Insalata Caprese (mozzarella). Fritto misto di mare (seafood). Arugula, shrimp and bean salad. Minestrone di verdure (vegetable soup). Trance di tonno (tuna). Pollo di piccata (chicken). Braciola di maiale (pork chop). Ossobuco alla Milanese (beef). Pasta alle vongole. Gnocchi å la Norma. Tiramisu. Crisp cannoli filled with lemon ricotta cream and pistachio. Gelato with biscotti.
Holy moly. What a feast. Think savory forkfuls. Think playful textures. Think masterful culinary pairings with some of the best wines available in the city.
We were treated to 13 flavorful creations prepared by Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s first Filipino executive chef, Juanito Abangan. And to think I had arrived late to the party and missed the cocktails!
The hotel recently invited media personalities and guests during the re-opening of El Viento Restaurant and Pool Bar in July, six months since it paused operations after Typhoon Odette wreaked havoc on Metro Cebu.
“Chef! You were like a mad man tonight,” I fist bumped the humble chef who simply smiled back in approval.
Event partners D+B Wines and Spirits expertly paired all the dishes with four handpicked wines from their cellar: La Châsse Sauvignon Blanc (France, 2020); Fat Bastard Rosé (France, 2020); La Raia Barbera Piemonte (Italy, 2019); and the Deakin Estate Moscato (Australia, 2021).
Aside from exchanging air fryer recipes with D+B’s Corinne Joseph, I’ve taken to heart her simple tips on how to enjoy wine: There’s no rush. There are no rules. There is only a lifetime of learning that awaits those who are willing to slowly embrace the mysteries and offerings of a vineyard.
Verbosity aside, the food, wine and company at the table—Marco Polo general manager Roel Constantino, D+B’s Dondi and Corinne Joseph, Carlo and Sheryl Borromeo, lawyer Julius Neri and SunStar LIVE! consultant and columnist Nelia G. Neri, and SunStar lifestyle columnist Chinggay V. Utzurrum—all made up a dynamic trifecta which pointed us in the direction toward a night of fun and flavor.
Who misses a good time wining and dining by the pool? Marco Polo Plaza Cebu does, and apparently, so did I.