The Philippine Star

LOOK, THERE ARE DIAMONDS IN MY RAMEN!

Newport Mall’s Truffle Festival is ongoing until Sept. 30, with truffle dishes featured in participat­ing restaurant­s, including Resorts World Manila’s French fine-dining outlet, Impression­s.

- BY JULIE CABATIT-ALEGRE

A French gourmet who lived in the 19th century called them “diamonds in the kitchen,” and with

good reason. Rare and difficult to harvest in the forest, truffles are counted among the most expensive foods in the world. Prized for their rich taste, truffles can easily transform an ordinary dish into something truly extraordin­ary.

At Newport Mall’s Truffle Festival, now ongoing until Sept. 30, truffle dishes are featured in participat­ing restaurant­s, including Resorts World Manila’s French fine-dining outlet, Impression­s.

Truffle in pasta dishes is among the more popular ways chefs like to introduce its unique flavor. At Parmigiano Ristorante Pizzeria, the Fettuccine Ai Funghi Porcini Salsiccia e Tartufo is made with fresh handmade fettucine, topped with Italian sausage, wild mushrooms, sliced black truffles, truffle cream sauce and freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.

At UCC, foremost exponent of the Third Wave Coffee movement and wellknown for their innovative short-order meals as well, new on the menu is the Truffle Mushroom Pasta. Linguine cooked al dente is mixed with mushrooms and white truffle oil and topped with grated parmesan cheese.

If that is not enough to satisfy your truffle craving, you can still have your fill of their Black and White Truffle Fries — crisp potato wedges tossed with truffle oil, black truffle bits and parmesan cheese.

It is not usual to find truffle in a ramen dish, but that is what the chefs at Mr. Kurosawa prepared specially for Newport Mall’s Truffle Festival. Imagine the heady flavor of ramen with shitake mushrooms in a tonkatsu broth and truffle — gustatory diamonds in a bowl.

LUMU Filipino Kitchen demonstrat­es how truffles can add depth to a traditiona­l Pinoy comfort food with their Sizzling Black Truffle Bulalo Steak, a sizzling steak plate featuring a generous cut of fork-tender beef shank with the marrow intact, served with truffle-infused gravy, and topped with potato allumettes and garlic crisps.

Garlic Crab with Truffled Mushroom Rice, The Red Crab Alimango House’s re-interpreta­tion of its bestsellin­g Crab Maritess, is its special contributi­on to Newport Mall’s Truffle Festival.

Meanwhile, Italianni’s prepared not one but four truffle-infused dishes for the festival: Italian Truffle Fries, Truffle Mushroom Pizza, Truffle Mushroom Risotto, and Truffle Chicken and Mushroom.

Naturally, one would expect Resorts World Manila’s French fine-dining restaurant, Impression­s, to have their own special participat­ion in the Truffle Festival. Black truffles, which are best harvested in late autumn, are known historical­ly to be found in France.

These earthy jewels have found their way to the festival, where Impression­s offers an exceptiona­l set menu composed of Cold Angel Hair Pasta with Black Truffle Ponzu and Caviar, followed by Mixed Mushroom Soup with Black Truffle Duck Liver Ravioli, and for the entree, Chilean Seabass with Black Truffles served with carrot risotto, herb salsa, and soy sauce cloud.

With all these dishes at Newport Mall’s Truffle Festival, you can expect to get nothing less than luxury on every plate.

 ??  ?? The Philippine­s’ first Truffle Festival, hosted by Newport Mall. RWM corporate communicat­ions director Joee Guilas (center) is joined by (from left) chef Angelo Fabian of Italianni’s, chef Ron Rico Lintag of Parmigiano Ristorante Pizzeria, chefs Roy Tan and Jess Celestial of Mr. Kurosawa, chef Dan Giron of Impression­s, chef Angeli Santos of UCC Café Terrace, chef Isaac Bravo of LUMU Filipino Kitchen, and chef Sonny Mariano of The Red Crab.
The Philippine­s’ first Truffle Festival, hosted by Newport Mall. RWM corporate communicat­ions director Joee Guilas (center) is joined by (from left) chef Angelo Fabian of Italianni’s, chef Ron Rico Lintag of Parmigiano Ristorante Pizzeria, chefs Roy Tan and Jess Celestial of Mr. Kurosawa, chef Dan Giron of Impression­s, chef Angeli Santos of UCC Café Terrace, chef Isaac Bravo of LUMU Filipino Kitchen, and chef Sonny Mariano of The Red Crab.
 ??  ?? Parmigiano Ristorante Pizzeria’s Fettuccine Ai Funghi Porcini Salsiccia e Tartufo
Parmigiano Ristorante Pizzeria’s Fettuccine Ai Funghi Porcini Salsiccia e Tartufo
 ??  ?? LUMU Filipino Kitchen’s Sizzling Black Truffle Bulalo Steak
LUMU Filipino Kitchen’s Sizzling Black Truffle Bulalo Steak
 ??  ?? UCC’s Black and White Truffle Fries
UCC’s Black and White Truffle Fries
 ??  ?? Impression­s’ Chilean Seabass with Black Truffles
Impression­s’ Chilean Seabass with Black Truffles
 ??  ?? Mr. Kurosawa’s Truffle Ramen
Mr. Kurosawa’s Truffle Ramen
 ??  ?? Italianni’s Truffle Mushroom Pizza
Italianni’s Truffle Mushroom Pizza

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