Of Art, Strangers, Laughter and Cheeses

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Got invited to a Mystery Dinner last Friday, May 11. I kind of  forgot that I actually signed up for this at the Perfect Italiano (My Favorite Recipes) page until I got the SMS and email 2 days prior. Without a doubt, I said yes being the inquisitive, adventurous and spontaneous (bored?) person that I am.

In the email, it just said to be at Starbucks Magallanes at 6:30 PM and wear something artsy & colorful. The email came with this "clue".

Picasso, I told myself.

Then came Friday and I braved to go to the meeting place where I had no idea who I will be having dinner with that night. Short chat, shook hands, and then we went to nearby Magallanes Village where we were dropped off and let in a fab and modern house (owned by Star for All Seasons, Ate Vi where son Luis Manzano also stayed).



We were greeted by artist and house owner Ms. Ocampo, and Chef JJ and Chef Namee of Pinoy Eat World)

Very nice still life - bold color sand strokes, intricate Asian patterns

Perfect ambiance - casual enough for everyone to loosen up but inspired with art to aid in the gustatory delight waiting for the 10 guests (bloggers, photographers and food enthusiasts). We were then handed out the 8-course menu and apple vodka + Sprite as an aperitif. Everything of course was expected to have cheese from Perfect Italiano.

The Menu


CRABBY NAMEE
Crab. Cream Cheese. Parmesan. Scallions, Wantons.
Named after Chef Namee by Chef JJ (haha) this little 1 1/2 bite parcel was bursting with creamy cheesy crabby goodness. The wanton was crispy and the filling had the right amount of cheese and crab with a hint of onion flavor. Nice opening to the meal.

ANTI-VAMPIRE SABAW
Garlic. Onion. Thyme. Parmesan. Lemon.
The name says it all - garlic soup! I was expecting a clear soup to be very garlicky with bits of chopped and fried garlic. When the soup came out, it was a surprise to see a white soup - from the cheese of course. One spoonful reveals a hint of garlic complimented by citrusy aroma and tang from the lemon (juice and zest). Being the garlic lover, would have wanted more garlic but this was a twist!

CORNY MO!
Polenta. Tomatoes. Pesto. Parmesan.
A simple toasted polenta (made from corn meal, milk and Parmesan - boiled, cut-up, pan-fried in butter) with a fresh tomato salsa, dribbled with pesto and tomato oil. I've never had polenta without any meat (love it with beef stew) so surprising to like this dish which would be perfect for vegetarians. The cheese in the polenta makes it very creamy and savory.

CHEESE LOUISE
Angus Beef Tapa. Ciabatta. Mozzarella.
A glocalized (globally local) Philly Cheese steak Sandwich. Simple yet it works!!! Can easily be replicated either as a lunch sandwich or hors d' oeuvres in mini versions.

WHITE FLOWER
Cauliflower. Onions. Carnoroli. Anchovy. Breadcrumbs. Parmesan. Romano.
Carnoroli was used instead of Arborio rice - but I guess both can be interchanged. Fat rice grains produce creamy results. The cauliflower gives it a nice bite and the anchovy breadcrumbs gives it crunch. Just the right amount of Romano and Parmesan pulls together the risotto.

UFOs
Scallops. Butter. Panko. Parmesan. Tarragon. Prosciutto.
This is a UFO I would like to see (and eat) often. Poached scallops topped with a prosciutto (dried, cured ham), Parmesan and tarragon infused butter-toasted breadcrumb (Panko - one used for Tempura). Tarragon oil drizzled on the plate to bring together the wonderful taste of the sea from the scallops.

CHICKEN BLEAH
Chicken Breast Fillet. Prosciutto. Mozzarella. Breadcrumbs. Macaroni. Parmesan.
Their take on a Chicken Cordon Bleu - Chicken, Cheese and Prosciutto (rolled, breaded and fried). This was served on top of some glorified macaroni and cheese smothered with mozzarella and Parmesan. At this part of the mean we were all getting so full, in a good way. I am sure the macaroni and cheese would be a hit on its own to kids!

HONEYCREAM
Ice Cream. Balsamico. Honey. Parmesan.
And there is always room for dessert! I've had cheese and reduced balsamic vinegar on ice cream (gelato)before and it's a match made in heaven! This came in as a surprise as it came out with the best warm chocolate chip cookie I have tasted ever! The dish is a collaboration of the chefs and the artist and house owner (Ms. Ocampo - who also has a dessert/pastry stall at Mercato). Perfect ending!

One happy table of strangers who talked and dined as if we were friends from way back.

It was a really fun experience for a wanderer and food enthusiast like me. I really think Pinoys should be more adventurous and even more social when it comes to "dining". More guerilla dinners and food adventures please! Check our Pinoy Eats World on their blog and Facebook to learn more about these food tours - they're going to HongKong and Turkey soon!

Thank you also to Perfect Italiano for hosting the dinner! Love the cheeses!

We got goodies bags!!!

Check out what I made with the cheeses I got in my earlier Croque Monsieur post. I would like to host a guerrilla dinner like this soon! Hit me up if you are interested! Don't forget to share and tweet too!

Eat, drink and be merry!

*credits to Miguel and Pickles for the pictures