Chef Karen Martin explores San Miguel Beer's French connection

MANILA, Philippines - French cuisine has always been identified with wine, in particular, those coming from Bordeaux, which many say are the best in the world. But who would have thought that French cuisine and the Filipinos’ drink of choice — beer — would also make a superb match?

This interesting combination is what chef Karen Martin served guests recently at La Regalade French Bistro, where she has been donning the executive sous chef toque for two years now. 

Chef Karen developed a menu especially designed with San Miguel Brewery Inc.’s lifestyle brews — San Miguel Premium All-Malt Beer, San Miguel Super Dry, and Cerveza Negra — as accompaniment.

“Filipinos, I would say, are more beer drinkers than wine drinkers due to several factors. Number one would be the fact that we are living in a tropical country and it is but natural that we opt for a refreshing and invigorating type of beverage,” the 23-year-old Filipina explains. 

Who says only wine pairs with food? Try this appetizer: calamari and chorizo with San Miguel Super Dry.

Chef Karen, who was trained by Alain Raye — the chef extraordinaire awarded with two Michelin stars — took her guests to a gastronomic adventure that let them experience the many flavors born out of this unique pairing of food and beer.

The hors d’oeuvres consisted of rabbit rillete with dijon mustard, terrine maison with onion marmalade, and pearl onion tuna carpaccio with 10 spice rub. These perfectly complemented the malty aroma and accented flavor of San Miguel Premium All Malt Beer, which chef Karen describes as a “versatile and brilliant beer.”

For appetizers, guests were served sautéed calamari and chorizo Pamplona, spiced with tomato, spring onion, and Spanish paprika, which created a delightful symphony of flavors.

“This appetizer is best enjoyed with San Miguel Super Dry. The robust taste of the chorizo complements the crisp and moderate taste of the beer,” she adds.

Creme chocolat with Cerveza Negra

Next up was a salad, fried goat cheese on a bed of young spinach leaves tossed in walnut and red wine vinaigrette with sautéed pears. Cerveza Negra matched the creaminess and slight salinity of the goat cheese.

A meal that special deserved not one but two main courses: snapper with rosemary butter, which was paired with San Miguel Premium All Malt; and lamb navarin with couscous.   She paired the stewed lamb dish with hints of ginger, curry and dried apricots with San Miguel Super Dry.   

“The quick and elegant finish of San Miguel Super Dry, as well as its moderate bitterness, renders this spiced dish delightful to the palate, “she said. 

Dessert was also an affair to remember with creme chocolate, a dark Belgian chocolate custard served with almond and coconut tuille. Whoever said desserts go well with coffee surely has not tried it with Cerveza Negra, a perfect companion to the sweet, creamy, and frothy indulgence.

Snapper with rosemary butter with San Miguel Premium All Malt Beer

“This is actually my second time to do beer pairing. The first was for a Portuguese beer where we focused on serving appetizers,” chef Karen relates.

“The difference between that and this experience with the San Miguel Lifestyle Brews — apart from myself being an avid consumer of San Miguel and a firm believer that San Miguel Beer is truly among the best beers in the world — there is this deeper sense of Filipino pride,” she adds.

Lamb navarin and couscous and San Miguel Super Dry