Saturday, October 11, 2008 East-West Fusion By Jenara Regis Newman
WHAT does “East – West fusion, rooted in Japanese cuisine” mean?
To find out, one has to go to Club Ultima’s Japanese restaurant, Kotie, where food and beverage manager Inky Dario and outlet chef Oliver Isidro are moving “away from traditional authentic Japanese cuisine to make it East-West fusion.
“The result is a happy blend of flavors made more delightful in its presentation.
As Inky says, in Kotie, you’ll find beauty everywhere you look: in the cityscape outside the picture windows, in the ambience of the place, and on your plate, each entrée being a work of art.
Photographer Allan gave a thumbs-up to the beef sashimi, made from tender Brazilian beef, covered with kyuri salad and placed on top of a wasabe oil mixture. The ika (squid) tempura salad on mixed greens and fried vermicelli turned out to be equally tender (the secret, reveals Inky, is the precise timing in the cooking.
A second more and the squid would have turned chewy). A burger with a twist was the teriyaki glazed Kotie burger, made from prime ground beef mixed with miso paste, and served with vegetable gyoza, truly a meal in itself. Teppanyaki seared salmon with creamy leeks and cucumber rice rolls was absolutely delicious. And glazed tenderloin was served with Asian mashed potato croquettes and kyuri salad.
For dessert? Truly East-West tiramisu, made of green tea sponge cake, mascarpone cheese and set in a ceramic cup with chocolate curls on top, and on the side, coconut balls, an upgraded version of bocarillo!
Both Inky and Oliver had their culinary education abroad, Inky in Switzerland and Oliver in a New York school, taking up pastry arts, when he was 17.
Both have worked in American, European and Asian restaurants where Oliver experienced working with great chefs. Gordon Ramsey and Jimmy Oliver in London.
He came home to take care of his sick father and is working in the Philippines for the first time. With these two in Kotie, dining there will never be the same again! (Note: Kotie is open only for dinner, and has weekend dinner buffets).
