Let’s Eat : The perfect pairing
Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi and I discover how a sublime match between fine food and spirits adds up to a sum so much greater than its parts!
SPANKY: In its most basic form, the pairing of food and alcoholic beverages, in the Philippine setting, is the proverbial ice cold bottle of beer and “isang platitong mani”. That’s how I first enjoyed food and booze together: via a case of pale pilsen matched with tiny plastic bags of garlic peanuts, crackers with liver spread, and crisp, deflated fishballs. Ah, the simple joys of high school life! A discreet “siopao & mami house” across Ateneo’s Gate 3 served as my introduction to “pairings” decades ago, but as I’ve matured, so have my preferences. Pairings don’t have to become more complicated, but they can become somewhat sophisticated.
STEPH: Some things are really just made for each other, epicurean soul mates that the universe brings together in that perfect bite and sip. There is nothing more amazing when things go from delicious to divine because of that perfect marriage between food and beverage.
SPANKY: Speaking of marriage, the Tasting Room at the City of Dreams is a great place to propose to the love of your life! It’s a throwback to the era of elegance and class. It’s a great place to wine and dine, and dress up to the nines!
STEPH: The Tasting Room is such an incredible experience. Chef William Mahi’s dishes with touches of French Basque sensibilities and a bit of whimsy offer an amazing array of flavors and aromas to play off on when pairing wines. The thrill and joy mounted in me as we kept on going, dish after dish, wine after wine, all perfectly matched like star crossed lovers. Each course with its own sensual defining words like velvety or silky. Wine and I — we’ve got something special going on.
SPANKY: I have the same kind of relationship with beer. Beer and I — it’s almost a bromance. Growing up, I was loyal to just one brand; well, partly because only one brand was available! Don’t get me wrong, SMB is still my BFF, but these days, in a place like the Bottle Shop in the
‘There is nothing more amazing when things go from delicious to divine because of that perfect marriage between food and beverage.’
BGC, the world of beers is literally all around me. A hundred of the best craft beers from all over the globe, all in one bar. A bar that just happens to serve, as “pulutan”, Pintxos, those spectacular finger foods from Spain’s Basque region. Jim Araneta and Miguel Vecin, muchas gracias! Your partnership has produced the best beer pairings ever.
STEPH: I also found myself surrounded, not by beers, but by prestigious bottles of wine from the world’s finest chateaus and vineyards. The author of Wine Story, Romy Sia makes sommeliers shudder when he says he often likes to throw the concept of wine and food pairing out the door. But honestly I really appreciate his non- intellectual nor overly philosophical approach to drinking fine wine. In the end you are meant to enjoy it. However way you want to. Now that’s a refreshing approach!
SPANKY: And I approached Nobu with the greatest excitement! I’ve been dreaming of dining at their flagship restaurant in New York, where the Executive Chef is a Filipino, an old friend: Ricky Estrellado. Finally, I get the chance to do so in Manila!
STEPH: I love Japanese cuisine and I especially love sake! Platters of hand rolled makis, expertly sliced sashimi, lots of wonderful pretty bites all washed down with that cool rice wine. Sake to me baby! Chef Akihisa Kawai taught us how to roll our own sushi, and I think my California maki proves that I could earn a somewhat decent living as a sushi chef. Not so sure about Spanky’s though. It looked like one of Godzilla’s victims.
SPANKY: Okay, fine. So I smashed some fish. But Steph and I agree, that this was our favorite episode to shoot ever. Well . . . so far! We’ve even started lobbying to have a spinoff show called “Let’s Drink!”. But there are a lot more culinary adventures in store, we know. So for now, Let’s Eat!