Soleil: So fun , so fine
July 10, 2003 | 12:00am
On one wall of Soleil Cafe Moderne in Greenbelt 2 are four large photos of Parisian scenes. Not of the Eiffel Tower or the Arc of Triumph or other fabulous Parisian landmarks that you see on every postcard, but moody pictures, such as of a park bench and the rooftop of a building. Taken by Miguel Fabie, they set the tone for the entire restaurant: French modern as you’ve never tasted it (Lucban longganisa risotto, anyone?), French with a mood, French cuisine crafted by the hands of Colombian chef David Pardo de Ayala and Swiss chef-restaurateur Markus Gfeller (whose hearts led them both to the Philippines many years ago), and a little bit of humor, too, as hundreds of bottles of wine are stacked by the staircase as though asking you if you think the French drink too much wine. (The answer to that: Can pigs fly?)
Soleil Cafe Moderne sprang from the fine-dining restaurant that made waves back in the late 1990s at its old location on Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati. It was the place to go if you were one of those food mavens that took their Zagat editions seriously; and it was the place to be seen if you were the type who read Wallpaper, the design/lifestyle magazine, which incidentally featured the first Soleil for its minimalist interior design with modern artworks by Markus’ wife Sandra Fabie. Soleil Cafe at GB2 was designed by Noel Bernardo – a contemporary, casual space to match the menu.
Last year, Soleil was the first restaurant to open at Greenbelt 2, ushering in an age where restaurants compete not just for the old bunch of gourmets, but for people who were suddenly becoming food adventurers and design critics. Loyal followers of the old Soleil may have been surprised by the restaurant’s move and its apparent change of direction, but the change has worked well in the past year, introducing more people to Soleil without the are-you-sure-we-can-afford-this pre-dinner jitters.
Markus Gfeller says that it was the perfect time "to go more casual, where the restaurant is no longer regarded as a place ‘only for special occasions’ but now a more relaxed venue where you can hold business meetings, lunch or dinner with friends and family several times a week."
But the one thing that Markus has kept alive is the fine-dining quality of Soleil. This restaurateur – whose company Caspian Concepts has produced such a diverse roster of restaurants as the European-fare Aqua at Enterprise Center and the Irish pub Craic on Jupiter St. – says you don’t compromise when it comes to quality of food or people will abandon you. "It can be done," says Markus.
These days, thanks to organic farms in Tagaytay, most of the ingredients he uses he now gets locally instead of importing them, which helps keep the prices down.
Scanning the menu, Markus tells us that the bestsellers that made Soleil a hit are still the bestsellers to this day. First is the signature seared Chilean seabass with shiitake mushroom and garlic confit; the bouillabaisse, everybody’s favorite Mediterranean seafood soup with garlic-infused saffron foam, rouille and pernod; tuna pavé, a pepper-seared tuna steak on pesto-grilled vegetables and balsamico; and the heavenly desserts such as gateau du jour (cake of the day), crepes and creme brulée, among others. If you like to split an order, look for the dishes with an asterisk as they are meant to be shared.
For its anniversary dinner last June 23, chef David Pardo created a special six-course menu that started with spice-seared lamb carpaccio with grilled vegetable mosaic and herb drizzles, followed by chilled seafood panaché, seared Chilean seabass, epigramme of duck and valrhona chocolate tart.
David has always preferred French cuisine over others because it’s the best foundation to hone one’s creativity in the kitchen. Prior to his being based in the Philippines, he worked in some of New York’s famous French restaurants, such as Restaurant Bouley, Alison on Dominick, Jespinasse and Le Bernardin.
For him, it is the food that makes or breaks the restaurant, more than anything else. That’s how it worked with Soleil in the beginning – even when it was in an out-of-the-way location.
When we ask David how important plating is to a chef (we always ask this of chefs and we’ve never had the same answer!), he says, "You always start with the taste. When you have figured out how all these ingredients will taste in the mouth, then and only then do you try to make a nice plate."
Aside from Soleil’s regular menu, David has concocted daily specials for P370, which include the soup of the day. Monday is mushroom-crusted Pacific whitefish with sautéed spinach and aromatic ginger essence; Tuesday is spice-roasted pork tenderloin, grilled peaches, vegetable pilaf rice and aromatic sauce; Wednesday is roast leg of lamb with French potato puree, grilled vegetables and herb-garlic jus; Thursday is premium gammon, with potato salad and Asian barbecue sauce; Friday is slow-baked snapper fillet, herb risotto, chorizo and mussels; Saturday is beef tenderloin stroganoff, homemade noodles and mustard-pimiento sauce; Sunday is homemade corned beef, braised cabbage, baby potatoes, mustard and horse radish.
Markus says the daily lunch is particularly popular with Makati executives and office people. It’s Soleil’s answer to the Filipino’s perennial search for something new – and something they can afford.
Soleil Cafe Moderne is located at Greenbelt 2. It offers catering services. For inquiries or reservations, call 757-3599, 757-3600.
Soleil Cafe Moderne sprang from the fine-dining restaurant that made waves back in the late 1990s at its old location on Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati. It was the place to go if you were one of those food mavens that took their Zagat editions seriously; and it was the place to be seen if you were the type who read Wallpaper, the design/lifestyle magazine, which incidentally featured the first Soleil for its minimalist interior design with modern artworks by Markus’ wife Sandra Fabie. Soleil Cafe at GB2 was designed by Noel Bernardo – a contemporary, casual space to match the menu.
Last year, Soleil was the first restaurant to open at Greenbelt 2, ushering in an age where restaurants compete not just for the old bunch of gourmets, but for people who were suddenly becoming food adventurers and design critics. Loyal followers of the old Soleil may have been surprised by the restaurant’s move and its apparent change of direction, but the change has worked well in the past year, introducing more people to Soleil without the are-you-sure-we-can-afford-this pre-dinner jitters.
Markus Gfeller says that it was the perfect time "to go more casual, where the restaurant is no longer regarded as a place ‘only for special occasions’ but now a more relaxed venue where you can hold business meetings, lunch or dinner with friends and family several times a week."
But the one thing that Markus has kept alive is the fine-dining quality of Soleil. This restaurateur – whose company Caspian Concepts has produced such a diverse roster of restaurants as the European-fare Aqua at Enterprise Center and the Irish pub Craic on Jupiter St. – says you don’t compromise when it comes to quality of food or people will abandon you. "It can be done," says Markus.
These days, thanks to organic farms in Tagaytay, most of the ingredients he uses he now gets locally instead of importing them, which helps keep the prices down.
Scanning the menu, Markus tells us that the bestsellers that made Soleil a hit are still the bestsellers to this day. First is the signature seared Chilean seabass with shiitake mushroom and garlic confit; the bouillabaisse, everybody’s favorite Mediterranean seafood soup with garlic-infused saffron foam, rouille and pernod; tuna pavé, a pepper-seared tuna steak on pesto-grilled vegetables and balsamico; and the heavenly desserts such as gateau du jour (cake of the day), crepes and creme brulée, among others. If you like to split an order, look for the dishes with an asterisk as they are meant to be shared.
For its anniversary dinner last June 23, chef David Pardo created a special six-course menu that started with spice-seared lamb carpaccio with grilled vegetable mosaic and herb drizzles, followed by chilled seafood panaché, seared Chilean seabass, epigramme of duck and valrhona chocolate tart.
David has always preferred French cuisine over others because it’s the best foundation to hone one’s creativity in the kitchen. Prior to his being based in the Philippines, he worked in some of New York’s famous French restaurants, such as Restaurant Bouley, Alison on Dominick, Jespinasse and Le Bernardin.
For him, it is the food that makes or breaks the restaurant, more than anything else. That’s how it worked with Soleil in the beginning – even when it was in an out-of-the-way location.
When we ask David how important plating is to a chef (we always ask this of chefs and we’ve never had the same answer!), he says, "You always start with the taste. When you have figured out how all these ingredients will taste in the mouth, then and only then do you try to make a nice plate."
Aside from Soleil’s regular menu, David has concocted daily specials for P370, which include the soup of the day. Monday is mushroom-crusted Pacific whitefish with sautéed spinach and aromatic ginger essence; Tuesday is spice-roasted pork tenderloin, grilled peaches, vegetable pilaf rice and aromatic sauce; Wednesday is roast leg of lamb with French potato puree, grilled vegetables and herb-garlic jus; Thursday is premium gammon, with potato salad and Asian barbecue sauce; Friday is slow-baked snapper fillet, herb risotto, chorizo and mussels; Saturday is beef tenderloin stroganoff, homemade noodles and mustard-pimiento sauce; Sunday is homemade corned beef, braised cabbage, baby potatoes, mustard and horse radish.
Markus says the daily lunch is particularly popular with Makati executives and office people. It’s Soleil’s answer to the Filipino’s perennial search for something new – and something they can afford.
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