MANILA, Philippines — The Filipino version of spaghetti has become the center of controversy lately together with three other local food items – balut, hotsilog and the Bicolano dish Kinalas as the online site Taste Atlas named them among the world’s worst dishes.
But while the Pinoy spaghetti with its combination of ground meat, banana ketchup sauce and hotdog slices, is vastly different from the western-style pasta dish, Italian chef Salvatore Cuomo is not quick to dismiss its merits as a kiddie party and fast food fave.
The chef, who is known for his artisanal pizzas in his restaurant concepts located in Japan, Korea, Philippines and Indonesia, was recently in Manila to demonstrate the art of making pizza.
He explained how traditional dishes can be interpreted differently internationally.
“When I was in Japan, there was one type of spaghetti that they called Napolitan and it had ingredients like ketchup, pimiento and onions. Since I came from Naples, the Japanese media would ask me to make Napoli pasta which I did with just fresh tomato and basil. It took me some time to change their minds that this is Italian pasta.”
He said that their pasta is not “fake” but different. “It is pasta that arrived in Japan from America. This is also the same with spaghetti in the Philippines. The pasta in America came from Italy and they did it differently. For us, it is hard to say ‘this is not original Italian, what we can say is that it is the original Filipino pasta.'”
Being half-Italian and half-Japanese, he knows the nuance of taste and said that he tries to acclimatize to local flavors whenever he puts up a restaurant in a new location. This, he said, helps him to understand his customers better. He has tried the Filipino spaghetti on his first trip to the country, via a visit to a popular fastfood restaurant.
Encrusted goodness
What he does not compromise on is the quality of his pizzas. Chef Salvatore was making pizzas since the age of nine at his uncle’s restaurant in Naples before pursuing a culinary degree in Northern Italy. He then moved to Japan to join his father at their Italian restaurant at Chiba Prefecture, and began a career as a resident celebrity chef, which included judging up to 300 pizzas for a cooking competition.
He gives this tip in identifying a good pizza. “It starts with the dough. A good dough should feel light and not settle in your stomach like cement. It doesn’t feel heavy or chewy. The Italian pizza is all about the dough and not just the toppings.”
At his own Salvatore Cuomo Cafe concept at the Podium, he shared the bestsellers are the classics: Quattro Formaggi pizza, which gets a drizzle of honey for a sweet-salty contrast; and the fresh and balanced flavors of their Margherita pizza.
If there is one classic dish that he hopes Filipinos should try more, it is their Risotto, he added. “The risotto is very difficult to make. Anyone can make Risotto but you can see the level of the chef when they make it.”
Made with amore
Other must-tries at his restaurant are starters of soups and salad, including a hearty Italian Minestrone and Caprese, classic pasta favorites such as the Lasagna, Carbonara and Penne Chicken Pesto, and the Salvatore Style Wagyu Burger and his Porchetta Burger, which he says is akin to the Filipino lechon.
Sweet endings come by way of his classic Panna Cotta, Tiramisu and Sicilian Cannoli. Coffee lovers will enjoy a finishing touch with their signature Affogato which combines espresso and latte gelato, and they are set to offer a smooth Tiramisu drink very soon.
The success of the Salvatore Cuomo Cafe has inspired him to launch the concept in other countries, starting with Indonesia and he plans to expand to other areas in the Philippines as well, starting with Metro Manila and the major cities in other regions.
Salvatore Cuomo Cafe is located at the Ground Floor of the Podium Mall, ADB Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.
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