Cover Pato con salsa txokolate: a duo of duck with Tablea-infused sauce and grilled corn salsa
Pato con salsa txokolate: a duo of duck with Tablea-infused sauce and grilled corn salsa
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Chef Tatung Sarthou opens the doors to Lore Manila with an impressive 10-course degustation that’s as delicious as it is enlightening
Earlier this year, chef Tatung Sarthou dazzled curious foodies with his private dining concept, Tatung’s Private Dining at his stunning Antipolo home. The modern Filipino tasting menus were a stark change of pace for the celebrity chef, who is most recognisable for his causal cooking segments, Youtube videos, award-winning cookbooks, and all-around friendly persona. But his culinary expertise and flair for fine dining are no surprise to those who know the Cebuano native.
A historian at heart, Sarthou has long promoted Filipino food however he could—perhaps most notably in 2017 when he championed the underrepresented cuisines of Mindanao at Spain’s Asia Madrid Fusion. Now, just months after launching Tatung’s Private Dining, the restless chef hits the ground running once more with the opening of his new fine dining restaurant, Lore Manila at One Bonifacio High Street Mall.
See also: Chef Tatung Launches a 10-Course Tasting Menu in His Antipolo Home—But it Won’t be Around for Long
Above Chef Myke "Tatung" Sarthou
Chef Myke "Tatung" Sarthou
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The back dining room and bar at Lore Manila
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“Lore is a celebration of how far Filipino culinary history has evolved over the centuries,” Sarthou explains. Their premiere “feasting” menu, Tapestry vividly highlights this concept. Each dish across the 10-course degustation (with 7-course and 5-course options available, as well as cocktail pairings to boot) is deeply anchored in its zeitgeist, capturing the prevailing culinary influences of its place and time—a gastronomic history lesson of sorts. “When you talk about Filipino food you cannot remove it from the context of our culture and history,” the chef attests.
Above Sari-saring palaman at tinapay
Above Kinilaw: raw tuna, sea urchin, pickled pineapple, and sweet potato strings
Sari-saring palaman at tinapay
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And yet, Sarthou effortlessly translates these elements in a contemporary fashion while retaining the identity of each dish. “I still consider myself a traditionalist even if I try to push the boundaries,” he declares. “You can be as creative as you want, but once you call [a dish by] a certain name you are bound by that promise of delivering the flavours expected of that dish.”
See also: The Culinary Capitals of the Philippines: Chef Tatung Sarthou’s Guide to Cebu
Above Camaron relyeno: fried prawn stuffed sausage with 5-spice and haw flakes sauce
Camaron relyeno: fried prawn stuffed sausage with 5-spice and haw flakes sauce
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Above Moros y Kristiano: slow-braised short ribs with traditional white gata and Tausug-style black burnt coconut sauce
Moros y Kristiano: slow-braised short ribs with traditional white gata and Tausug-style black burnt coconut sauce
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Tapestry guides diners through pre-war kitchens in Pampanga to modern-day Chinatown and the lesser-known flavours of the Philippines’ South. Sarthou’s creative aptitude excels alongside (rather than, against) the historical and cultural cues that inspire him, producing unique dishes that remain inherently Filpino. Take their memorable homemade bread basket with chicken galantine, chicken liver pate, calamansi mostarda, and tinapa butter—the opening bites which set the tone for a fun degustation that treads the line between the inventive and familiar. Served with crispy kamote strings, the tuna and uni kinilaw with pickled pineapple harks back to Sarthou’s own childhood in Cebu. The menu then takes you to Binondo with the camaron relyeno: a sausage stuffed with fried prawn, and a brilliant sauce made from haw flakes candy.
See also: Notable Food Regions in the Philippines (and the Dishes to Try When You Visit)
Mariscos con sarsa verde: smoked hamachi, seared scallops, and a green puree of spinach, green tomatoes, and almonds
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Sarthou’s meticulous research into Philippine gastronomy is undeniable, too, shining through dishes like the pato con salsa tsokolate, which reflects the Filipinos’ use of chocolate in savoury applications since the 17th century; and the Moros y Kristiano, which juxtaposes the traditional white gata against the blackened Tausug-style coconut sauce. Despite these educative tidbits, Tapestry never feels rigid or intimidating, presenting a dining experience that anyone can enjoy. Capped off with a playful mango jubilee (including a tableside flambee) the degustation truly does feel like a celebration of our country’s rich and diverse culinary Tapestry: an experience of interwoven flavours across different places and generations.
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About
Lauren’s love for food came much later in life than one would expect— an obsession awakened in the streets of Melbourne’s multicultural dining scene. Armed with this newfound passion, she returned to the Philippines determined to discover the best eats in her home country, with a personal advocacy to champion local cuisines and homegrown talent. Nothing is off-limits; if it’s delicious, it’s worth celebrating.
Work
As Tatler Dining associate editor, Lauren covers all things food and drink, from listing the latest openings in our monthly Dining Radar to interviewing chefs and bartenders about the biggest obstacles crippling the industry today. Beyond the digital space, she also organises Tatler Dining’s tentpole events, including Off Menu and Tatler Dining Kitchen, as well as the annual Tatler Best Philippines awards night and guide launch, detailing the best restaurants in the country.
For leads and event invites, contact her via lauren@tatlerphilippines.com or follow her on Instagram at @laurengolangco.
Photo: Ralph Mendo
