Pleasurable dining at Puso Bistro
THE LATEST addition to Cebu’s burgeoning hotel industry, Quest Hotel & Conference Center, has chosen a very Cebuano symbol–the puso–to draw in discerning business and leisure travelers here. The three-star hotel, after all, belongs to the Filarchipelago Hospitality Inc. (FHI), the hospitality arm of the Filinvest Development Corp. owned by the Gotianums of Cebu in a joint venture with Archipelago International Pte. Ltd., an affiliate of the Aston International that manages hotels and resorts. The hotel’s coffee shop, Puso Bistro & Bar, is named after the ubiquitous hanging rice sold in the market and served in small restaurants all over the province of Cebu. Since the puso is also heart-shaped, the hotel has adopted the symbol to mean service from the heart and guests are greeted with the right hand over the heart. Leading the dynamic team of the FHI properties in Cebu, which includes the Crimson Resort & Spa in Mactan and Quest Hotel in Cebu City (located across Cebu Business Park along Archbishop Reyes Avenue) is Area General Manager Allan James Montenegro, a 44-year-old Cebuano hotelier with extensive hotel experience in Manila and Asia after obtaining his hotel degree from Les Roches Hotel Management School in Switzerland.
Familiar faces welcomed me when I entered the Puso Bistro & Bar to join GM James–Reservations Manager Vera Valero, PR Manager Mia Sy and Director of Sales and Marketing Sarah Mascarinas for lunch. An array of international and local dishes immediately captures the attention of diners. Executive Chef Antonio Famador showed me the different stations–Salad Bar, Japanese Sushi and Sashimi, Meat carving, Live cooking where Japanese Tempura was being deep fried, Chinese Dim Sum in steaming baskets, hot dishes and desserts. Chef Antonio is a Cebuano with a degree in computer science. He abandoned the world of technology and worked in restaurants and bars in Cebu, learning the ropes of his culinary career. He gained more experience in Dubai for a few years before coming back to Cebu to assume his post as executive sous chef in Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa that eventually became Movenpick. His cuisine, he revealed, is heavily Asian influenced. Chef Antonio prepared for us a sit-down lunch. For openers, we had Grilled Prawns with Mango Chili Salsa and Watermelon Foam and Pan Seared Scallops with Guacamole in Miso Tobiko Sauce. Tobiko is flying fish roe. Both appetizers were light and amused our palates. The mango chili salsa and watermelon foam drew out the flavors of the shrimp while the less flavorful scallops were complemented with the rich avocado and fish roe. The creamy and tangy Thai Chicken Curry was served with Puso (hanging rice). Unlike the ones available in the market, chef used a superior variety of rice so the puso was slightly glutinous. Just as the main course was being served, GM James had to excuse himself because he still had to drive to Crimson Resort & Spa. Chef Antonio also whips up the desserts. His Mango Float Sandwich with Vanilla Foam reflects his passion for desserts. Conversation over a hot cup of brewed coffee to wash down the sumptuous lunch was filled with exciting updates. Quest Hotel, which is positioning itself as a meeting and conference center, is already enjoying brisk business. The Quest Hotels are also present in Indonesia and Malaysia.
