EPIPHANY [ih-pi-fuh-nee]... according to dictionary.com, a sudden,
intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning
of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace
occurrence or experience.
And so it is at the restaurant Epiphany, a simple 15-seater on N. Domingo Street.
There's that eureka moment when you suddenly realize the lyrics of a
song after a break up; when you discover the mute key on your
Blackberry; for the ladies, when you discover that putting shimmer on
the bridge of your nose makes it look taller; or for the gentlemen, when
you discover the Esquire app on your iPad. For the foodies, it's when
you discover basil, mint, arugula; or brie, gruyere and gorgonzola cheese, or the secret to good adobo (atay!). The list goes on and on and on.
The chef at Epiphany, Jeff Ty, just gets it. He has an instinct for
flavor and is not afraid to divert from the usual categories of taste.
He is the kind of chef who uses wasabi as an ingredient for dessert.
He's 27 so some might consider this a mere youthful adventure. But I
believe he gets away with it because of an understanding of ingredients
that is rare for first time restaurateurs.
Take a dish he simply calls Clam and Salmon,
a generous slab of salmon set against a cup of various kinds of clams.
It sounds simple, but upon tasting it, you discover that salmon is
beautifully accessorized by the clams that the chef has cooked
in such a way as to make them creamy yet accented with flavors from
shallots to tarragon. Nevertheless, the side of clams in no way
outshines the salmon, which is the star of the plate. Or the Herb
Crusted Chicken. This would otherwise be a catering staple. But the
double layer of cheese on the chicken, accented with a bold tomato sauce that is incorporated with oregano and thyme urges oohs and ahhs from the guest.
For appetizers
and desserts, the chef takes greater risks. His appetizer of seafood
terrine uses an uni sauce whose umami is tempered by the sidings of
alfalfa sprouts. But more fascinating is this dessert: a tart whose
body's flavor exudes hints of green tea, topped with a kind of soy
gelatin and punctuated with delicate slices of mango. But that's not
what will blow you away. The supporting actor is the one that shines in
this performance: a white chocolate log. The sweet white chocolate is
rolled in crushed pistacchio. But it has a curious flavor that is not
sweet at all. It takes a while before the epiphany arrives and you
realize, it's wasabi!
The chef, who is shy and does not mingle with customers unless asked
to, nevertheless demands that the customers respect his ways. On one
visit, one of my guests asked for Worcestershire sauce
to go with the offered striploin steak. But the kitchen argued that the
steak was already seasoned and needed no more additional seasoning.
My guest had no choice, but later conceded that the chef was right.
Also, don't expect to find what I wrote about here on the menu next time
you visit. The chef changes the menu every week and what you enjoyed on
your last visit may no longer be around on the next.
But, you can most likely expect to be blown away. Sometimes there are
pieces here and there that are recycled. In my experience, last week's
appetizer of squash ravioli was this week's side for the striploin steak. But there was always
something that piqued my curiosity. I guess the chef likes to challenge
himself to keep you guessing at his ingredients and to keep the guests
coming back for that moment of epiphany.
Epiphany. N. Domingo Street, Quezon City. Tel. 487-7211. Reservations
recommended. Major credit cards accepted. Open for lunch and dinner.
Menu changes weekly. Casual. Limited parking. Wheelchair accessible but
the very steep slant of the parking space may make it difficult.
P315-P850 for main course.
