Chefs Cyrille Soenen and Loic Brun, Admiral’s very own executive sous chef, did what they do best, producing a special four hands dinner that treated diners to a symphony of flavors that were fresh, exciting and, oh, so very French.
When it comes to culinary arts, French cuisine requires sophistication, tried-and-tested techniques and near-utmost precision, which should result in superb meals and an opportunity for memorable and meaningful moments for diners.
Admiral Hotel, that charming “boutique luxury” hotel along Roxas Boulevard, recently presented a gastronomic experience like no other to mark its second anniversary. The special four hands dinner was prepared by two seasoned French chefs: Le Cordon Bleu Ateneo Institute’s technical director and maître cuisinier de France Cyrille Soenen and the hotel’s very own executive sous chef Loic Brun.
Sourdough bread, aged comte cheese, truffle and ham
Feuilletés d’escargots à la bourguignonne
Parsley cream
Tartare de boeuf
Carpaccio style, quail egg
Seasonal vegetable matignon,
risoni lobster juice in aspic,
bisque whipped with foie gras
Veal sweetbread, chicken breast, pork and pistachio
Red onion marmalade
Pickled mushroom, nuts, decanted vinaigrette
Smoked bone marrow, beetroot purée and blackberry jus
Held at the Admiral Club Manila Bay, the gourmet dinner featured an exquisite symphony of flavors, with carefully selected ingredients using French cooking techniques. To top it all, each course was served with select French wines to complement the dishes.
Acte 1, or the starters, is composed of canape choices of Croque Monsieur (truffle and ham with aged comté cheese in sourdough bread), Feuilettes d’escargots a la bourguignonne, and Tartare de boeuf (carpaccio style with quail egg). This was followed by Pate en Croute (duck foie gras and breast, veal sweetbread, chicken breast pork and pistachio, served with red onion marmalade, pickled mushrooms and nuts, with a decanted vinaigrette). The soup was a dreamy affair of Creamy truffled cauliflower infused with Camembert cheese.
The two chefs pulled out all the stops for Acte 2, with mains that started off with a lovely Lobster fricassee, with risoni lobster jus in aspic in a bisque whipped with foie gras. For the meat lovers, a tender braised short beef rib and smoked bone marrow with beetroot puree and blackberry jus. Dessert had a French flair with a Filipino touch, as the sea salt caramel mousse was dotted with caramelized pili nuts. Remy Martin XO cognac was served to cap off a dinner that could only be described as an affair to remember.
The event was ably supported by chef Cyrille’s Le Cordon Bleu Ateneo Institute Technical students, who worked tirelessly alongside the culinary stars to highlight French haute cuisine.
As Admiral Hotel M Gallery celebrates two years of offering lavish stays and gourmet meal moments in interiors that highlight the glory days of high society Manila, there are more exceptional experiences that await guests. Stay updated by visiting admiralhotelmanila.com.—Maan D’Asis Pamaran
