Revisiting Europe at New World Hotel

Having just recently arrived from a three-week trip to Europe with my daughter Riana, I was still craving for European food delights. In Geneva we ate pan-seared fresh scallops at a French bistro. In London we dined on baked Scottish lobster prepared by an up-and-coming English chef at a very intimate sit-down dinner in a penthouse apartment overlooking The River Thames, The Parliament and Big Ben. Over at Leicester Square, London’s musical haven, we devoured a wood oven-cooked, meter-long pizza, Napoletana-style with my husband’s nephews. In Paris we had succulent grilled lamb chops, Provencal-style in Chez Janu, and in Palma de Mallorca we had catch-of-the day sardines and pulpo (baby octopus) fried to perfection in a casual, open-air restaurant by the marina.

We spent many days touring campuses but we made sure to spend time enjoying fantastic meals with family and friends, sometimes alone in all the countries we visited. So when I was assigned to the “Chef’s Table” at M2M of the New World Hotel shortly after our return to Manila, I simply could not resist. The fact that the dinner was going to be prepared by an Italian chef, Ivan Chieregatti, sealed the deal.

Tender is the bite: The sesame beef tenderloin paired with apple and chestnut mash and chocolate jus is a certified hit with meat-lovers.

Good food has a way of bringing joy and laughter to any table, even among strangers, and that evening was no exception. After casual introductions over champagne and delicious canapés at the intimate lounge of M2M, where a DJ was playing “chill” music, we were ushered into the adjacent, elegantly designed private dining room set up for a sit-down dinner for 12. The lush floral arrangement on the table was visually arresting, an early indication of what I had anticipated to be an evening of great food, wine and company. 

We were all foodies alike so when the appetizer of Fave, Pomodoro, Mozzarella di Buffala e Olio Extravergine di Oliva (fava beans, tomato, Buffalo mozzarella and extra-virgin olive oil) was served, we all gasped at the delightful colors of the food. We gingerly dug into the dishes, savoring it with a glass of Yellowtail sparkling rosé, stopping after every spoonful to discuss how delicately tasteful the combination of fava beans and tomato was. The appetizer was a perfect palate teaser to the rest of the carefully prepared five-course dinner.

New World Hotel’s dream team: Chef’s Table was made possible by the hotel’s food and beverage manager Phillip Underwood, director of communications Monique Toda, executive chef Ivan Chieregatti and communications executive Carla Orbeta.

Next up was an ingenious combination of seafood in a tangy squid ink sauce titled Trittico Moderno di Pesce (Modern Combination of Fish). Like the first dish, this was a lovely swirl of colors worthy of a canvas. The flavors from each of the ingredients (clams, squid and octopus) were complementary to each other, without one overpowering the other. Served with Jules Tailor Reisling, Waipara NZ 2010, this dish caught me by surprise; while I am no big fan of squid ink, I loved how the naturally sweet taste of it flavored with a small amount of lemony zest gave the dish a light, creamy texture, highlighting the chewy freshness of the seafood. I kind of broke fine-dining protocol by doing scarpetta, an Italian eating tradition of showing your appreciation for the food by wiping the plate clean with pieces of bread until all of the sauce is gone. I figured the Italian chef would be pleased at how much I enjoyed the dish.

A few minutes later, our red wine glasses were filled with Ruffino Chianti Classico Reserva, Ducale Oro 2010, and the next plates of Semicrudo di Gamberi con Foie Gras, Zuppetta di Nocciole, Essenza di Lampone e Riso Nero (semi-raw shrimps, foie gras in light hazelnut soup with raspberry essence and black rice) arrived. The contrast of flavors and texture between the shrimps and the foie gras was simply sublime. I literally stopped talking and took a few minutes to close my eyes and be overcome by how wonderfully the foie gras melted in my mouth. Wow, what a gastronomic moment it was!

Seafood odyssey: This ingenious combination of fish in a zesty squid ink sauce was a delightful surprise of delicate flavors.

The Filetto di Manzo al Sesamo, Purea di Mele e Castagne, Salsa al Cioccolato (beef tenderloin with sesame, apple and chestnut mash and chocolate jus) was superbly tender; the apple and chestnut mash and chocolate jus gave the beef a sweetness but eaten alone, the tenderloin was tasty and juicy. Among all the wines served to us that evening, I particularly enjoyed the fragrant, full-bodied Mills Reef Reserve Syrah, Gimblette Gravels Hawkes Bay, NZ 2009; it was the perfect wine to accompany our final course.  

What is a fabulous meal without dessert? Just like all the food we had that evening, chef Chieregatti masterfully combined several ingredients to create an innovative dessert of Cannolo di Ananasso, Farcia di Cioccolato al Rhum, Crema al Cocco e Cannella (chocolate-rum mousse wrapped in pineapple cannelloni with coconut cinnamon cream). The sweet and sour flavors were intricately woven in this fruit and chocolate dessert, a refreshing alternative to an often purely sweet dessert to finish a meal. The Irramimma Late Harvest Riesling, McLaren Vale South Australia, 2010 a dessert wine, made for a great wine finale.

Polar opposites: Semi-raw shrimps served together with foie gras and raspberry essence in a light hazelnut soup never tasted this good.

We got our chocolate fix at the end of the evening with the handmade Cioccolato extra Fondente Ripieno con Blu Moncenisio (extra-dark chocolate and blue cheese pralines). The dark chocolate encasing blue cheese-filled pralines transcended the taste of traditional and commercially available ones and gave the meal an ending worthy of a dining opus.

Over coffee, chef Chieregatti made an appearance and was greeted with appreciative applause. The newly installed executive chef of The New World Hotel brings with him extensive experience in the culinary industry that spans three continents in impressive international hotels such as the Hilton, Dolder, Grand Hyatt, Kempinski, Jumeirah and Al Bustan, among others. A native of Milan, he took courses in prestigious culinary academies such as the Alain Ducasse Formation Centre in Paris and worked under the tutelage of award-winning chef Michael Roth. He has served his signature dishes to internationally acclaimed celebrities like the Rolling Stones, Mariah Carey, Elton John, Hugh Grant and Michael Schumacher.

The sophisticated continental creations chef Ivan prepared for us that evening were simply superb; his modern interpretation of classic, traditional Italian and French cuisine is a perfect marriage of cultures and tastes, a rare feat worthy of a master chef.

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Sweet and sour: Pineapple, chocolate rum and coconut cinnamon cream blend harmoniously in this cannelloni dessert concoction.

Chef Ivan Chieregatti’s dishes are available for tailor-made private dinners with a maximum of 12 guests. For special arrangements and reservations call The New World Hotel at 811-6888 local 3470 or visit their website at www.newworldhotels.com.