‘Modern cuisine. Local ingredients’

Once upon a time, there was Vask Tapas Room and Vask Gallery by Vask, both run by a Spanish chef named Chele Gonzalez. Vask Gallery even made it to the 50 Best Restaurants in Asia list. Of course, all good things sometimes have to come to an end...maybe for the better!

After a three-month renovation and closure of Vask now comes a totally new restraurant — Gallery by Chele. Gallery by Chele has transformed the space of Vask Gallery to include a bar, lounge  and dining area that embody the restaurant’s mantra “Modern Cuisine. Local Ingredients.”

Once a degustation-only experience, Gallery by Chele takes casual elements to afford its diners a relaxed and memorable experience. It now offers bites, small plates and big plates a la carte alongside its signature dishes; and short and long-tasting menus that can be customized with vegan and vegetarian options.   Chele heads the team with chef Carlos Villaflor. 

Tuna tartare with aromatics on purple cracker.

The interiors of Gallery by Chele have been softened and warmed by dominantly wood surfaces. Partner-owner and architect Carlo Calma designed the space to create an atmosphere of a barn house situated within a building, in the city. This concept is further enhanced by the rainforest details in the furniture of internationally recognized Filipino designer Kenneth Cobonpue. Chele also handpicked and, to an extent, designed the restaurant’s earthenware, stone and pottery where his wonderful dishes are served.

Chele’s “bites” are quite popular. You can pop them in the mouth and they are great with drinks. They are perfect as pre-dinner appetizers. Eight types of bites are included in the menu. I fell in love with the Black Crisp (actually made of shrimp) with uni mousse and the tuna tartare (with aromatics like three kinds of basil) on a purple cracker. I suggest the Pearl and Clams (tapioca in clam broth and seaweed with clams and river prawns) and the Tiger’s Milk (oyster ceviche). 

The main courses I enjoyed included the sour ribs (Snake River Farms Wagyu — one of the very few imported ingredients in the restaurant), the amazingly tender and flavorful local tuna belly, and the very soft and juicy chicken mole, which I thought I loved the most.

(Gallery by Chele is at 5F Clipp Center, 11th Avenue corner 39th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For reservations, call 0917-5461673 and 218-3895 or e-mail [email protected]. For more information, visit gallerybychele.com and facebook.com/gallerybychele.)

Hot & cold

Spicy Batchoy.

Batchoy is quintessentially  Ilonggo. It is a noodle dish with a rich broth, often sprinkled with garlic and pork trimmings. That is one dish I learned from my Ilonggo mother and I have loved eating it since I was a kid. 

My go-to restaurant for Ilonggo food is JP Anglo’s Sarsa and I was so happy to hear he had just released his new “Hot and Cold” dishes.

I have tried the restaurant’s three new batchoy offerings, all based from the same Sarsa Batchoy broth everyone loves. JP now offers Seafood Batchoy with gata (coconut milk) for those who don’t eat meat. It is a heavenly combination of lapu-lapu, fish cakes, squid and shrimps on a lightly coconut-infused batchoy broth. The restaurant also offers a Spicy Batchoy, the Sarsa Batchoy with a spicy paste; and a unique Ramen Batchoy, grilled flavors (such as pork) served with an egg. All three are great that I can’t choose my favorite.

Buko Pandan con hielo.

JP also introduced his three new desserts: Mango vanilla con hielo, Buko Pandan con hielo and Sarsa Halo-halo.  I only remember mais con hielo (corn with crushed ice and milk) as a kid but these two versions were quite good as well. I loved the fact that the halo-halo was topped with a crispy piyaya, another Ilonggo delicacy I love.

Try out these new hot and cold dishes at the nearest Sarsa Kitchen+Bar branch!

(Visit Sarsa Kitchen+Bar  at BGC Forum, SM Megamall, Rockwell, Rada Street in Legaspi Village, Makati City, Mall of Asia and UP Town Center. For more information, check out www.sarsa.ph.)

Margarita loves Cointreau

Mark Dy and Jane Kingsu Cheng.

Cointreau has long been inseparable from the original “margarita” since the cocktail’s creation in 1948 in Acapulco, Mexico.

A wealthy American socialite Margaret “Margarita” Sames was known for hosting famous and lavish parties and created a whole new cocktail for one of her soirées by mixing two of her favorite spirits: tequila and Cointreau, a liqueur from the Loire Valley in France crafted using a perfect balance of sweet and bitter orange peel essences.

The drink came to be known as the “margarita” has become a staple in bars. Sames once said, “A margarita without Cointreau is not worth its salt.”

Inez Bernardo and Joel Molina.

To pay tribute to the 70th year of the beloved drink’s  creation, the “Margarita Loves Cointreau” event was held in partnership with The Island at the Palace and Jose Cuervo Tradicional.

The event paid homage to the famous party where the classic cocktail was born. Tropical touches and Acapulco-inspired colors were all over the venue. The Island is a beautiful tropical enclave in the heart of a bustling Bonifacio Global City where guests can enjoy a live DJ music, great food, and parties reminiscent of the famous Acapulco soirees hosted by legendary Margaret Sames.

(Follow me on Instagram@pepperteehankee.)