A taste of Paris at Lartizan

He made previously unaffordable and unpopular varieties of bread — like baguette and croissant — within reach of the masang Pinoy when he put up French Baker in 1988. Through his pioneering efforts, scones, Belgian waffles, bagels, sourdough bread, and ciabatta have now become familiar to Filipinos as pan de sal, monay, and ensaymada.

In such a short time, Johnlu Koa was able to establish a strong market presence and has refined the Filipinos’ taste for bread.

However, in his 25 years in the business, Johnlu admits that there remains a segment still untapped: the A market.

“With French Baker’s association with the middle-class Pinoys, the upper class somehow felt that we’re not a desirable brand,” relates Johnlu.

And so, the baker king decided to come up with something that would appeal to the rich and famous — the Lartizan Boulangerie Francaise.

Situated in Serendra, this fine-dining restaurant serves authentic French cuisine in an elegant setting that relives the splendor of the Belle Epoque era.

“The look of the restaurant was inspired by my frequent trips to Europe, particularly France. Most restaurateurs are shying away from the classical. Everybody’s going into the future (modern) that they forgot there are still people who dwell in the past, not because they are old, but because it is that era or that generation where life is so pure, innocent, and beautiful,” says Johnlu.

From the chandelier, to the chairs and tables, the Bernardaud Limoges (Louvre collection) dinnerware, crystal glasses, down to the silverware, Johnlu knew exactly what he wanted Lartizan to look like.

“I wanted it to look like a five-star hotel, a place where the crème de la crème go to sample our culinary masterpieces — from the pastries, breads, and sourdough to our pasta and meat dishes. It couldn’t have come at a better time since we are also celebrating our 25th year,” notes Johnlu.

Unlike French Baker, which produces a lot of bread in a short period of time, Lartizan follows the traditional approach to baking.

“We give more time for the dough to ferment. So customers will notice this extra dimension — the flavor is more mature. The taste of our sourdough is well-aged,” explains Johnlu.

Lartizan offers the distinct experience of having the perfect mixture of sourdough in their pastries — a skill and art that could only be possible because of Johnlu’s wealth of experience in sourdough production.

As they say, “the businesses that last are those that are hard to get in.”

Sourdough, Johnlu says, is very difficult to make and this is one area where he thinks he has an edge over his foreign competitors.

“I planned Lartizan 12 years ago because I was anticipating the arrival of French brands (boulangeries) here in the country. And sourdough is one thing that they would have difficulty doing, because to fly in people to make it is going to be expensive. That’s the problem if you’re a franchisee. You can’t deviate from the system (manual). So now, I try to offer the pastries they don’t have and make them a whole lot better,” he enthuses.

Apart from the bread and pastries, Lartizan also boasts a selection of Mariage Freres tea specially prepared in a samovar.

Yes, afternoon tea will never be the same again.

MORE THAN JUST A BOULANGERIE

In conceptualizing Lartizan, Johnlu remembered the advice tycoon Henry Sy Sr. gave him when he was just a budding entrepreneur.

“He told me not to be content with selling a few pieces of bread and coffee. To go big time, there should be a food component because Filipinos eat several times a day. Besides, bread alone would not support the rent,” shares Johnlu.

With the help of chef Reggie Aspiras, Johnlu and his team designed a menu that allows diners to enjoy fine French food without too much fiddle and fuss.

First-time diners should try Lartizan’s French onion soup, which is personally recommended by Johnlu.

The savory and hearty soup is a labor of love as it takes over three hours just to prepare the broth; the onions, on the other hand, take two hours to cook.

“Chef Reggie and the kitchen staff had to do it over and over again to perfect the recipe. She wanted every single strand of onion to be translucent and soft,” enthuses Johnlu.

The baker king also takes pride in the resto’s flank steak, which is more flavorful compared to rib eye or Wagyu. For less than P800, diners can enjoy it with soup and salad on the side.

My personal favorite is the lobster linguine in cream and white-wine sauce reduction, though I must admit that Lartizan had me first at their chicken and wild mushroom vol au vent.

There’s also the carving station — right by the pastries counter — where a whole Pata Negra (Iberico ham) entices diners to give it a try. And what would a French meal be without wine? Lartizan offers a variety of artisanal wines. Careful thought has gone into every bottle, which have been categorized according to origin, variety, taste, and overall impression.

Indeed, Lartizan is the refined product of Johnlu’s efforts to bring in genuine French cuisine to the Filipino connoisseur.

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Lartizan is at Serendra, 26th corner McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.