Brasserie CiÇou's Chanterelle Menu & Chocolate Kouign Amann, Etc.

After a work-related couple of nights at Subic Bay Yacht Club, I got back to Metro Manila by around 6pm (I rode with Enki), Saturday, the 21st September 2013. Catha & the kids were to pick me up in Cyrille & Anna Soenen's Brasserie CiÇou, so we decided to have dinner there, together with Enki & Mayette.

We started off with a bottle Champagne Taittinger Brut Réserve, which was straightforwardly pleasant as usual. Always nice as an apéritif, though nothing special or memorable. Still, at its very reasonable price, it is well worth having around as a casual bubbly (nb: I ordered this one from the wine list; at P3500/bottle, it is marked-up very low from retail as far as restaurants go).

With the aforementioned bubbly, we had some Fresh Oysters, one order of 6 for Enki and I, and another order of 6 for the kids (Catha & Mayette don't really like oysters raw). As Brasserie CiÇou has an on-going French Chanterelles Festival (good until supply lasts), we all pretty much went for the featured dishes.

For our first course, Catha, Lorenzo, & I went for the Oeufs Cocottes with Chanterelles & Mushroom Foam. As can be seen, they are certainly very generous with the chanterelles.

Enki's Ravioli of Oysters in Creamy Chanterelle Soup.

Mauro was probably reminiscing about Alsace, so his was the only course that evening not from the festival menu: Quiche Lorraine.

Joaqi's first course was this rather large Assorted Wild Mushroom Risotto with Parsley Foam. Anna did warn us of its size, but Joaqi was undeterred and finished it off easily with lots of room to spare. Growing boys' appetites never cease to amaze me (though I was one once, a very long time ago).

For main courses, almost all of us went for the meltingly soft, tender, and moist Slow-cooked Pork Belly Sous-vide, Lychee and Honey Syrup, Purée of White Kidney Beans, Sautéed Lychees, Chanterelle, & Black Trumpet Mushrooms.

Mayette went for the Roasted Flounder Crusted with Nuts, Chanterelle, Bacon, Asparagus, Parmesan Sauce for her main course (photo from Cyrille).

The night's red was 1999 Prunotto Barbaresco Bric Turot - Catha brought this over from the house. Having opened at least two bottles of this before, I made sure to decant it for aeration - so it had been breathing for around an hour or so before we got to it. This bottle, probably because of the aeration time, seemed denser/more concentrated, lusher in fruit and bigger in body (at the lower quadrant of full-body, I'd say) than the past two bottles.

It also showed more depth, spiciness, and complexity in its moderately licorice, tar, and toasty oak touched dry, dark, ripe fruit. Acidity was good, no flabbiness there. Very decent Barbaresco; well-worth buying (that is, if this vintage is still locally available at Bacchus Int'l.).

Just to make sure we all had enough to eat, I ordered a large Certified US Black Angus Rib-Eye Steak with Potatoes Dauphine for the middle of the table. It was pretty much wiped out as well.

Enki & Mayette

For dessert, we all finally got to try Cyrille's new Chocolate Kouign Amann (5 orders for all of us, plus another full order compliments of Cyrille & Anna for good measure) - a chocoholic's dream - decadently rich, and stuffed with chocolate ganache, with a nice, flaky pastry for textural contrast. What I loved about it most was that it tasted like chocolate, not like many other chocolate desserts in Manila that taste mainly of sugar. Served with a scoop of delicious, in-house dark chocolate ice cream, it was more than wonderful.

Naturally, we also had some of the old favorite, original Kouign Amann with Salted Caramel Ice Cream. I can never leave Brasserie CiÇou without having that. As Anna recommended, the respective ice cream accompaniments were served on the side.

This photo says it all.

Anna & Cyrille join us for a nice  after-dinner chat.

Just like I cannot leave Brasserie CiÇou without having the kouign amann, Catha must always have her Cannelés, and Joaqi, his Petites Madeleines. Cups of coffee and espresso, followed by complimentary pours of good Armagnac brought a close to this lovely, relaxing dinner with family and friends.

Love it. Until the next!

JC de Terry's Homage to the River Ebro via La Rioja, Navarre, & Aragón.

The River Ebro is Spain’s longest river, rising from Fontibre, a town in the province of Cantabria, crossing, among others, the regions of La Rioja, Navarre, & Aragón, on its way southeast to Tarragona. This past June, JC de Terry, spent 3-weeks’ vinous and gastronomic research throughout said regions, staying at various, artisanal farms and visiting lesser-known wineries and vineyards, all of which depend on the Ebro.

Literally getting his hands dirty while working alongside the farms' crews from dawn ‘til dusk, JC deepened his knowledge of the various local ingredients that go into making the regions’ most treasured dishes. Inspired by the trip, he decided to bring the best of said regions’ best back and feature these culinary delights in a series of special dinners. Arduous months were spent importing the meticulously chosen ingredients, re-creating the dishes he learned, adding his own touches thereto, and dreaming up wine pairings as only he can.

 All these resulted in a 2-week long festival during which limited quantities of the featured regions’ cheeses, vegetables, hams, sausages, wines, and many others are available for purchase at the various Terry Selections outlets. In addition, said festival is highlighted by a series of special dinners orchestrated by JC himself, the first of which was an inaugural dinner at Terry’s Segundo Piso on Thursday, the 16^th September 2013.

Cyrille, J-Lab, Miguel, Nicole, & Alex

Jo & Aaron with J-Lab

Sanju, Rommel, & Alicia

JC with Chowhound Cyrene

The 60 seats for the inaugural dinner were snapped up quickly. Fortunately, I was able to secure barely a dozen seats for myself and fellow aficionados of Spanish cuisine and wine.

Those lucky enough to attend were greeted with constantly refreshed flutes of Bodegas Ondarre Seleccion "Millennium" Brut Cava - a bright, light-footed sparkling wine made in the méthode champenoise from 100% viura grapes from Rioja. Showing flavors of crisp green apples, citrus, a touch of white minerality, it expands towards the back palate with a long, appetizingly dry citrus and grapefruit finish. This lively Riojan cava was served with endlessly refilled pass-around trays of silken, tender, moist, and addictive...

...Airesano Jamón de Teruel D.O. Gran Reserva...

...and delicious cheeses from three different provinces:
Idiazábal de Pastor, Jacetania de Vaca, & Pata de Mulo.

The journey proper began at the Ebro river’s origin with an amuse bouche of a Sphere of Fontibre Blue Cheese on a Bed of Diced Tudela Pears Infused with Balsamic Cream...

...served with well-chilled bottles 2012 Oto Bestué Chardonnay-Viognier from Somontado D.O., the  intense apple and pear flavors of which mirrored that of the blue cheese’s diced pear base.

Several of the Usual Suspects attended.

Miguel, Johnny, & Nicole.

Alex, J-Lab, & Jojo laugh it up.

Cyrille & Anna enjoying a night off from their own restaurants.

La Catedral “Cardos” in Almond Béchamel topped with Crispy Fried Egg Cream followed shortly.

JC hands-on prepares for the next dish.

Next was a stunning trio of dishes of small, delectable Truffled Longanizas by Melsa over Young Lima Beans and La Catedral Leek Tips Confit; Melsa Pyrenese Beef Longaniza on Baby Potatoes & Pine Nuts Moistened with Cherry Tomato Consommé; and, Tempura of Tudela Artichoke Stuffed with Presa Ibérica Sprinkled with a Cumin-Ñora Pepper Sauce Enriched with Picón de Tresviso Cheese. 

The pairing wine was the lithe and light-footed, palate-cleansing single vineyard 2010 Nekeas Odaiza De Vega Sindoa Chardonnay from Navarra D.O.

The large, tender, juicy Navarran Asparagus over Arbequina Vinaigrette infused with a Balsamic Aroma of Banana Confit was a studied presentation in fine ingredients speaking for themselves. This was deliciously simple, and simply delicious, especially with the buxomly ripe, yet pure and well-focused 2009 Placet de Valtomelloso by world-renowned Spanish winemaker Alavaro Palacios.

JC passionately explains each dish in great detail.

Diners’ palates lulled by the asparagus’ fresh, bucolic charm were perked up by the dynamic red spiciness of the Piquillo Pepper Gazpacho with Kokotxas Quiche.

The reds breathing gently since the morning.

Having had just a small sandwich for lunch, I was in good form for the robust, yet contemplatively earthy masterpiece of virtually molten Black Beans enhanced with Morcilla and Cured Pancetta with Pimentón de la Vera, paired with an equally robust, unabashedly forward, super-concentrated and jammy 2011 Pagos de Moncayo Prados from Campo de Borja D.O.

JC with The Usual Suspects (photo by Cyrene de la Rosa)

Javi & Lexi

Cyrille & Anna, with Rommel & Cris.

The place was packed for the event.

 Spanish ambassador, H.E. Jorge Manuel Domecq Fernández de Bobadilla, says a few words.

JC back in the kitchen for the next dish.

Pan to plate...

...finishing touches made...

...by Team de Terry...

...always under JC's watchful eyes...

...and guiding palate for wine pairing.

To ensure survival until dessert, I regretfully ate only half of the alluringly gamey penultimate course of smooth Chilindrón Risotto cooked with La Catedral Wild Boletus crowned with Shepherd’s Roncal Cheese. With this was the notably ripe, comparatively more ready 2008 Señorío de Andión from Navarra D.O.

Jim & Alex look like they're about to burst.

JC chats with Johnny & Migs as Nicole munches on.

Cyrene & Sanju apparently still in fine form...

...as seem Chris and Alicia as well.

Team de Terry ready to make dessert.

Efficient and precise, like a well-oiled machine.

My half-hearted attempt at moderation was handsomely rewarded by a tour de force of Peaches from Calanda D.O. & Goat’s Milk Tronchón Ice Cream amidst Peach Cubes, embraced by Grenache Wine Syrup...

...served, naturalmente, with the typical, yet stylish 2011 Pagos de Moncayo Garnacha from Campo de Borja D.O.

¡Salud!

A joyous and educational culinary adventure; and, indeed, it was an auspicious start of yet another successful festival.

Catha arrived much later from a dinner with her highschool friends, joining us for the quiet aftermath with a tired JC. We were the last to leave (as usual). ¡Mil gracias, Juan Carlos, y hasta la próxima!