Villa Café’s heirloom recipes
MY TRIPS to Makati are highlighted by exquisite dinners. Metro Manila, after all, is the country’s culinary hub, where the finest Filipino chefs successfully venture into the metropolis’ burgeoning restaurant business after acquiring their sterling experiences here and abroad. One such chef is Rosauro “Sau” del Rosario, who I first saw on TV endorsing his Selecta Gold Edition Ice Cream creation Hazelnut Brownie. Celebrity Chef Sau, who comes from a family of fine cooks from Pampanga, nurtured his natural culinary
fair in the Culinary Institute of America, apprenticed and worked in France and even obtained an HRM degree from the University of the Philippines in Diliman.
On my recent visit, my daughter Stephanie’s boyfriend Giovanni “Vanni” de Sequera, a Manila-based editor and writer, hosted dinner in the newest foodie place, Villa Café, located in Glory Bldg. along Yakal Street in San Antonio Village in Makati City.
Vanni knows I am always on the lookout for interesting kitchen stories to feature, so he made sure that chef/co-owner Chef Sau was in the cafe’s kitchen when he scheduled our dinner. Until I met him that night, this well loved and in demand chef was only in my “hope-to-meet- celebrity chefs” wish list.
Villa Café, a cozy and homey place, comfortably seats 20 on the first floor and 16 on the second floor. Framed childhood and family photos of partners, chefs Sau del Rosario and Jam Melchor, with inscribed personal remarks, adorn its gleaming white walls. Even the menu has hand-written personal remarks. The café serves heirloom recipes from their ancestral homes and pays tribute to the old villages in Angeles, Pampanga where they both grew up. The open, home kitchen style set-up allows the guests to watch the chefs skillfully preparing the dishes, which can be very exciting. In fact, I had a great time watching Chefs Sau and Jam up close.
The menu was classic Kapampangan with a touch of Chef Sau’s acquired sophistication at the same time promoting healthy sustainable organic cuisine. As soon as we sat down, complimentary Tinapa Mousse with Melba Toasts was served. While enjoying the silky smoked fish mousse, we made our choices traipsing down memory lane with the heirloom items. We started with Crispy Fried Hitu Floss served with Atching Lilian’s Buru and Organic Mustasa (mustard leaf). Hitu or catfish was shredded and fried to
a crisp. To assemble this dish, the buru or fermented rice is spread on the mustasa leaf, topped with the crispy floss and rolled. It has been a long time since I had this delicacy. The Fried Kamaru Lumpia was also served with buru, tomatoes and vinegar/soy dip. Kamaru or locust is uniquely Kapampangan. This dish is a must-try.
Garlic Susu with Lemon Grass, Coriander in Puff Pastry is Chef Sau’s version of the French escargot. Susu are edible golden snails. As the menu’s remark said, it was ecstatically good. Quesong Puti Stuffed Kalabasa Blossoms, which were deep-fried and served with light tomato sauce and organic greens and apples, were a novelty. Shrimp Gambas and Chorizo with Pan de Sal Tostado completed the appetizers we feasted on. Fresh Pacu and Prawn Salad served with salted egg and coconut vinaigrette was a treat, with the young fern tips becoming a rarity in the market. For our main courses, we enjoyed Boneless Crispy Pata with kare-kare sauce and farm vegetables and Crispy Fried Tilapia Fillet with sliced green mangoes, tomatoes, and fresh greens tossed in bagoong with salted eggs.
