Chef Charles Montañez stays true to his version of progressive Filipino-Latin cuisine with portions meant to be passed around the table
Walking into Alegria MNL during daytime is a shock to the senses, to say the least. The BGC hotspot, with its avant-garde interiors and surrealist art, seems to have been built to play host to nights out on the town. However, chef and owner Charles Montañez proves to be a glutton for punishment as I caught him up early in his kitchen, energetically grinding and mashing away over his beloved molcajete one weekday lunch. He has been hinting at an ala carte menu with family-style portions, and not too long after that there we were as his willing test subjects.
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Those familiar with chef Montañez’s cooking style know that his tasting menus are always inventive and whimsical, with transcultural leanings toward both Filipino and Latin flavors. He stays true to this with his ala carte menu which continues to draw from a deep well of cooking techniques and in his distinct inordinate fashion. The meal begins with small plates, such as kinilaw na salmon with Yakult leche de tigre or a Wagyu tartare enriched with a bistek tare and roasted bone marrow. Cheese lovers will surely trip out on perfectly fried churros dipped in a rich huancaina chorizo dip, which is a comforting play on sweet and salty.
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