Chef Myrna Segismundo’s gambit at The Pen

My wife, Mary Ann, does not eat kinilaw because she is afraid her weak stomach will reject it. I don’t know why, but she loves sushi and oysters yet will not touch kinilaw. Not even kinilaw made by me, and that frustrates me. But that evening at the Peninsula Hotel, I caught her eating the kinilaw of chef Myrna Segusmundo. I must admit I felt slighted.

“But I’ll be honest, it was the avocado (a favorite of mine in any form and preparation) on Myrna’s kinilaw that tempted me like the apple to Adam and Eve,” she said. “I know it’s bad for me but I could not resist it. The vinegar will not hurt, I thought, and as long as I don’t eat the fish, I will be fine. But I didn’t see the sliver of tangile fish glued to the avocado as I popped it in my mouth fast before hubby could catch me. And surprisingly it was love at first bite and I went back for a lot more. While writing this, we are now in Palawan and I have had all kinds of kinilaw on the menu and even the wood worms, tamilok, those slimy worms featured in Andrew Zimmer’s Bizarre Foods show. I must thank Myrna profusely for my kinilaw baptism.”

That is Myrna and that is the kind of food she dared serve to a group of 20 foodie media people who Mary Ann calls, in jest, “the Jaded Foodies.” To me, serving avocado with kinilaw is risky but brilliant, especially because she was able to convert my wife. When asked to describe her menu for the evening, Myrna said “It’s a gaming menu,” I was at the far end and I thought I misheard her. But again that’s Myrna’s sense of humor. With her, you are always either eating or laughing.

She called it a gaming menu because she took risks with her dishes with twists. Who in his right mind would put avocado on kinilaw? In a foreign ceviche or carpaccio, I might not be surprised because they regard avocado as a vegetable; but for Filipinos, it is a fruit best enjoyed as dessert with sugar and cream. When one takes such a risk at a big event, in front of jaded diners no less, either they’re a fool or they know their craft very, very well. She, of course, is the latter.

Like me, Myrna Segismundo does not have a culinary diploma but her passion and natural talent has qualified her to work in the best hotels here and abroad. Currently she is the managing director of the multi-awarded and exclusive 9501 fine dining restaurant of ABS CBN Corporation. She is one of the six handpicked chefs (ahem… I am also one of them) who co-authored the best-seller Kulinarya cookbook for Anvil Publishing.  I have seen her work passionately and with tenacity as the president of the yearly tough national cooking competition for the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Weekend. These competitions inevitably produce our next generation of chefs. She has made it her mission to help promote our Philippine cuisine here and abroad and has been sent many times over to foreign lands to showcase our cuisine. “And she speaks perfect English,” my very impressed wife adds.

I have had the privilege of working with her. I have eaten a couple of times at her exclusive 9501 and once in her Manila home. This is her second year as guest chef of The Peninsula Hotel and I was there, too, last year. So I can safely say I am very familiar with her cooking.

Now, if you ask my advice on how one must attack Myrna’s buffet, my answer is obvious: if you can eat it all, do just exactly that, try it all. But if you have limited space in the tummy (who does not?) let me guide you on what to take from her buffet. First warm your tummy with her mean bulalo made from scratch and meaty beef bones. She is after all from Batangas. Do not be intimidated by the numerous bowls of condiments and toppings. Just add slivers of chicken, tokwa cubes, squid rings or shrimps and chicharon and your choice of noodles: mami, egg or rice. To me it’s best with mami. I do not agree with the dilis flavoring the bulalo but Mary Ann says it’s a new delicious discovery for her. Suit your own taste, I say.

Then go on to her spreads. She has four kinds but try the kesong puti and the adobo pâté mixed together on a hard roll. Wow! If you are the non-dairy type, Myrna’s Dulong is, to me, the second best, which is the favorite of chef Sandy Daza of the successful Wooden Spoon restaurant.

Then move on to her tanguile kinilaw, of course. “Don’t forget to put avocado,” adds Mary Ann. She has six kinds of tempting lumpias and empanaditas that can confuse a hungry diner. I say take the ubod in homemade crepes. Wifey says: “Take the singkamas, which has honey and patis dressing; the flavors and texture pop in your mouth.” I am certain it is the patis that she likes. Then dare to eat her black dinuguan longganisa which I am sure foreigners will compare to a Spanish morcilla or French boudin. but eating with burung santol (another favorite of Wifey) makes it special and different and distinctly Filipino.

I did not get to try this but I’m sure it’s superb and I will be at The Peninsula again just to order it. Slather her Pinoy sambal on a crisp mustard leaf, top with tokwa, toasted peanuts, coriander, shrimp and salted egg (if you want salty flavor) and chicharon. But I would prefer a slice of her famous crisp boneless lechon — no, make it two slices please, instead of the common chicharon.

There are now many pork belly roulades but in my opinion, Myrna started the trend in the Philippines when I first tried hers in1999. Imitation, as they say, is the sincerest form of flattery, so don’t miss her boneless lechon. If I can only take one main course have to choose between her boneless lechon and her prime rib with adobo gravy and mashed garlic, I would certainly go for the lechon with her mango salsa and lechon liver sauce gravy.

Mary Ann, as usual, does not agree with me. She, unlike me, does not tremble at the sight of crispy pork. She often says, “Why go for pork when there is beef?” To her it’s like going for chicken when there is duck. Having grown up in Mabalacat Pampanga as a kid, beef was only sold in their market once a week, so beef will always be a special food event to her. And Myrna, being a Batanguena, knows very well how to handle beef. The adobo sauce complements perfectly the succulent prime rib. Since my tummy is big enough, I had no problem having both. I cannot resist prime rib either.

If you need carbs in your diet, have the Paellang Binagoongan topped with pork, salted egg and mango strips. We both forego the fish and vegetables because they are a waste of space in the tummy, instead heading straight for dessert. Her signature crisp slender turon is copied many times over but to no equal. (The recipe, by the waym is in the Kulinarya book.) The ladies at our table were raving about her new dessert, as usual: the suman with latik and mango, obviously a take on our suman at mangga. Writer CJ Juntareal said: “Move over keso de bola cheesecake, my new favorite is her suman sa latik.” But Mary Ann, the dessert person among us, begs to disagree. Her choice is still Myrna’s queso de bola cheesecake. She likes the saltiness and creamy queso on light flaky pastry. By the way, Myrna also was the first to make queso de bola cheesecake, which is now copied and served in many pastry shops. And lastly, do not end your meal without the Batangas barako coffee or you have the danger of falling asleep, face flat on your plate.

I am certain Myrna will one day have a restaurant of her own. But until that day comes, your best chance to try her special cooking is at The Peninsula Manila from June 16 to 29 at the Escolta and The Lobby. Aptly named “From My Table to The Peninsula’s: A Celebration Of  Chef Myrna Segismundo Recipes and Culinary Memories In Escolta and The Lobby,” call 887-2888 for reservations of one gastronomical meal experience. TEXT AND PHOTOS BY  Claude Tayag