All is paired with love at Conrad Manila
It is one thing to have a view of structures skillfully, carefully crafted by men (a wrought-iron tower surveying a city of lights, a great bell at the north end of a palace, or a bell tower at a graceful tilt forever) while you dine or sip wine. But when your window juts out into something art-directed by God Himself — an ever-changing sunset with its palette of orange, cadmium yellow, crimson and a variety of blues (you never know what you are going to get on any given day) — well, you can’t beat that.
Blackened salmon with nam cham chili dressing and avocado mango micro salad
That is the attraction when you dine at the C Lounge of Conrad Manila: a view to a cosmic display of the universe calling it a day and turning its lovely, astonishing nightlights on. Every Wednesday evening, diners will get to experience “The Perfect Pair” from 6 to 8 p.m., a well-curated, three-course menu specially prepared by executive chef Daniel Patterson to be paired with red and white wines — and, yes — with a view of the sublime Manila Bay sunset often talked about by writers half-drunk with love and spirits.
Conrad Manila general manager Laurent Boisdron says, “I just love how when you walk into the C Lounge, you see the big space — the height, the contemporary décor, the windows overlooking the bay. Very appealing space.”
“The Perfect Pair” features a variety of dishes, wines and sunset palettes.
The Frenchman used to work in the US, particularly in Miami, and noticed how vignette restaurants by the beach would have long tables offering only sushi. When Boisdron got to Manila, he asked himself what he could do here that would create an environment where people could meet — whether couples, parties of four, or even a solitary person waiting for traffic to ease up a little — sit down by those long tables, talk and partake of culinary creations.
“Our chef pairs the food and wine every week,” says Boisdron. “It should be different every week. It’s a changing menu.”
Conrad Manila general manager Laurent Boisdron says, “I just love how when you walk into the C Lounge, you see the big space — the height, the contemporary décor, the windows overlooking the bay. Very appealing space.”
Since the start of the #EatDrinkHilton campaign, Conrad Manila’s “The Perfect Pair” has featured ingredients such as mint leaves, coriander, grains and tomatoes. And there is a varying culinary motif for each month: chili for July, chocolate for August and lemongrass for September. Among the dishes featured at the Conrad pairing are steamed cod fillet with mint pea espuma, snap peas and sago chips, green tea brûlée with pistachio and a gingerbread biscuit, and minted summer couscous with marinated feta cheese and compressed watermelon. Wines, of course, come in cavalcades.
Chilled salad of raw papaya and tandoori chicken in a rice-paper wrap with sweet chili sauce and watermelon reduction
“I do love wines, absolutely,” Boisdron shares. “I grew up in the Loire Valley in Brittany where the white wine is very crisp (ideally paired) with seafood such as oysters and crayfish. For ‘The Perfect Pair,’ the idea was for our chef to create inspired culinary innovations that capture the local culture. Thus, we celebrate the use of sustainably sourced, seasonal ingredients with a three-course degustation that is a sensory feast for all.”
Warm Prosecco sabayon of wild berries with butter cookie crumbs
When we visited the C Lounge, the menu featured raw papaya and tandoori chicken, blackened salmon and a dessert of blackberries and butter cookie crumbs — washed down with some excellent Cadet d’Oc Pinot Noir and Mouton Cadet Sauvignon wines. A must-try tequila based-cocktail of strawberry and chili was also served. And by our third (or fourth, or seventh) glass, the skies have turned into a palette of deeper blues, the music (courtesy of a band fronted by two horn-playing singers) has turned chirpier and livelier, and the long table conversations have become, well, tipsily eloquent.
Ah, a glass of fine wine and me. Aren’t we a pair?
Red-hot chili cocktail — give it a try: Tequila-based cocktail of strawberry and chili
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“The Perfect Pair” (P1,450) — inclusive of a three-course degustation paired with red and white wines — is available every Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at C Lounge of Conrad Manila, Seaside Boulevard, Coral Way, Pasay City. For inquiries, call 683-3990 or email conradmanila@conradhotels.com.
