Nostalgia and The Rotisserie

When my old and "tattered" friend used hyperboles to describe a craving for food, I arched my brow and swiftly dismissed her with a wave of the hand.

"Oh come on ... ease up!"

She didn’t. Set and determined, she cajoled, pleaded and physically twisted my arm to get me out of the house and into her car.

She wanted to visit our old turf – yeah, the same haunting grounds of our youth, in the glorious and fabulous ’60s, and for what? Juicy and succulent roast prime rib.

Listening to her describe it, with her eyes rolling as she rubbed her hands together, made it seem so inviting and maybe, maybe worth my while, including braving the traffic and the long drive to United Nations Ave. in Ermita, right in the heart of Manila.

The restaurant was located in an area that I had left and almost forgotten. ("You mean it’s still around?") If not for the fact that the memory of the best prime rib in town could still set my mind a-waltzing, I would have buried my friend together with other reliquarios of the past.

The fine dining room has undergone renovations with the dark and varnished panels now stripped and colored in soft gray. Paintings of European ladies, dressed in silk, taffeta, and heavily embroidered Spanish mantillas so evocative of a bygone era and the pure delights that it espoused, adorned the walls.

It was a changed room, one that I hardly recognized except for the well-polished open grill that was its original showcase and still situated in the same area. Our table was in a reserved, quiet corner that made it easy to imagine fine men and elegant women dining in style. A waiter interrupted my thoughts as he handed us the menu in a leather-bound folder.

Without a courtesy glance, my friend exclaimed, "Give me the US prime roast, done medium-well and a hefty serving of Caesar’s Salad, please." Still holding on to the menu, I skipped the beef and chose something creative – sea bass au fromage, panfried and sitting on a bed of peppered boursin sauce, topped with finely slivered carrots and zucchini. I noticed that time-honored dishes were still available. So, to please my friend, I asked for the lobster bisque (with a tinge of VSOP brandy) for a bit of nostalgia.

The waiter brought a basket of warm bread and cheese crispies that were both tasty and addictive. We had to make a conscious effort not to finish too many, ’lest we got fully stuffed before the main orders came.

What’s the hottest thing in the world? A fire-breathing dragon eating a pepperoni pizza?

No! It’s my self-deprived friend digging into her roast with re-ignited fire and fury.

"How was it?"

She closed her eyes and licked her mouth, "Hmmm, perfect ... like how I imagined it!"

Not wanting to disturb her so-called rendezvous with the past, I turned to my sea bass but not without first snitching a piece of beef from her plate!

"Well?"

I stared incredulously. My friend had instinctively wrapped her arms around her plate in a clear attempt to keep me away from the rest of her beef.

"Not bad, not bad at all."

The Rotisserie has indeed gone through different styles of management and cuisine changes. However, its celebrated past and the quality of its signature dishes still serve as the benchmark for the addition of other innovative and novelty cuisine.

On the day that we were dining, the executive chef, Martin Kohler, was only too pleased to educate two old girls on three significant additions to their classic menu.

First, the use of Filipino mango to create sauces for entrees or as main ingredients. Second, the inclusion of fusion dishes to merge local and other Asian flavors. Finally, the wider choices of vegetarian and light dishes – a perfect balance of classic favorites and modern tastes.

After my friend literally cleaned her plate, she was just as eager to feast on the Crepes Samurai for another bite at nostalgia.

Not for me. I wanted something that addressed my try-and-impress-me-cum-suspicious-mind stance. So, I chose the Committee Dessert described as "sometimes light, sometimes heavy, but something that the Kitchen Committee meet over to decide on, every day."

On second thought, I didn’t want a whole task force to fuss over something that I merely wanted to wash and refresh my palate with. A small compote of fresh fruits in season would have done the job.

Since we were on this wistful tastebud journey of some kind, we decided to play the naming game: What other fine restaurants, bistros and coffee shops in Ermita have, alas, become history?

New Europe, Jai-Alai’s Keg Room, Selecta, Cucina Italiana, Taza de Oro, Country Bake Shop, La Cibeles... all gone.

What else?

Who would have thought that there is still one premier restaurant in the heart of Ermita that has remained open to this day? The steady and impressive list of low-key, faithful and repeat diners, appreciative of the restaurant’s quiet and unruffled atmosphere, is consummate proof that in The Rotisserie the old formula still works.

Great dining companions, consistent quality of food, unobtrusive service. It was nice to rediscover The Rotisserie.

Back in the car, my friend flashed a smile and happily declared, "No arm twisting next time, right?"