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Learn more about Automat’s switch from prix fixe to an à la carte menu
Metiz (Tatler Best Asia 100) recently announced the closure of the restaurant, for some major renovations. After a few months, the public will be re-introduced to a new chapter for this fine dining establishment as it opens its doors donning a totally new aesthetic.
As Metiz undergoes a revamp, its sister restaurant Automat proudly reveals its new menu. It opened with prix fixe and has since transitioned to being fully à la carte, a move that chefs Stephan Duhesme and Arlo Gregorio say is better suited to showcasing what Automat is really all about. “I think by switching to à la carte we have become more ourselves. Automat was always supposed to be a fun place with larger portions, louder music, and an unpretentious vibe. We’ve realised that the prix fixe was sort of the last thing that disconnected the restaurant to what we wanted for the establishment,” shares Gregorio.
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The restaurant differs from Metiz in that it presents “Manila food”, a more modern city-take on the Filipino diet, while Metiz takes a deep dive into analysing and experimenting with what Filipino cuisine is all about at its core. At Automat you can expect more meat and the use of global ingredients, something you will not see at Metiz. Here, the chefs are free from the limitations they happily put on themselves to push their creativity at Metiz, so at Automat diners will experience a more unbounded, limitless expression within their food.
With the à la carte menu, the chefs continue to explore what Manileño cuisine means to them, expressing themselves loudly and more boldly too. “I think it’s actually been easier to steer it more towards the Manileño food concept. Unhinged indeed because what was giving us trouble was the structure. Now whatever we think of we can put on the menu, as long as we like it and it fits! No need to think about the balance of a [needing to fit in a certain menu structure] anymore,” Duhesme elaborates.
See also: Special menus and gifts from top Chinese restaurants this Lunar New Year
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For those wondering about the dining format, it’s still quite similar to how their prix fixe system worked–it’s still designed for sharing with groups. “Even with our previous menu, we’ve always wanted the restaurant to be a sharing format amongst friends and family. By just removing the structure it’s still sharing, but it gives more freedom to our diners,” Gregorio notes.
“I think the biggest change is freedom for the diners and us chefs. It’s looser. À la carte allows more people to come in, even just to hang out. You get to focus on simply enjoying whatever you want to enjoy,” Duhesme adds.
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Isabel loves to learn, and see things from different perspectives. Connecting with people and engaging in new experiences to broaden her horizons is what inspires this storyteller, keeping her constantly curious, and excited for what's to come. An absolute love for all things F&B ignited a hunger to devour content from this world and keeps her jumping into tasty adventures around the globe. From the beauty of simple bites, to nuanced fine dining tasting menus, street food, and the art of entertaining, the multi-faceted nature of the dining experience is something she can't get enough of. A good cup of coffee or a glass of wine paired with a dash of witty conversation is a quick way to win her over. This editor loves travelling, food, music, skincare, fitness, and is only friends with people who love dogs. Guilty pleasure?: Binge-watching TV shows and movies she has already seen.
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Concept creation is the name of the game and branding takes centre stage in Isabel's day-to-day schedule. From producing shoots, conceptualising bespoke projects for our partners, relationship management, to cooking up features and events for Tatler Dining, this editor is a tried and tested foodie at heart. She mainly writes content for Tatler Dining, engaging in captivating discussions with restaurateurs, chefs, producers, and food enthusiasts to tell must-know stories. Aside from that Isabel manages Tatler Dining's flagship events like Off Menu, or Cocktail Festival and puts together the Tatler Dining Guide, our annual listing of the best eats around town.
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