!) and a drizzle of orange balsamic reduction. A lot of work went into the tomato pearls, and I felt slightly guilty finishing them all.
The soup, White Lobster Bisque with Tricolor Cannelloni, Roasted Bell Pepper and Bottarga, came next, and everybody loved it. It was flavorful and lovely to the palate as much as it was a beautiful and colorful work of art. If it’s any testimony to how good it was, I finished my soup to the last drop and left no part of the stuffed cannelloni on the bowl.
The salad course, Seared Sea Scallops and Orange Salad with Tomato and Coriander Salsa, was another masterpiece. It was two pieces of lightly seared scallops, topped with tomato and coriander salsa and surrounded by wedges of peeled and sliced orange. It was fresh, light and healthy, and the natural flavors of the scallops, tomatoes and coriander came together beautifully on the palate, balanced by the light sweetness of the orange.
Then came the entrees, first the fish course, Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna with Caramelized Foie Gras with Sauteed Shimeji Mushrooms, Asparagus and Leeks, and then the meat course, Seared Lamb Loin with Homemade Smoked Cherry Tomato, Eggplant Tartare and Taleggio Risotto.
Finally, the best and most awaited part of the meal – dessert – came, and again everyone was awed when the platter of Deconstructed Calamansi Tart with Gianduja Chocolate Cream, Dulce de Leche with Langka and Cebu Mango Sorbet was served. It was different colors, flavors and textures that stared at us and, like Alice standing before a wonderland of sweets, everyone started digging into the platter. Some started with the ‘quenelle’-shaped mound of Cebu Mango Sorbet. Others first scooped up dollops of the wonderfully tangy calamansi curd. Yet others went for the chocolate cream first. It was a fun plate that got everybody excited.
We thought that was it – the dessert, the last course, the sweet ending to a luxurious dinner. But, no, it wasn’t the end of it. Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila, marketing communications manager Twinkle Lacsamana and Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, Cebu, PR and communications manager Mia Mae Sy brought out small cartons of French Macarons as giveaways for everyone. Each carton had French Macarons in Caramel, Chocolate, Dalandan, Durian, Langka, Pistachio, Raspberry and Ube flavors. But even this was not the end of the exquisite dining experience.
There was more. This time, the waiters came out with the Chocolate palettes topped with three French Macarons and a colored Chocolate Praline presented on a chocolate praline mold. I love the little bites, but I had room for only one the other night. F&B World editor Marilen Fontanilla, my drinking buddy, who was seated next to my husband Raff, said the Ube Macaron was good so I opted for that. After finishing it, we were on the lookout for the waiter to ask him to wrap up the rest. The edible palette was too good and too lovely to leave behind. Expressions of Luxury was one of the loveliest dinners I’ve attended in recent months. (Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila, is located at the Entrate Urban Complex, 2609 Civic Drive, Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City 1781; with telephone number 863-2222.)
