La Meilleure Cuisine at tinderbox

CEBU, Philippines - My good friend Marlene Navarro-Mondoñedo had done it again – partnering with her Manila-based niece, Chef Farah Navarro Tolentino-Ylagan of the authentic French cuisine fame. (Discriminating caterer to the rich & the famous.)

Being a child of diplomat parents (her mother is former Philippine Ambassador to France – based in Paris – Aurora Navarro-Tolentino), Chef Farah grew up helping in many embassy receptions that were not catered but prepared by family and staff in the embassy kitchen. As young as 8 years old, she opted for a formal dinner at Bangkok's Hyatt Hotel for her birthday celebration, and her first taste of wine. On her mother's first assignment – to Australia – Farah was exposed to authentic French cooking through her Aunt Medy Macarayan who accompanied them in that tour of duty.

Her mother's post in Paris was about the time she graduated from high school. The young Farah pursued a degree in hospitality management at the Grande Ecole – Centre Europeen de Management Hotelier International. She enrolled in Art de la Table under Prof. Alain Denechaud. That course hones the culinary enthusiast in the creative savoir faire (skill/dexterity) that has evolved through centuries of French dining, from the 11th to the early 20th century. It involves putting expertly cooked dishes in apt china vessels, wines in appropriate crystal goblets, silverware to go with all the rest, table centerpieces that enhance the ambiance and live chamber music to boost the appetite of the diners. Art de la Table is Chef Farah's forte, as well as the specialties of Northern France, as she trained under Northern France's best – Chef Ghislaine Arabian – in her two-year stint in the 3-Michelin star Restaurant Ledoyen at Jardin des Champs Elysees in Paris.

So it was that to celebrate Bastille Day this July, we were treated to Art de la Table again at Tinder Box. A very select number of gourmets got the heads up this time; unfortunately, some could not make it. But a Chinese family who enjoys good food booked a table all by themselves to savor French dishes at its best.

Les Amuses - Bouches ("lip ticklers" otherwise known as appetizers) : I liked the home-made spice-cured salmon on blini toast and topped with the pricey Asatra Imperial caviar and crème fraiche which paired very well with the sweet bubbly rose (Chateau Bouteilley); the black grapes wrapped in Roquefort and walnuts were a bit too heavy for me, although I was fascinated by the spurt of sweet grape juice in my mouth amidst the crunch of the walnut.

First offering was L'Escargot: cooked a la bourguignonne Parmentier (in burgundy wine) and potato Chantilly. The snail was fat and juicy, quite a contrapuntal flavor to the Jean Guillot Saugvinon Blanc.

The cold salad – Le Crab – of red crabmeat rolled in green wrapper was light and refreshing. The curry oil gave it a piquant twist. A good prelude to the La Langouste cream soup, which is a generous slice of Palawan lobster quenelle with bits of fried tarragon leaves in a diamante-shaped bowl where waiters poured over the light crustacean bisque upon serving. Enhanced by the Gustave Lorentz Pinot Blanc.

Chef Farah's delectation – L'oeuf : coddled egg, meaning organic egg flown in from her source in Manila, steamed just so and served in a glass bowl, looking like a flower! Served with asparagus spears, croutons and Jamon Serrano jabugo in browned butter and truffle vinaigrette. Perfect…as always!

Highlight of the evening was Le Foie Gras, but of course. Chef Farah is internationally famous for her le canard d'or, which is her trademark Perigord foie gras (fattened duck liver) prepared two ways - as fresh terrine and as poached in a special red wine. That night, we had foie gras de canard mi-cuit (half cooked duck liver) with cherries, fresh nectarines that looked like diminutive tomatoes, caramelized hazelnuts (I love them!) and salad greens in citrus-hazelnut emulsion.

We cleansed our palates with a Key lime and mint sorbet.

Then the main course: La Canette – roasted Muscovy duck breast with French horn mushroom, smoky potato ragout in black truffle sauce. And since I am a true blue duck eater, I rest my case. I can still feel the Chateau Routeilley 2009 Bordeaux on my tongue mingling with the roast duck aroma.

Coming to a close, we had a platter of cheeses : Reblochon - I loved its smooth texture that went well with the tarte tatin but I found the Tete de Moine a bit spicy and the blue cheese Fourme d'Ambert very spicy for my taste. Lastly, Madeleines are always a bit too buttery for me, but the crunchy macarons with lemon filling were delightful.

A French gustatory experience at its best - sante!  (FREEMAN)