Indulgence
Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s Blu Bar & Grill brings chocoholic fantasies to reality
Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s Blu Bar & Grill brings chocoholic fantasies to life
Have you ever dreamt of a meal in which every single course served is infused with chocolate? For chocoholics, it’s a resounding yes! Tout Chocolat, a gourmet dinner creatively crafted by Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s ( mmpc) culinary team led by the executive chef Stefano Verrillo is served every Friday until the end of the year at the hotel’s penthouse restaurant, Blu Bar & Grill. This unique experience is sure to win your heart and fulfill your chocolate cravings. The decadent menu features chocolate-inspired dishes—from amuse-bouche down to dessert. At 1,000 feet high and with a breathtaking view of the cityscape, mppc‘ s Blu Bar & Grill makes your chocolate dreams become reality.
“Whilst chocolate is commonly used in desserts, it is also a viable element that can be incorporated in savoury dishes. With Tout Chocolat, we use a significant amount of chocolate in every single course,” says Verillo.
The six-course menu starts with a beautifully plated amuse-bouche enough to tease your taste buds and prepare your senses for the feast ahead. Delectable appetisers are on offer such as the duck leg confit with chocolate vanilla butter and orange compote; table-smoked seafood with balsamic chocolate dressing; beef and tuna tataki with pickled greens and chocolate soil; and foie gras, banana chutney, cassis brioche and chocolate sauce. Add to that, a choice of three rich soups, all created to whet your appetite: the truffle-infused porcini crema with cocoa nibs and praline, beef and chocolate consommé with fruit pearls, or tomato essence with white chocolate grissini.
A luscious intermezzo of chocolate sorbet and raspberry espuma is served on a carved cube of ice. The presentation itself is eye candy!
For the main course, the succulent smothered beef short ribs with mole, squash mousseline, ginger and potato straw is stellar, whilst the pan-fried grouper fillet served with antipasti vegetables, sweet potato, and drizzled with cocoa hollandaise is perfect for those who prefer a lighter option.
Capping the chocolate-themed dinner are sinful desserts: chocolate calzone with goat cheese ice cream, mango proof and tablea soil; or the intriguing ice parfait with cracked chocolate crisp aptly called “Rocks at the Blu.” “Normally when you eat, you don’t eat with your eyes but you’re looking for the element of surprise. Rocks at the Blu is a dessert full of mystery. It took us two months to perfect it...the shape, the consistency, the element of surprise inside,” shares Verillo.
Each dish is also served with a chocolate cocktail or wine particularly selected to complement the flavours of the dishes. The cocktail selection includes Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s signature tsokolate martini, vanilla espuma de cacao cocktail, flambé chocolat chaud. Complementing the scrumptious smothered beef short ribs is a glass of Greg Norman Shiraz, Paso Robles California, whilst the pan-fried grouper fillet is best paired with Alexander’s Field Semillon- Sauvignon Blanc, Margaret River.
The dishes in Tout Chocolat are created with premium tablea from The Chocolate Chamber—a local café known for its rich heirloom chocolate-making tradition and founded by Cebu’s iconic chocolatier, Raquel Choa.
“Preparing chocolate-inspired fare like this may sound complicated, but here, we share some easy-to-follow recipes for you to try at home,” Verillo concludes. You, too, can make your chocolate dreams come true.