Restaurateurs Andrew and Sandee Masigan of XO46 believe that there is much more to Philippine cuisine than meets the eye. As it is the husband-and-wife team’s advocacy to elevate Filipino food from the usual buffets, grilleries, and hole-in-the-wall dining spots, XO46 came up with a ten-course degustaćion highlighting the sophistication and complexity of Philippine cuisine. 

“Filipino cuisine is often undervalued and misunderstood. After much research, we put together the Philippines on a Plate degustaćion to reveal the many layers in our culinary history that we haven’t taken the time to understand yet. After all, true appreciation can only be achieved when context is provided,” Andrew explained.

(Learn more about the Filipino culinary heritage.)

Comprising the menu are specialities not only from one town to another but also products that showcase cooking techniques that were developed since the pre-colonial period up to the American era. The menu highlights influences of the Chinese, Indians, Malays, Spaniards, and Americans, and ends with a foretelling of the future of Filipino cuisine by capping off the meal with special reinvented Filipino dessert.

“Our cuisine is not homogenous and has many different influences. We hope that XO46 Heritage Bistro, through our series of degustaćions, will allow people to discover the nuances and uniqueness of our cuisine,” Sandee shared.

Philippines On A Plate

Torta de Chorizo, Bihud Canapé, Pasag Yang Manok, and Hakaw in Seafood Sauce

“We travel a lot, we eat a lot, and so few cuisines of the world have the kind of depth of flavour and taste differentiation as Filipino cuisine does,” said Andrew. Hence, XO46 developed a special degustaćion that brings together the history, heritage, and flavours of the country. 

With the appetisers, XO46 highlights the influences of early settlers of the Philippine soil. The Pasag Yang Manok shows Indonesian cooking attributes, while the Torta de Chorizo hails the Spanish heritage. Bihud (Philippine caviar) Canapé brings the Malay taste to the menu, and the Hakaw in Seafood Sauce pays homage to the Chinese influence. The second course highlights the Filipino cooking technique that dates back to 15,000 BC. The four Kinilaw varieties include mackerel seasoned with citrus juice and sea salt, goat meat seasoned with turmeric and sea salt, mussels with palm vinegar, and lastly, anchovies with tuba, a vinegar wine. 

Inihaw na Kalabaw

The degustaćion gets more interesting with the selection of Filipino heritage dishes, first with the inihaw na kalabaw, carabao meat that is flame-charred using coconut husk in a forrest salad of mangoes, coconut, and beans. Of course, the popular Filipino soup, whose distinct flavour and texture has made a name for itself, is included as well in the menu—the sinigang na lapu-lapu sa santol, a cottonfruit sour soup with grouper. The soy duck with mushroom vermicelli, the Pato Tim, is a Chinese-influenced adobong pato dish with rice noodles and mushrooms. Lastly, the well-balanced in flavour Binagoongan Baboy Damo at Kare Kare embodies Malaysian and Indonesian influences.

(Experience the best of Filipino cuisine in Intramuros.)

Bacalao Estofado y Arroz Saffron

Diners get to have a breather course from the heavy degustaćion line-up with a Mexican-inspired Ensalada de Mais with cream and grilled corn, onions, and tomatoes. The menu delves into the Hispanic period of history further with the Bacalao Estofado y Arroz Saffron, and then jumps to the American period with the Grilled Cheese with Spam.

Capping off the sumptuous feast is the sweet potato pie with coconut sauce. Indeed, Filipino cuisine is growing and evolving as Andrew and Sandee Masigan shared, that even a rootcrop as simple as sweet potato could be turned into a colonial dessert dish maintaining a distinct oriental flavour.     

(Explore the many kinds of Filipino cuisine.)

Andrew said that Filipino cuisine is not borrowed from others. “Foreign cuisines may have served as basis, but the ingredients are from the Philippine soil and the recipes are enriched rather than bastardised,” he said. “Through the centuries it has kept its integrity, dynamism, and unique character. It is a cuisine enriched by everything that we’ve gone through—a reflection of who we are as a nation,” he added.

Discover the delightful ten-course Philippines On A Plate degustaćion dinner at XO46 Heritage Bistro in Salcedo Village, Makati, Century Mall, and Estancia Mall in Capitol Commons. Rates start at 3,200 pesos per person and 4,700 pesos per person for pairings with Barcino's premium wines.

XO46 Heritage Bistro, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City, +632.553.663