Tatler Dining Philippines 2020

GRACE BARBERS BAJA Her passion for all things food inspires Grace to cook, eat, and travel the world in search for the best dining experiences. A wife, a mother of three, and a self-confessed chocoholic, she shares her creativity through her artisanal food line, Taste by Grace Home. GIGI BAUTISTA A globetrotter at heart, seasoned events maven Gigi journeys the globe to explore elusive destinations and delights in cuisines from all over. Her crazy schedule with back-to-back projects here and abroad won't stop her from doing so. BOBBY CUENCA This real estate, mining, and international commodities business executive clearly knows his food and wine. Bobby has, after all, been in the hospitality industry for a decade. CARMINA MAPA-DEL ROSARIO Carmina grew up sharing family meals prepared with love. This and her passion for cooking led her to…

As such an amazing decade drew to a close, T.Dining was lucky to have witnessed the openings of so many game-changing concepts, and more recently, thrilled to see exciting new entries such as Metronome, Osteria Daniele, The Test Kitchen, and Wildflour Italian. But as we kick start 2020 with the launch of the 16th edition of the Best Restaurant Guide (BRG), and face another decade filled with opportunity, we cannot wait to see what our vibrant dining scene will churn out. In this volume, we tried and tested the best rosés and warm weather sips for you in Think Pink, p. 14, and Summer Wines, p. 18, respectively. In From Pots to Pages, p. 22, we recommend four Filipino-produced books that should be on your shelves (or in your kitchen!). Lastly,…

The island of Okinawa has preserved its culture since the 15th century—a culture so distinct that it distinguishes itself as a separate entity from Japan. Its customs were built on bustling trade relations with China, Korea, and Southeast Asian countries during the Ryukyu era. This paved the way for Okinawa to produce its unique take on the Japanese alcoholic beverage sake, aptly called awamori, an indigenous beverage made from long-grain indica rice. A brief history: awamori descended from Lao Khao, a well-known Thai drink in the 15th century. The Okinawans refined its distillation to make it more suitable for the warm climate. During this time, Okinawa was then a major trading hub and intermediary between China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Awamori flourished as the drink of choice; thus, it was sent…

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ROSÉ Whenever I throw a party you can almost be certain that there will be a few bottles of cold and crisp rosé. I find that it’s an instant crowd pleaser and perfect for starting the night on an upbeat note. It’s refreshing, easy to drink, goes great with some charcuterie, and can be easily paired with a variety of small nibbles. It is also great value for money and when you find the right one that suits your needs, best to hoard it by the case! A Sunday brunch, afternoon barbecue or evening cocktails—rosé is so versatile. Unless it’s a nice dinner or an evening with a specific theme such as a wine-and-cheese pairing affair or raclette night, I almost never serve red wine. The truth is, I would rather…

Balmy weather, bright sunshine, and tropical heat make for a perfect summer setting. Think beautiful outdoor picnics, sundowners on a balcony or day drinks by the seaside. While the classic wine pairing principles still hold true, rising temperatures are definitely a factor in choosing what wine to drink. Heavy and rich red wines with a high alcohol content could lose their alluring qualities in warm weather. However, that’s not to say that one should only drink white or rosé during la période estivale, there are some lovely red wines that are enjoyable and refreshing. Moving beyond your usual sauvignon blancs and rosés, try these other varietals that are perfect for the blistering season. GRÜNER VELTLINER This little known Austrian gem is full of zesty citrus flavours—lime, lemon, grapefruit, and notes of white pepper.…

Experiences, emotions, and perspectives that are germane to just about everyone will speak to you from the universal themes underpinning these four delightful tomes; flipping through each painstakingly produced page is guaranteed to spark great joy. Whether you are after displaying a handsome conversation starter on your bookshelf, looking to whip up a nostalgic recipe, testing your baking skills or, hey, even teaching yourself a thing or two about the origins of local dishes and delicacies such as tiyula itum (lemongrass and burnt coconut beef stew) or sapin-sapin (a varicoloured rice dessert), there’s bound to be something—creation, expression, education—for everybody. There are two common denominators here; to begin with, there is the undeniable love Filipinos have for food, and, secondly, that these four coffee table and recipe books are all proudly Filipino-produced.…