Amorita Resort opened its doors to guests 15 years ago. It is a hidden gem in Bohol’s Panglao Island and is the flagship property of One-Of Collection. The resort features 98 luxurious rooms, 82 suites, and 16 villas with generous space and luxurious amenities, surrounded by landscaped gardens and stunning views of Alona Beach and the Bohol Sea. Amorita is an ASEAN Green Hotel and a Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice and Hall of Fame awardee and has won for “Best Service” twice in the Conde Nast Johansens Excellence Awards.
The past few years having to deal with the global pandemic, to severe damage caused by typhoon Odette in the Visayas region last December, has been difficult. Amorita Resort has remained resilient and continues to provide their guests with world-class Filipino hospitality that the resort has always been known for.
They kicked off 2022 with the first installment of “Beats” (Bohol Eats), bringing to the resort internationally acclaimed chef Margarita Forés, who was Asia’s Best Female Chef of 2016. The proceeds from her five-course dinner will be given to typhoon-stricken Bohol communities.
Margarita prepared two canapés for the pre-dinner cocktail that were served with Don Papa Rum cocktails held at the cliff of the resort. Guests enjoyed her amazing creations of Bohol broas (lady finger biscuit) with chive mousse topped with ikura (salmon roe) and fiocco di prosciutto (the thigh part of the pig) and Negros alamang okoy (fried shrimp cake) served with a Parmesan and Bohol vinegar mayo.
Assisted by chef Jorge Mendez, Margarita made sure to incorporate a lot of local ingredients in her sumptuous dinner, which started with a bibingka (rice cake) topped with uni (sea urchin), lardo (Italian pork fat) served with Parmigiano Reggiano cream and Biasong vinaigrette.
A big hit with diners was the Bohol crab and first-press coconut milk soup, which was served with crisp Dumaguete gamet (seaweed) topped with crab salad, crab coral, onion atchara, and squid ink gnocco (dumpling).
Margarita is known for her pasta, which certainly impressed. She prepared water spinach pappardelle with Bohol takla (pistol shrimp), kalamansi cream, baby crab fat, and biti, which is dried fish maw deep-fried to make it crispy. This certainly added texture to a deliciously complex dish.
The main course was a combination of Bohol white marlin and pork belly confit — the marlin with a fish collagen pilpil olive oil and fish oil emulsion and the pork with a pork fat and Bohol chocolate sauce. These two were separated by a wonderful polenta (made by unusually combining Negros rice and corn), kamote tops, and porcini confit.
A peanut millefoglie (mille-feuille or Napoleon) with Bohol’s famous peanut kisses crumble, a mascarpone foam, and Bohol favorite sweet kalamay was a perfect ending for the evening.
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Visit Amorita Resort and book the “Choose Amorita” package, starting at P5,000++ for a two-night stay with round-trip transfers, daily breakfast, and a special private dinner for two.
For inquiries and reservations, call Amorita Resort at (038) 5329002 or (0917)7264526, or visit www.amoritaresort.com. Follow AmoritaResort on Facebook or @amoritaresortbohol on Instagram.
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