Turning Es Moli den Bou into a gran exito was no impossible dream for chef Tomeu, especially with his extensive experience in culinary arts. At 14, chef Tomeu enrolled at the Junipero Serra hotel school in Palma de Mallorca where he studied from 1986 to 1991. Shortly after graduation, he won second prize in the Jean Moniot renowned culinary competition in Le Toquet, France. Back home, Chef Tomeu has also trained in Michelin-rated restos like Restaurante Xoriguer and Rotges. In Madrid, he worked at the Zalacain and Toni Vicente, which are also on the Michelin Guide. During the 1998 World Expo in Lisbon, Portugal, he was involved with the restaurant of the Spanish Pavilion. He then returned to his native Mallorca and worked for a hotel chain before opening his now famous restaurant.
Even without going through his bio-data, we would have no difficulty imagining why chef Tomeau’s restaurant is popular. All it took was a taste of his cooking, the feature of Sorpresa Deliciosa, a Spanish food festival sponsored by the Mandarin Oriental Manila and Swissair which is ongoing until Oct. 14 at Mandarin’s The Tivoli.
Tapas variadas started off the festival’s press lunch last Monday. Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, Coca Mallorquina, Spanish omelette and Sevillan olives, well what could we say? While Serrano ham, Spanish omelette and Sevillan olives are certified all-time favorites, the combination platter offered more – Manchego cheese, a delightfully sweetish cheese made from goat's milk, and coca. The latter is a Majorcan original that derives its name from the Latin word "coquere" meaning, "to cook." Coca is often likened to the Italian pizza. "That’s because the Italians are good at marketing their pizza," chef Tomeu jested. "Ours may have been the original, you know," he added.
While coca traditionally comes as big rounds or rectangles, Chef Tomeu served them in biscuit-sized portions.
Size didn’t matter, of course, as we were sure petite cocas tasted no different from full-sized ones. And while the pouring rain was visible through the windows of The Tivoli, chef Tomeu’s cocas sizzled with the flavors of summer vegetables.
The summer motif was carried over into the next course, sopita de tomate albahaca y queso. The classic tomato-basil flavor combination was given a new verve by chef Tomeu's by adding Manchego cheese slivers and the crisp pine nuts.
The main dish, canelon de pato y cerdocon setas was a delight. Being quite used to the heavy Spanish concoctions that are standard fare in local fiestas, we expected a dish that would not only bloat our bellies but also send us seeking the nearest sofa for an afternoon siesta. This duck and pork cannelloni with wild mushroom sauce was not only muy deliciosa, but very light as well. Something made possible by the use of wonton wrappers instead of the heavier pasta for wrapping the delicate slices of pork, duck and shiitake mushrooms.
Lunch was capped with gato Mallorquin con helado de turron or Majorcan cake with nougat ice cream. According to chef Tomeu, this traditional Majorcan pastry has among its ingredients eggs, nuts and dried fruits. Usually served with ice cream, the dessert is very sweet but Chef Tomeu tempered this by adding small cubes of coffee jelly.
Chef Tomeu describes his cooking as nouvelle cuisine inspired by the best of Iberian, Mediterranean and Moorish cooking.
Among his other signature creations which are part of the festival menu are bacalao gratinado con alioli (gratinated cod fish with spinach and aioli), zarzuela de pescado y marisco-Sopa de pescado (seafood chowder with almonds), paella Valenciana (Spanish rice casserole), carre de cordero con pinones y pimenton dulce (rack of lamb with pine nuts honey-glazed sweet peppers and baby vegetables), gambas al aroma de ajo y azafran (garlic and saffron-scented prawns with steamed rice and pine nuts), crema Catalana (crème caramel Catalan style) and "flao" Ibicenco (Ibiza-style cheese cake with raspberry sorbet).
Complementing the Spanish food festival at The Tivoli is an art exhibit of Spanish-Filipina painter Valeria Cavestani. For reservations and inquiries, call 750-88-88 local 2431 or 2432.