So what's a Michelin-star chef doing in Makati?

It doesn’t come up during our lunch with the owners of La Régalade, the latest bistro-style French restaurant located along Arnaiz Ave. in Makati, but the eatery’s name actually means “The drink” in French. And as French watering holes go in Makati, it’s one of the classiest affairs in town: with warm, romantically lit interiors designed by Anna Sy, it doesn’t seem like “Old Europe” French dining, but rather nouveau cozy and chic.

But that’s just one ace up the sleeve of La Régalade. Its real trump card is the presence of Michelin-star chef Alain Rayé, who ran the original edition of the restaurant in Vancouver, where it’s been a hit since 2001.

So what’s a French Michelin-star chef doing in Makati? He was lured here by former hotelier and current foodie Perfecto “Bubot” Quicho, who ran the Hyatt Regency Manila for 19 years before chancing upon Rayé’s Vancouver kitchen in the early 2000s.

Rayé had already made a name for himself, earning his toque and national mention at a precocious 18; he then went on to earn his first Michelin star at Samois sur Seine in Fontainebleu and a second star at La Belle Epoque, the Chateaufort restaurant, which he eventually owned before moving his family to Vancouver in 1999.

Quicho immediately fell for the Vancouver watering hole that served sublime French bistro cuisine. “I just thought this was the kind of restaurant that would be very good for Manila,” Quicho recalls. After many meals, he coaxed Rayé to visit the Philippines and think about training the staff in a new Makati restaurant that would be a “mirror image of La Régalade — the same concept.” The menu would not be a problem, because Quicho knew Rayé’s Vancouver dishes would be a hit here. (Rayé has written several cookbooks containing his prized recipes, incuding Une Table Pour Deux.)

We start with escargots en croutons — a savory dish, buttered snails cooked in garlic and tomatoes and topped on a soufflé cup with a bread crust — paired with a Colombelle Cabernet Sauvignon (’07) from Southwest France. The garlic and tomatoes give it a nice bite.

This is followed by clams de Manille au chorizo et tomate — Manila clams served with chorizo and pureed tomato, but the taste is very refined — a pleasant surprise for a seafood dish. This is paired with the sablé Parmesan aux tomates confites — or Parmesan tart served with tomato — that goes well with the Salade Regalade, which consists of calamari, prawns, bacon and a special house dressing. 

Bistro food has a more hearty flair than haute French cuisine — there are a lot of simple, slow-cooked dishes on the menu. Basically, there’s a warmth to this food: it does taste like comfort food, perfect for the rainy season, often served with a generous amount of bread or potatoes to keep one pleasantly sated. The bread is also perfect for sopping up sublime sauces. The extensive wine collection — 70 percent French selections and 30 percent New World ­— lines one wall at La Régalade; a bar takes up another wall. The reasonable prices are another reason people are settling in to this new watering hole.

“I flew (Chef Rayé) here on two trips,” continues Quicho. “He was hesitant at first. I think he was concerned about the supplies and ingredients. But he liked what he saw, especially the seafood…It took a second trip, and after that I said, ‘Alain, let’s go for it!’”

Manning the kitchen now is Rayé’s number two from Vancouver, chef Pierre Cornelis, who is staying in Manila to oversee the kitchen staff.

The opening of La Régalade was two years in the making, with the help of nine partners, including Jeannie and Ricardo Banaag, who join us for lunch. “We had to convince (Rayé) that his creations would be appreciated here,” says Ricardo, an Intel country manager. “He believes in local talent, he wants to train every chef here. And most of them are just very glad to be working with a Michelin-star chef. He’s been very impressed with them, too.”

We certainly appreciate the foie gras de canard au naturel that comes to our table next, served in a terrine with, again, lots of bread. Something about the high-end ingredients served with simple, rustic touches makes La Régalade stand out from other French eateries in town.

We also sample one of La Régalade’s best sellers, the braised short ribs with black peppercorn sauce (a very rich sauce) and the tuna tartare (served with mango), which is very fresh and zesty.

Finally there’s steak tartare — a rare dish here in Manila, and chef Rayé is justly proud of his. If you’ve not had the dish, it consists of minced rib-eye (not sirloin, insists Quicho) formed into a mound on a plate. Freshness is key: it’s the kind of dish that goes well with a libation, such as a hearty ale or a dry white wine. Bistro pulutan, if you will. But very French.

We greet chef Cornelis at the show kitchen area; above, a simple chalkboard announces the daily menu. It’s an unpretentious touch for a 76-seat restaurant boasting a Michelin-star chef. The bar stays open late, living up to its promise of a late-night French watering hole. La Regalade is now open for lunch as well, which is good news for executive types and families hankering for comfort food in portions large enough for sharing.

At first glance, the modern décor of La Régalade suggests a high-end classic French eatery — but you’ll be won over by the simple freshness and unpretentious goodness of its flavors.

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La Régalade is located at 820 Arnaiz Ave., Makati City. Open Tuesday to Sunday. Call 750-2104 and 2105 for reservations.