You can't be a fuddy-duddy foodie at the Ayala Malls

MANILA, Philippines - The Ayala Malls are so much more than just premier shopping or entertainment destinations. With a variety of food choices and great dining options, they have also become hotspots for people who like to eat. But, as what usually happens when one finds something that the taste buds would turn somersaults for, there is a tendency to gravitate towards the same restaurant again and again … and many times again thereafter. One develops the propensity to stick with the safe choices, to be a boring and predictable fuddy-duddy when it comes to identifying food favorites.

What makes the “Ayala Malls Top Food Picks” (or AM Top) project noteworthy is that it is a great way of encouraging diners to stray out of their comfort zones and take their palates through a flavor adventure. By putting together a Food Council that will share their personal gustatory favorites, customers may be encouraged to take a break from their usual dining routines and try something new for a change.

The mechanics of the AM Top project are uncomplicated: Restaurants in the Ayala Malls were invited to prepare their signature dishes in the appetizer, soup, salad, fish (or seafood), main course (red or white meat,) dessert and coffee (or cocktail) categories; and each item was judged by the Food Council members, who identified their personal preferences. Judging was according to taste, presentation and originality, or X-factor. Simple, right?

What was not so simple was the formidable amount and variety of food that Food Council members had to try. Fortunately, the group included culinary authorities like chefs and Philippine STAR columnists Ernest Gala, Heny Sison and China Cojuangco. They were joined by F&B World editor-in-chief Nana Ozaeta, television cooking- show celebrities Issa Litton and chef Rosebud Benitez, L’ Incontro restaurant owner and chef Tina Pamintuan, and food critic Margaux Salcedo. Appetite magazine’s editor-in-chief Lorraine Timbol deserves special mention for making all the rounds of the various Ayala malls and courageously sampling all the entrees. “Food tasting had to be done within a time limit, so after a while it became a bit difficult,” she amusedly admits. “But the experience was good for us because we found a lot of new discoveries.”

“I learned so much about the Filipino palate,” Pamintuan agrees. “Did you know, for example, that mojitos are a big favorite?” Various incarnations of the drink appeared at several restaurants, and Tina is pleased to discover “underrated” food outlets where one can get great value for money. But Issa Litton is more specific about what she likes. For her, one pleasing food discovery was Superbowl’s taho.

To allow the public to sample a bit of what the Food Council has tried, a “food journey exhibit,” in partnership with Metrobank, will be launched in Greenbelt on Sept. 10. This will showcase the best-looking, most delectable dishes via a photo exhibit and food sampling. A visual buffet exhibit will also tour select Ayala malls from Sept. 11-17.

“Ayala Malls have changed malling habits,” says Rowena Tomeldan, Ayala Malls vice president and chief operating officer. “We recognize that the mall is incomplete without a strong entertainment and dining component.” And partly because of this, the Food Council’s top food picks will be compiled into the Ayala Malls Food Book, the first of its kind to be given free of charge to valuable mall patrons. While Lao Tzu tells you that “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” every foodie knows that gustatory literacy begins with taste. Grab hold of the Ayala Malls Food Book and navigate your way through gustatory landmarks.