Nobu-style dishes now in Manila

Nama Sakana has successfully brought the unique and exciting flavors of authentic Japanese fusion cuisine to the Philippines with the launch of its first restaurant in the country. Nama Sakana, Nihongo for “raw fish,” offers authentic Japanese dishes fused with Peruvian, European and American cuisines. Moreover, these gourmet creations are prepared by chef Rolando Ongcoy, an experienced culinary artist that has previously collaborated with the restaurants of Nobu Matsuhisa in New York, Tokyo, London and Hong Kong.

Nama Sakana part-owner and executive chef Ongcoy is an international culinary artist who specializes in Japanese fusion cuisine. Now armed with more than 23 years of professional experience, he has perfected the art of Japanese fusion cuisine under the meticulous supervision of the world’s finest food experts.

Chef Ongcoy’s experience in Nobu allowed him to recreate Nama Sakana’s unique lineup of trademark delicacies such as the yellowfin jalapeño, sushi with toppings, sashimi salad and other Nobu-style dishes that are made more special with the addition of the chef’s personally concocted flavors and spices.

Co-owner Nacy Nocom says, “Japanese cuisine is a very tricky and unique genre of cooking, especially when fused with other techniques from various parts of the world. That is why we have teamed up with a chef that has proven his skills in preparing Japanese fusion dishes for the world’s most discriminating guests.” Ongcoy adds, “As a fusion chef, I believe that the best dishes come from exploring all cooking techniques. That is why I consulted French, Italian and other kinds of cuisines in order to come up with unique and palatable dishes for Nama Sakana.”

Nama Sakana, located at the ground floor of the Fox Square Building in Greenhills, is open every day to serve lunch, light meals and dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Guests who want to enjoy some music after dining at Nama Sakana will also enjoy the restaurant’s proximity to the 522 music lounge, which is located at the second floor. Open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., 522 is a KTV bar that offers a wide array of songs from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s.

(For reservations and inquiries, call 726-7266.)

Cooking with Claudine

Claudine Barretto, wife to Raymart Santiago and mom of two, wears an apron so comfortably nowadays when she is off-cam. Her love for cooking has finally become more visibly manifested as was discovered during the press lunch at Unilever’s Cilantro Kitchen when she whipped up her unique adobo Ilonggo. It was an experiment she toyed around with, using Knorr Real Sarap all-in-one seasoning. Her aunt and ninang Glenda Barretto of Via Mare, upon seeing her recipe, noted that Claudine’s adobo had achuete and onions — unusual for the typical adobo. Claudine says, “I’m a very practical person and I prioritize my family above all else, so I really make sure that I choose only the best quality, especially for the ingredients that goes into what I make. I have to see the quality to believe it.” She adds that with Knorr Real Sarap, “you can really see the herbs and spices, so I know its quality.”

At the event, the buffet featured dishes cooked with the all-in-one seasoning, some were Claudine’s recipes which she shared with the guests who also said, “It’s so easy to use Knorr Real Sarap. I can use it in any dish. I use it to marinade my fish or I sprinkle it over vegetable dishes or even fried rice!”

Chefs Heny Sison and Florabel Co were seen among the foodies who graced the event. Guests went home with enough Knorr Real Sarap to start trying those yummy dishes they just sampled.

Autohub’s grand fair

Authohub Group’s grand affair dubbed as Autohub: 10 Years in the Making featured an impressive showcase of Autohub Group’s premier car brands, complemented by fun activities at the NBC Tent in Taguig.

The NBC Tent was transformed into a showroom of the top-selling car brands under the Autohub dealership such as Ford (Global City and Manila), Nissan (Gallery Quezon Avenue and Ortigas), BMW (Greenhills), Hyundai (Global City), Chery (Global City and Ortigas) and JMC (Makati and Cavite). Also featured were Autohub affiliates including Click Auto Rental, GATES (Tartarini LPG Kits), Piaggio scooters (Vespa, Gilera and Piaggio), AutoZone (Accessories, Detailing, Body & Paint, Motor Oil), Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Extended Warranty, O% Participation Insurance, Autohub Club and their newly launched website.

The event began with a colorful motorcade within The Fort area, followed by a Mass. Some lucky guests took home Philippine Airlines tickets to Hong Kong, resort accommodation at The Tides in Boracay and gift certificates from participating sponsors given during the hourly raffle draws. In a lively launch with energetic and dazzling dance numbers, Click Auto Rental and Leasing, The Autohub Club Card was unveiled, offering discounts and freebies on its products and services catering specifically for them.

The evening’s grand celebration was Ford Philippines’ 10th anniversary. Guests also had the chance to play table games provided by PAGCOR, partake in the sumptuous buffet, visit the various beverage booths and join in the raffle. Autohub’s dealer principal Willy Tee Ten launched Ford Makati in February 1999, which later transferred to its larger facility at Ford Global City and since then, Ford Makati has been named as the Dealer of the Year by Ford Philippines, consistently raking in the top number of car sales among Ford dealers nationwide.

(For more information, visit Autohub’s office at Ford Global City, Block 15 Rizal Drive, Crescent Park West, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City or call 860-8851 to 52 or log on to www.autohubgroup.com)

Season 2 of the Filfest Cultural Foundation

Fresh from the success of its maiden voyage season (10 concerts in one year!), the Filfest Cultural Foundation, in cooperation with the Insular Life Assurance Company, is ready to inspire, educate and delight the Metro South with its second season of performances beginning April 25.

Taking into consideration the global economic challenges, Filfest has masterplanned a prudent yet equally spectacular line up of performances at the Insular Life Theater-Alabang.

The Filfest Program for Season II will feature a wide range of American, European and Filipino music complemented by lively animated program notes on the composers and an insight about the period in history in which the works were written featuring the music of Mendelssohn, Borodin, Stravinsky, Copland, Barber, Saint-Saens, Rodrigo, Brouwer, Liszt, Martinu and more!

The inaugural gala of Of Emperors and Czars on April 25 features violinist Jason Texon, cellist Giancarlo Gonzales, FilHARMONIka and Gerard Salonga as conductor. Program will include Mendelssohn’s Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61, Alexander Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances, Igor Stravinsky’s Dumbarton, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka’s Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila, Op. 5 and Johannes Brahms’s Double Concerto in a minor for Violin & Cello, Op. 102.

Other featured soloists for Season 2 include clarinetist Marian Liebowitz, marimbist Dena Fernandez, pianist Aries Caces and Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz and guitarists Ruben Reyes and Perfecto de Castro.

(For a complete schedule, program, seating plan, and Season Ticket prices, please call 0918-9419474 / 0918-941-9472, or register for the Filfest Weekly Bulletin through [email protected])