OLD MANILA by New Filipino Head Chef Allan Briones! (Photo Essay) @ThePeninsulaMNL

OLD MANILA at The Peninsula Manila is now proudly run by Filipino Chef Allan Briones. They advocate a 50% local/50% international ingredients philosophy, delivering a “sophisticated market” menu to their discerning clientele.

The CCA-alumni worked and trained under legendary Chef Marco Pierre White in London, who trained notable chefs like Mario Batali and Gordon Ramsay. He worked for prestigious hotel restaurants in Dubai before coming home to Manila to work at The Peninsula Manila in Banquet before being promoted from within to head Old Manila.

Here’s our firsthand experience of Chef Allan Briones’ fine dining cuisine in Old Manila…

OLD MANILA @ THE PENINSULA MANILA
Corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues, Makati City
Telephone: +632 887-2888
E-mail: pmn@peninsula.com
Website: http://manila.peninsula.com/
Facebook: The Peninsula Manila
Twitter: @PeninsulaHotels
Instagram: @peninsulahotels

Old Manila is a chef-driven, fine dining signature restaurant of The Peninsula Manila, with the ambiance of an elegant home setting.

OLD MANILA MENU: Main Menu | Beverages | Dessert Menu

The menu was revamped from mostly imported ingredients to adopt a 50/50 philosophy, moving closer to delivering more sustainable fine cuisine.

APPETIZER

A bread platter of Honey Raisin Sourdough, Citric Brioche, and Walnut Baguette. I prefer the soft bread with a hint of lemon.

★ Baked Freshly Shucked Oysters (P200++ per piece). Mornay, truffle, pickled shallot.

I like how the baked cheese and truffle does not overpower the flavor of the fresh oysters. One piece is definitely not enough.

★ Clarendelle by Haut Brion, Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux, France 2014 (P760++/glass, P3,700++/bottle). Crisp with grapefruit and melon notes.

The Clarendelle white wine was refreshingly crisp, with fruity hints but not sweet, and pairs well with the appetizers.

★ Jamon & English Pea (P550++). Crispy jamon, peas, lemon froth.
Sweet Corn Veloute (P650++). Corn textures, tarragon.

The pea soup was the best, with balanced pea and lemon flavors accentuated by crispy Jamon and greens. The corn soup was velvety smooth but reminded me of a liquefied sweet corn snack.

★ Foie Gras Torchon (P950++). Cherry, brioche, pistachio, salted date caramel.

You have to eat the foie gras with the salted date caramel and spread it over the small pieces of bread to really enjoy this yummy appetizer.

Heirloom Tomato (P600++). Avocado, radish, basil, elder cress, chia seeds, saba vinegar.

This dish is only as good as the tomato they use. It was a bit expensive for what you get.

Charred Octopus (P750++). Cauliflower puree, chorizo & white bean ragout, pimiento oil.

We’ve had better octopus dishes than this in some Spanish restaurants in Manila.

★ Bone Marrow (P900++). Beef tartare, Shimeji mushrooms, salted egg espuma.

This has all the umami flavors of raw beef and bone marrow. The shimeji and salted egg balance it all out.

MAIN DISH

★ Miso-glazed Chilean Sea Bass (P1,750++). Aubergine, baby bok choy, chili, crispy quinoa.

The fish was cooked just right with a charred miso-glaze, served with different textures of eggplant skin fries, mashed eggplant, and eggplant itself.

Pan-seared Barramundi (P1,350). Barley risotto, braised artichokes, pearl onion, Barigoule emulsion.

Not your usual combination. The barramundi was also a bit over seared.

★ Mulwarra Beef Ribeye (300g – P2,700++)

This grass-fed beef from Australia did not disappoint. You can really taste the flavor of the meat as you chew it, and they cooked it nicely with a good char on the outside.

Bordelaise and Truffle jus sauces

The beef was so good by itself, you don’t really need to add these because they will just mask its flavor.

Triple-cooked Duck Fat Fries (P350++). Pimiento Aioli.

Generous cuts of potato cooked in duck fat and paired with a pimiento aioli sauce.

★ Shiitake Mushroom Al Ajillo (P350++). Garlic, lemon, parsley.

I recommend the shiitake mushrooms as a side to give an earthy flavor balance to the beef.

Make sure to order your Mulwarra meat medium with a hot, pink center to enjoy every piece of it.

★ Clarendelle by Haut Brion, Cabernet Sauvignon (P850++/glass, P4,000++/bottle)

The steak pairs nicely with some Cab Sauv Clarendelle, which cuts through the flavor of the meat.

★ Creamed Spinach (P350++). Toasted pine nuts.

I like the balanced creaminess of this. It’s also a good side dish for your steak.

★ Wagyu Beef Fried Rice (P350++). Quail eggs.

The best side dish is this flavorful Wagyu Beef fried rice topped with sunny side quail eggs.

Congratulations to The Peninsula Manila for believing in the talent of Filipino Chefs!

DESSERT

★ Frozen Key Lime “Pie” (P480++). Meringue, candied lemon, Graham crackers.

This dessert was awesome! Served like a Magnum bar with a candied lemon shell and ice cream inside, with meringue and graham textures to complete it.

Creme Catalana (P480++). Caramelized sugar, cinnamon churros, citrus compote.

This was also good but overpowered by the other desserts.

★ Davao Chocolate (P520++). Single origin cocoa 77%, crunchy pili nut, carabao milk ice cream.

Malagos chocolate in a unique boxed casing to showcase different textures, served a la mode with carabao milk ice cream!

Final Thoughts

I have to say, I love this latest incarnation of Old Manila better than the previous one. Their current menu has more character, is more approachable, and uses more local ingredients. Plus, it’s headed by a very talented Filipino Chef.

Old Manila is surely one of the best fine dining places you can visit in Manila to celebrate a special occasion or dine with important persons.

Go for a four-course meal starting with an appetizer of Foie Gras Torchon or Bone Marrow, then a soup course of Jamon & English Pea or Sweet Corn Veloute for something different.

Order the signature Miso-glazed Chilean Sea Bass as your main course. I also recommend the Mulwarra Beef Ribeye to share, with a side dish of Shiitake Mushroom Al Ajillo, Creamed Spinach, or Wagyu Beef Fried Rice.

Finish with the Frozen Key Lime “Pie” and the Davao Chocolate for dessert. Budget about P4,500/head.

Congratulations to Chef Allan Briones for an awesome start at Old Manila…you make us Filipinos proud! 🙂