Flip editor-in-chief Jessica Zafra and filmmaker Peque Gallaga relished the Tilapia Fillet, topped with mushroom adobo sauce and duck chicharon, resting on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes. The late respected food reviewer Doreen Fernandez hailed the Miso Sea Bass (also a favorite of ABS-CBN lady exec Charo Santos-Concio) as "the best piece of fish" she had ever tasted. Even Uva’s delectably unassuming Chop-Chop Salad easily earned the stamp of approval of food whiz Nancy Reyes who had voted it as "one of the best salads in the country." To top it off, Inquirer newspaper columnist Rina Jimenez-David simply raved about the nostalgic Choc-Nut Ice Cream – Uva’s star dessert.
If Uva has been winning rousing reviews from clientele, it’s because it has something uniquely savory to offer – from start (appetizers and salads) to mid-way (main course), down to the finish line (dessert).
For Uva’s great success since its opening last year, owners Franco Laurel and Ayen Munji-Laurel pass on the credit to resident chef, Fernando Aracama, popular among couch potatoes as the host of the RPN-9 cooking show How ’Bout My Place?
"Fernando is a world-class chef," Franco points out. "When we dine out, whether here or abroad, my wife Ayen and I always compare what we have with Uva’s menu." Uva has become the couple’s gastronomic standard. "We measure everything in terms of the food in Uva," Franco relates. "That’s one of the main reasons why we went into business with him. We believe in his talent that much."
"In Uva, my goal is to come up with sincere food," chef Fernando himself explains. "It’s simple food."
It’s fun and fine dining that’s no-fuss and yet fabulous.
"It’s not pretentious," Fernando acknowledges. "Even the menu is straightforward. Direct to the point. We avoid using flowery terms on the menu."
No need to hide behind a highfalutin’ menu because Uva food can stands on its own.
"Fernando’s food is unique," Franco asserts. "It’s experimental, but at the same time it’s very familiar. He always whips up a fascinating innovation."
"Pinoy with a twist," the Laurels call it.
"A majority of my food is still evolving," Fernando explains. "A lot of it is whimsical."
In a nutshell, it’s a delightful mélange of varied flavors and aromas.
Technically speaking, Fernando describes Uva’s cuisine as "progressively contemporary with a more Filipino direction, in terms of taste and approach."
He emphasizes that his recipes are primarily geared toward Filipino tastebuds.
"Most of my dishes come with sawsawan (sauces)," Fernando expounds. "The dips, sauces and relishes are not there just for the aesthetic value. They’re there for what they can contribute to the overall flavor of the food."
Fernando aims to elevate Filipino cuisine to world-class standards, but his tactic is "pragmatic."
"I am not hitting it on the head," Fernando states. "It’s a very practical approach. It take bits and pieces of everything and come up with a well-thought of confusion, if you will."
Culinary inspirations can come from anywhere. "And I always make it a point to offer a dish that is multi-faceted. Each plate comes with textures, flavors, and sometimes temperatures that are varied and unique."
A prime example of "dual temperature dining," Fernando says, is his thoroughly modern version of the native dessert, suman sa ibos (rolls of sweet, sticky rice).
"In this version, I fry the suman and serve it with latik (coconut jam)," the chef shares. "And then I garnish it with mango slices and add salabat ice cream on the side."
You read it right, he has concocted the exquisitely exotic salabat ice cream.
"It’s made from ginger," the chef chimes in. "It’s cool and spicy. It’s sizzling and sweet. It gives you contrast. There’s something hot and cold on the same plate."
Indeed, the food is the main attraction in Uva.
"You’ll never get tired of his food," Franco says of Fernando’s creations. "When I go to Uva, I always end up ordering the same things (Sautéed Chicken, Insalata Uva, Duck Foie Gras). The problem with Ayen and I is we haven’t really completely savored one dish yet and then we find out about a new exciting dish in the Uva menu. That’s why I am certain diners are bound to come back for more."
"We really enjoy eating out," Ayen professes. "And with Uva, we hope to offer to Filipinos a world-class dining experience."
Make a totally unique dining experience. So hurry! Make your reservations now at Uva - 7574243 or 757 4245. I already made mine.