Aubergine puts a modern twist to classic cuisine

MANILA, Philippines - What do you expect from a restaurant named after the French eggplant? As it turns out the noticeable absence of eggplants at Aubergine Restaurant and Patisserie may lead you to believe that a name is just a name. And a color theme for the resto. Beyond that, there is an establishment that reflects the best of international Continental cuisine with a style and presentation that has won over many local and foreign patrons.

“Food is like fashion,” said chef and co-owner Norbert Gandler. He added, “It changes all the time.” Started in December of 2007 by Gandler and his partner, Hans Schallenberg, Aubergine puts a modern twist to classic cuisine by mixing elements and themes into every presentation — warm is placed beside cool, spicy with sweet, grilled alongside roasted. The food here changes almost every week and the chefs come up with brand new takes on standard recipes during regular meetings, like a team formulating ways to accomplish a brand new mission.

With hints of aubergine highlighting the interiors, Aubergine is one of those true upscale restaurants where the waiters know every wine list and the chefs come from an international background of gastronomic proportions.

The decidedly French menu has a lot to offer, with a variety of appetizers, soups and main courses. Sous chef Samuel Linder made me sample a typical meal from the appetizer to the main course. The first was a duck sampler which was a combination of duck foie gras terrine, seared duck foie gras with warm brioche and home-smoked French duck breast served with mesclun greens, tossed in a raspberry dressing.

The duck is marinated for 24 hours before it is lightly smoked and served cold. A line of mango pearls is introduced because “it goes well with the duck.” The warm brioche is a yeast dough with a little milk and sugar inside making it soft and slightly sweet when baked. The foie gras tart is marinated then cooked on low temperature for a while before it is molded into its pie-slice like shape. It is perfect on its own or for spreading on bread.

Good for at least three people, the sampler is well-worth a try. “This is a signature dish, a very high-end product,” explained chef Samuel. “The duck breast and foie gras is from France, from a very good supplier.”

For the main course, chef Samuel rolled out the grilled Australian lamb chops and pan-roasted lamb loin. The dish is served with rosemary jus, eggplant caviar and goat cheese gratinated ratatouille-potato galette.

Consisting of lamb chops with the bone and lamb loin, this main course features a mix of cooking styles. The lamb chops are grilled while the lamb loin is oven roasted. On top of the lamb loin is a pommery mustard crust while on the side is some eggplant caviar. The potato galette, as the menu name implies, has goat cheese gratinated ratatouille.

The dessert sampler consists of a Belgian chocolate dome cake in the center, tiramisu in a homemade edible chocolate cup, a warm chocolate fondue soufflé with a liquid center, pineapple crème brulee and a mango panna cotta topped with frozen yogurt. Chef Samuel adds, “This is a very nice dessert and the sampler is something people really like.”

The degustation menu changes at least once a week. It is a culinary term which roughly means “a careful, appreciative tasting of various foods.” In essence, ordering the Degustation menu can net you a sampling of a wide variety of dishes as prepared by the chefs. This “tasting menu,” according to chef Samuel, is “a nice dining experience for people who are not very well familiar with French cuisine.”

Other offerings are the business lunch, available from Mondays to Fridays, and the vegetarian menu for the vegans out there. Have you ever had dinner with vegetarians? You and your plant-munching friends can enjoy a meal here, together.

Even with recognition from other publications and by the Miele Guide, for which Aubergine snagged the number 18 spot out of the Top 20 restaurants in Asia, Gandler remains unfazed by the status with a focus on giving the customer a good meal in a classy, modern setting.

“We are full of regular customers, both Filipinos and expats,” added Gandler. “They rave about the restaurant and say we’re comparable to other famous restaurants around the world.”

Aubergine Restaurant and Pattisserie is located at the 2nd floor, 32nd and 5th Building, 5th Avenue cor. 32nd Street, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City or visit www.aubergine.ph.