How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?"
I got a hearty laugh out of this quote from the lovable Julia Child. At least I am comforted with the thought that our pandesal exhibits hope.
I mention Julia Child because I am currently fascinated with French cuisine. Indulging this fascination, I have made a trip to a hardly-a-restaurant restaurant most populated by the French in Manila: Alliance Francaise de Manille.
Bet you didn't know that its building is home not only to language classes and art film showings but also to a cafeteria that serves steak au poivre. I learned about this from Earl (his real name), who organizes events at Alliance and teaches French language lessons (for other things French, there's Jayme – number upon request, hehe).
The waiters here are silly. In a good way. They reply to you in French. "Available ba yung coq au vin?" Oui. After paying the bill: Merci. As each plate is served: Bon apetit! Even their gestures, in their grace, give the impression of... male ballerinas. As if they would pirouette before the bowl of French onion soup lands on your table. And when I ordered white wine with the steak au poivre, I swear I saw an eyebrow lift, causing me to apologize for the sacrilegious pairing. In embarrassment. To the waiter. To keep my sense of self-worth, I started drawing caricatures of them in my head as I ordered, naming the characters Gustav (for the thin, tall one who sports a moustache in my caricature) and Gerard (for the chubby one).
The interiors are austere yet textured with art: from calm blue imagery of rice terraces to weird conceptual plays with titles like "Katol at Sardinas." They make for interesting conversation throughout the course of the meal. One thing's for sure here, art and culture are part of the culinary experience.
The menu is decidedly French – duh – although some Filipino dishes made the cut, such as beefsteak Tagalog, which they endearingly call "Bifteck Tagalog." (Gustav smiled, "Beefsteak lang po yun, ma'am.") Being French, the magic is in the sauces. The steak au poivre is a simple tenderloin (pepper steak!) but it achieves character as it is cooked in butter and especially once dipped in the creamy, cognac-laden sauce. The coq au vin was mockingly called French adobo by a naughty guest, but toyo is replaced with wine and mushrooms. The Filipino tongue, more familiar with sharp tastes, might not fully appreciate the less than strong flavors, but if you pay attention, they are there for your full appreciation.
If you don't want to struggle to pay attention, go for the Crevettes a la Provencale, a prawn dish whose onion and tomato sidings scream flavor in your mouth. Or bring a bottle of wine. As a testament to its understanding of the importance of pairing wine with food, corkage is free.
Another characteristic of the cuisine here is that there is also an appreciation for texture. The liver pates, for example, offer a rustic threadiness, thanks in large part to the fact that they are made in the kitchen by hand. The French onion soup is not too brothy, possibly because of the use of Parmesan cheese. And the chocolate in the banana and chocolate pie oozes out as you thong your fork into it.
Understand that none of the dishes are too fancy; the menu describes the offerings as "an authentic taste of France, traditional and familial food in the heart of Manila." And that's alright because, if you think about it, this is essentially the school cafeteria. But flavor is not lost in its simplicity. There is, after all, the influence of the French. •
Alliance Française de Manille
209 Nicanor Garcia Street, Bel-Air II, Makati City.
Tel. 8957585, 8957441. Restaurant hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays 8:30 am to 6:30 pm;
Wednesdays 8:30 am to 10:00 pm; Friday 8:30 am to 6:30 pm;
Saturday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Closed on Sundays.
Wheelchair accessible. Limited parking. No reservations required.
Casual dining. Cash basis only.
I got a hearty laugh out of this quote from the lovable Julia Child. At least I am comforted with the thought that our pandesal exhibits hope.
I mention Julia Child because I am currently fascinated with French cuisine. Indulging this fascination, I have made a trip to a hardly-a-restaurant restaurant most populated by the French in Manila: Alliance Francaise de Manille.
Bet you didn't know that its building is home not only to language classes and art film showings but also to a cafeteria that serves steak au poivre. I learned about this from Earl (his real name), who organizes events at Alliance and teaches French language lessons (for other things French, there's Jayme – number upon request, hehe).
The waiters here are silly. In a good way. They reply to you in French. "Available ba yung coq au vin?" Oui. After paying the bill: Merci. As each plate is served: Bon apetit! Even their gestures, in their grace, give the impression of... male ballerinas. As if they would pirouette before the bowl of French onion soup lands on your table. And when I ordered white wine with the steak au poivre, I swear I saw an eyebrow lift, causing me to apologize for the sacrilegious pairing. In embarrassment. To the waiter. To keep my sense of self-worth, I started drawing caricatures of them in my head as I ordered, naming the characters Gustav (for the thin, tall one who sports a moustache in my caricature) and Gerard (for the chubby one).
The interiors are austere yet textured with art: from calm blue imagery of rice terraces to weird conceptual plays with titles like "Katol at Sardinas." They make for interesting conversation throughout the course of the meal. One thing's for sure here, art and culture are part of the culinary experience.
The menu is decidedly French – duh – although some Filipino dishes made the cut, such as beefsteak Tagalog, which they endearingly call "Bifteck Tagalog." (Gustav smiled, "Beefsteak lang po yun, ma'am.") Being French, the magic is in the sauces. The steak au poivre is a simple tenderloin (pepper steak!) but it achieves character as it is cooked in butter and especially once dipped in the creamy, cognac-laden sauce. The coq au vin was mockingly called French adobo by a naughty guest, but toyo is replaced with wine and mushrooms. The Filipino tongue, more familiar with sharp tastes, might not fully appreciate the less than strong flavors, but if you pay attention, they are there for your full appreciation.
If you don't want to struggle to pay attention, go for the Crevettes a la Provencale, a prawn dish whose onion and tomato sidings scream flavor in your mouth. Or bring a bottle of wine. As a testament to its understanding of the importance of pairing wine with food, corkage is free.
Another characteristic of the cuisine here is that there is also an appreciation for texture. The liver pates, for example, offer a rustic threadiness, thanks in large part to the fact that they are made in the kitchen by hand. The French onion soup is not too brothy, possibly because of the use of Parmesan cheese. And the chocolate in the banana and chocolate pie oozes out as you thong your fork into it.
Understand that none of the dishes are too fancy; the menu describes the offerings as "an authentic taste of France, traditional and familial food in the heart of Manila." And that's alright because, if you think about it, this is essentially the school cafeteria. But flavor is not lost in its simplicity. There is, after all, the influence of the French. •
Alliance Française de Manille
209 Nicanor Garcia Street, Bel-Air II, Makati City.
Tel. 8957585, 8957441. Restaurant hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays 8:30 am to 6:30 pm;
Wednesdays 8:30 am to 10:00 pm; Friday 8:30 am to 6:30 pm;
Saturday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Closed on Sundays.
Wheelchair accessible. Limited parking. No reservations required.
Casual dining. Cash basis only.
There is no sincerer love than the love of food. - George Bernard Shaw
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