Culinary attractions at Café Amiga
THE CULINARY careers of some chefs working in our hotels and resorts here are harnessed by local or overseas experience. So it’s not that surprising to meet dedicated chefs whose college degrees are totally unrelated to culinary arts.
Russel Abarquez, Executive Sous Chef of Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa, pursued a nautical degree at the University of the Visayas and supported his studies by working in Chowking Chinese fastfood when it opened in 1992. This exposed him to the intricacies of food operations that captured his interest. Chef Russel relates that his Spanish grandmother exposed him to excellent home-cooked meals when he was growing up in Talisay and influenced his love for food. He eventually decided to abandon his nautical career and join the hotel industry as kitchen helper as part of the opening team of the now defunct Delta Philippine Dream in 1996. He moved up the proverbial chef’s ladder in various five-star hotels and resorts in Mactan (Waterfront, Hilton and Crimson). His mastery of the Filipino cuisine was honed in Hilton where he headed the team promoting Filipino cuisine in Hilton properties in Japan and Malaysia.
Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort & Spa along the coastline of Maribago in Mactan Island prides itself not only as a premier resort–hotel with luxurious accommodations that include the exclusive Lifestyle Villas and the country’s first waterpark but also as a culinary destination with no less than eight restaurants that offer a verity of international cuisines. The huge Familia Buffet lays out a sumptuous international cuisine that can be an overwhelming culinary experience. Cheon San serves up classic and contemporary Chinese cuisine under the wizardry of Chef Kenny Yong Tzehin. There is Maru for authentic Korean ala carte and teppanyaki table top grill and hot pot prepared by Korean Chef Jason Cho. The Coral Seaside Restaurant is popular for its contemporary Mediterranean dishes and fresh seafood. In Cafe Amiga, Chef Russel’s Filipino creations are the main attractions.
Imperial Palace’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jason Uy was our gracious host. Chef Russel Abarquez briefly welcomed us upon our arrival and returned to the kitchen to prepare the set Filipino menu for lunch. To amuse our palates, a starter composed of Cebuano Tanguigue Kinilaw with Green Mango Spheres and Deconstructed Tokwa’t Baboy with Soy Foam was served. Chef Russel uses the molecular technique to create the Green Mango Spheres on top of the Tanguigue Kinilaw. Instead of the classic fried diced tokwa (soy bean curd) with boiled and sliced pig’s ears and face, Chef Russel used skewered pork loin in lemon grass stalk and soft whole tofu in a shallow dish with vinegar flavored with soy, garlic and chili. Hence, the word “deconstructed”. The soup was an Ilongo favorite—Ginataang Manok Binakol served in a young coconut shell or buco. The free range or native chicken soup was teeming with flavor. The Main course was quite a novelty—Bistek Tagalog (Rib Eye Steak marinated in soy and calamansi), Pinakbet (Ilocano stew of assorted vegetables) Torta served with Coriander-infused Steamed Rice. Torta or omelet made of blended pinakbet vegetables had all the flavors of ampalaya, sitaw, kalabasa, talong and bagoong (fermented shrimps). The Rib Eye was succulent cooked Tagalog style or Bistek (beef steak). Freshly brewed coffee perked up our satiated appetites.
The Leche Flan and Maja Ube sealed a truly satisfying lunch at Café Amiga.
