We were immersed into the Sublimotion Room with Chef Dani welcoming us and preparing to torch the jamon fat to start the first course.
It’s the first time a sublimotion room with floor to ceiling including the table is made of flat screen TV. This kind of experience is popularized by Michelin Star Spanish Chef Paco Roncero in his $2,000 sublimotion dining at Ibiza.
Chef Dani brought his 3-person team from Marbella to recreate the avant-garde cuisine inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince.
Madrid Fusion Manila 2016 Series:
- Spanish Tapas Night Kick-off to Madrid Fusion Manila 2016! @MadridFusionMnl
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- DANI GARGIA’s 10 Course Little Prince-Inspired Michelin Star Dining Experience @MadridFusionMNL
- Vask Gallery x Quintonil x Jungsik #SixHandsManila @MadridFusionMNL
- Top 10 Favorites @MadridFusionMNL’s “Panlasa” Theme Regional Lunch (Day 1)
Course #1: Tuna tartar seasoned a la minute.
The fat of the jamon dripped into the tuna tartare topped with yuzu and soy while the room embraced you with surreal visuals of shore and ocean, and element of fire.
Afterward in the adjacent room, you are transported into The Little Prince Sahara landscape while you enjoy tapas and cava with your friends.
In the middle of the room is Impy Pilapil’s modern abstract tree sculpture.
A closer look at the steel tree structure reveals the olives wrapped in caramelized jamon ready for you to pick.
Egg No Egg appetizer is filled with lychee cream mimicking the look and texture of a soft-boiled egg.
Fresh slices of Dry-aged Jamon keeps you company as you bask in The Little Prince scenery.
Unlimited Cava keeps the conversation flowing and gets you in the mood for the magical experience ahead.
The New World Manila Bay Hotel ballroom is transformed into a 90-seater Michelin Star dining restaurant for two nights.
“You’re beautiful, but you’re empty…One couldn’t die for you. Of course, an ordinary passerby would think my rose looked just like you. But my rose, all on her own, is more important than all of you together, since she’s the one I’ve watered. Since she’s the one I put under glass, since she’s the one I sheltered behind the screen. Since she’s the one for whom I killed the caterpillars (except the two or three butterflies). Since she’s the one I listened to when she complained, or when she boasted, or even sometimes when she said nothing at all. Since she’s my rose.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
The menu resembled a deck of collectible cards with beautiful Principito designs.
Course #2: Moai Potatoe. All humanity could be piled up on a small Pacific Islet.
The potato is shaped like the Moai face on Easter Island. It was infused with Mexican chili which made it black then served on a bed of black caviar with charcoal mayo.
It is served with a small plate of oyster dumpling with crispy chicken skin.
The entire degustation is served with a wine pairing prepared by Philippine Wine Merchants.
Course #3: Yellow gazpacho with Nitro Tomato.
Dani Garcia’s famed Nitro Tomato served with yellow gazpacho cold soup.
The tomato is dipped in Liquid Nitrogren giving it a metallic skin that burst with tomato mousse when you bite into it.
Course #4: Shrimp carpaccio with apple and truffle honey.
The shrimp carpaccio with apple and truffle honey served with dry ice effect. My shrimp was a still bit frozen.
Course #5: Sharpening our Pencil
Smoked Eel Mousse with foie gras shaved like when you sharpen the pencil on a bed of orange and yogurt. Our favorite but it would nice to eat it with a bread.
Course #6: Fried wild seabass with fresh cracked black pepper. The thorns are of no use at all. Flowers have thorns just for spite.
The seabass was cut and fried to resemble a flower but the fish they used was not that fresh.
The Gran Feudo Chardonnay 2013 paired nicely with the eel and fish course.
Course #7: Black rice of octopus and calamari.
Black rice from Cordillera in black ink with octopus and shrimp with unsweetened sugar. It’s inspired by charcoal with ashes.
Nice to add lemon to have a citrus contrast for the seafood.
You can have the Gran Feudo Reserva 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon if you prefer the red wine with your meal.
Course #8: Oxtail ravioli with Sherry-flavored consome.
Oxtail Ravioli with sherry flavored consome with greens and chocolate truffle! This was the only meat course on the menu.
I like this Marques de Murrietta Reserva 2008 Rioja pairing with the Oxtail meat.
Course #9: Our lemon froze. Try to be happy.
For dessert, Lemon Froze from Spain made of frozen lemon with lemon gin, Japanese lime, calamansi and sugar candy coating.
Course #10: Meteorite.
The meteorite is ball coated with chocolate which you crack open with the spoon.
Inside is mandarin and vanilla served with bits of chocolate and brownies.
It was an awesome 10-course dinner 👏 in the company of media and foodie friends!
Our favorites are the sublimotion room, nitro tomato dish, smoked eel shavings, oxtail ravioli and the lemon + meteorite dessert.
Congratulations to Chef Dani Garcia and team for creating this magical The Little Prince degustation experience in Manila!
Congratulations to New World Manila Bay Hotel for hosting this Michelin-star Dining experience!
CHEF DANI GARCIA’s EL PRINCIPITO COCINACONTRADICION
The avant-garde cuisine is inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince and the concept of “contradiction” with the contrast of hot and cold elements an opposing textures and flavors. This playful and unique dining experience promises to delight and inspire.
Chef Garcia’s incredible 10-course set menu with some of the world’s finest wines, courtesy of Philippine Wine Merchants.
DATE: April 4 & 5, 2016,
LOCATION: New World Manila Bay Hotel
FEE: P10,000 per person, excluding tax and service charge
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosure: Our meal was courtesy of New World Manila Bay Hotel. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. I do hope that the visiting chefs for Madrid Fusion Manila create an immersive experience like this to elevate the dining experiences in Manila.