CASA ROCES: Chef Sau’s Grand 7-Course Kapampangan Dinner! @Casa_Roces @MadridFusionMNL

Chef Sau del Rosario, one of our favorite Kapampangan chefs in Manila, cooked the culminating Madrid Fusion Manila dinner for the Spanish Chefs together with the Center for Culinary Arts Chefs.

Here is a photo essay of the Grand 7-Course Kapampangan Dinner at Casa Roces:

First Madrid Fusion Manila 2015 Series:

• TERRY’S SALCEDO: Chef Juan Carlos de Terry x Brandy de Jerez Dinner! 
• VASK: Chef Elena Arzak x Chef Chele Dinner Experience in Manila! 
• BLACK SHEEP: X-treme Filipino by Chef Jordy x Bo Innovation’s Demon Chef Alvin Leung! 
• CASA ROCES: Chef Sau’s Grand 7-Course Kapampangan Dinner! 

We love the homey Casa Roces ambiance with a rustic Kapampangan candle-light centerpiece with a bread basket of San Nicholas cookies, Pan de Regla and local Philippine fruits.  The things on the table were used as ingredients in the dinner menu.

Check out Chef Sau’s Grand 7-Course Kapampangan Dinner Menu

The dinner was attended by our friends from the International Food & Travel Media from London, Dubai, and China. 

A tapas platter Kapampangan-style.  

The Berlinger White Zinfandel was light, bubbly and paired well with the Kapampangan food.

A toast to the awesome three days of Madrid Fusion in Manila!  

Congratulations to the Department of Tourism for the successful hosting of Madrid Fusion in Manila! Galing!

Chef Sau was standing proud to showcase the best of Kapampangan cuisine to our Spanish guests.  

#1 Pritung Itu, Buru, Camiasampo Mustasa. Catfish Floss, Fermented Rice, Bilimbi Fruit and Mustard Leaves.

Chef Sau proudly served the traditional Buru or fermented rice with catfish floss and exotic Bilimbi fruit.

It is wrapped in mustard leaves like the miang kham thai snack and eaten in one bite. It tastes sour, bitter and salty with soft mushy and crunchy textures.

#2 Tamales Metsiku

Next course is the Kapampangan tamales which is grinded rice topped with ham, chicken, peanuts and salted egg.

It is usually cooked in banana leaves and served like suman, but this time, it was presented in a glass to see the different layers.

Would you have left it alone in the weave of the banana leaves to keep its traditional appeal and have that element of surprise or serve it the way Chef Sau did?

#3 Sisig Babiampo Paksing Demonyu. Grilled Pork Snout and Pickled Fruits

A different take on sisig that is served with pickled fruits on a square crispy cup. 

✮ #4 Paku, Ebun Malat, Kamaru Amp Kesong Puti. Forest Fern Salad with Salted Egg, Crickets, and Hand-rolled Cheese

The pako or fern salad was fresh and very good with tomato, salted eggs, cheese and a light dressing. 

There’s a surprise side dish of cricket in a jelly form to soften the texture of this Kapampangan delicacy.  

Some decided to cut it in half instead of eating it in one bite, and this exposed the nasty appearance of the cricket. Some of the guests liked the edginess of this dish, but others did not like it at all.

✮ #5 Bulanglang a Byabas Ampo Ulang

My favorite dish for the night is the bulanglang with its rich milky soup, a giant fresh water shrimp with its big head, and guava for those who like it extra sour.  

The ulang was meaty and tasty! Make sure to eat the brains or put it in the soup for extra umami goodness.

The Beringer red wines were served during the meal, but it was too strong that it clashed with the strong flavors of Kapampangan cuisine.

#6 Litsung Manuk Menubat Probinsya, Nasiampo Atchara. Roasted Native Chicken stuffed with Rice and Papaya Atchara

Roasted Chicken is a staple dish in any Filipino dinner table. This is Chef Sau’s way of serving a slice of roasted chicken stuffed with rice as the filling main course.

#7 Papaya, Nasing Malagkit, Sampaguitang Sorbetis. Papaya, Sticky Rice, and Jasmine-scented Ice Cream 

A unique combination — sticky rice, papaya pairing with sampaguita flavored ice cream instead of your usual mango fruit with vanilla ice cream.  

The Spanish Chef and guests gave Chef Sau and CCA Chef team and standing ovation 🙂 Congrats!

✮ Batirol Tsokolate Ating Mani Ampo San Nicolas. Local Chocolate with Roasted Peanuts and Arrow-root Biscuits

A fitting Kapampangan ending of hot local cacao drink with the San Nicholas cookies. We love the cookies because it is not too sweet. 

Congratulations to Chef Sau for the Grand 7-Course Kapampangan Dinner to culminate the first ever Madrid Fusion event in Manila!

I love the Pako Salad,  Bulanglang a Byabas Ampo Ulang and the San Nicholas Cookies! 

I think the flavors of the Kapampangan dishes are toned down in consideration of the Spanish guests. I can appreciate the effort of elevating the presentation of the dishes and serving dishes like buro and crickets.

Until the next Madrid Fusion Manila in 2016!

CASA ROCES
#1153 JP Laurel St. Cor Aguado St. San Miguel, Manila, Philippines
Telephone: +632 488-1929 
Mobile: +63 917 550-9743
Facebook: Casa Roces
Twitter: @casa_roces
Instagram: @casaroces

First Madrid Fusion Manila 2015 Series:

• TERRY’S SALCEDO: Chef Juan Carlos de Terry x Brandy de Jerez Dinner! 
• VASK: Chef Elena Arzak x Chef Chele Dinner Experience in Manila! 
• BLACK SHEEP: X-treme Filipino by Chef Jordy x Bo Innovation’s Demon Chef Alvin Leung! 
• CASA ROCES: Chef Sau’s Grand 7-Course Kapampangan Dinner! 

Live an Awesome Life, 

Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com 

Disclosure: Our meal was courtesy of Center of Culinary Arts. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights. Read Our Awesome Planet Complete Disclosure Policy here.  

P.S. Check out Chef Sau del Rosario’s First Book on 20 years of Love + Cooking!