A taste of Italy at Francesco’s
MANILA, Philippines — A trip down memory lane to the time I lived in Italy is what my experience was like dining at Francesco’s Kitchen. Located in a beautifully restored house on A. Mabini St. in San Juan City, it is the newest loved restaurant in the area.
In partnership with Tita Trillo (Titania Wine Cellar chairman of the board), chef Francesco Rizzo, formerly head chef of Paparazzi in EDSA Shangri-La, eagerly shared his family’s tradition through a dining experience worth remembering.
The dinner started with a wide array of antipasti and bites freshly made from the brick oven. Chef Francesco himself began the night by serving goodies to all the guests as they eventually settled at their tables for a wonderful family-style dinner. A curious start with a cappuccino-like soup with snap peas roasted garlic foam, it was an unusual but delectable soup you sip from a cup — just like a cappuccino!
For the rest of the meal, chef Francesco wanted to share his family tradition of enjoying a dinner from Puglia, Italy. And Titania Wine Cellar complemented this concept with wines from the Old World and New World, displaying the versatility of food-and-wine pairing.
(From left) Felix Yu, the author, Bob Lehman and Annabelle Yong.
The entire dinner was served per dish as Chef Francesco’s mother would do it. The first set meal was composed of grains and pasta specialty. Seafood fregula on tomato water was the first to come out. Chef Francesco explained that fregula may look like a risotto, but is actually a filling pasta from the province of Sardinia. The guests’ curiousity was piqued and satisfied with its light tomato seafood flavor.
Next on the table was Maccheroncini with lamb ragout and aged ricotta, followed by the well-received asparagus cream risotto with pancetta. This first course set was perfectly paired with the light and flexible Three Wishes Chardonnay, and Three Wishes Merlot from California.
Come the main meats for the night, guests raved about the braised beef short ribs with negroamaro, shallots, rosemary, and spices with mushroom casserole complemented by Escudo Rojo Cabernet Sauvignon by the prestigious Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Chile.
Dishes inspired by chef Francesco Rizzo’s family traditions in Puglia, Italy.
And then, an excellent example of food-and-wine pairing was the roasted seabass with balsamic herbs roasted tomato salsa with capers and olives, and Argentina’s award-winning winemaker, Opi Sadler’s signature wine, Opi Chardonnay. The lightness and oil of the dish balanced well with the full-bodied white wine. This also showed great pairing with the cotechino-stuffed chicken in lentils stew.
Before dessert was served, a nice strawberry marsala trifles paired with crowd-favorite Natalie Sweet Chardonnay from Spain, Chef Francesco was given a well-deserved round of applause and praises.
It was an enjoyable dinner, and a warm gathering of old and new friends. An authentic Italian meal experience, indeed!
