THE first year in the food and beverage industry in Cebu is often the year that makes or breaks it for new restaurants, as Cebuanos do not exactly have the easiest palette to please. For Enye by Chele Gonzalez at Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, the first year for sure entailed a lot of hard work behind the scenes to provide guests an enjoyable dining experience. But clearly, everything has paid off for the team in making diners happy, as the Spanish restaurant has recently turned one and is just getting started. Enye has already made it as one of the Best New Restaurants for 2018, and recognized as one of the Top 20 Best Restaurants in the country by Philippine Tatler Dining.
During the restaurant’s anniversary brunch on a bright Sunday, guests were treated to bestsellers gambas al ajillo; txangurro (roasted crab mousse in its shell; lechon cebu tacos with mango salsa, jalapeño frijoles mousse, and sour cream; the heirloom cherry tomato salad with homemade ricotta and balsamic vinegar; arroz con bogavante (a rich stewed lobster paella); tenderloin with grilled manchego cheese; and pan seared tuna with eggplant and citrus romesco sauce. For dessert, there was the unique calamansi cake with mousse, ice cream, and biscuits; spiced mango sorbet with compressed pineapple, coconut and chocolate mousse; and a personal favorite for this chocolate lover, the chocolate-orange tart with vanilla ice cream.
Enye, which spells out the phoneme [ñ] that is shared by both the Spanish and Filipino languages, brings together traditional and modern recipes and ingredients from both cultures. In a year’s time, it has successfully carried out Chef Chele’s vision: to provide an experience of good food and dining to be shared with family and friends. Congratulations to Chef and the team on a very successful first year!