Siren Studios

 An enchanted banquet

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

During the "BYS x Disney Princess Collection Launch" at the Siren Studios in Makati City, multi-awarded chef Margarita Fores prepared an 8-course dinner that was not only extremely tasty but divinely presented.

With muted lighting from low-hung candelabras, the banquet hall transported us attendees to a make-believe world of yore. A prince greeted us by the door, and we only wished we arrived in a horse-drawn carriage.

The epicurian delights began with Bagna cauda & panna, an anchovy bath on a frittura of squash flowers, oyster mushrooms & apples to whet our appetites.

This was followed closely with Mortadella spuma, parmesan frico - some delectable cherry tomato cups that prepared our taste buds for the dishes that followed.

Appetizing plates of Carta di musica & frosting rounds in artichoke & sun-dried tomato dip made a fast exchange among the dining guests.

The gustatory onslaught progressed with Prosciutto di Parma crisp with thyme oil essence and Zucchine cream passato, mascarpone spuma as our first entree.

Handmade pappardelle "Al Telefono" mozzarella, white cheese, basil, and light tomato cream sauce was the soup for the evening. A fitting interlude between the array of appetizers and the main courses that ensued.

And my favorite dish of the night - Halibut "in Cartoccio" fennel-onion, with black olives confit, extra-virgin olive oil, and winged beans that was impeccably paired with Jacob's Creek Chardonnay 2020.

And the evening's piece-de-resisteance was a melt-in-your-mouth slow-roasted beef belly, smothered with pommery mustard glaze, mushroom trifolati, red wine jus, potato puree tartufato, and haricot vert that paired extremely well with Jacob's Creek Shiraz Cabernet 2019.

And for a very sweet ending, there was Tiramisu croccante, with drips of salsa caramello and grappa poached strawberry slices.

And as the evening drew to a close, the guests all left happily . . . and, hopefully, ever after!

It was not quite midnight when the evening's princesses - Rabiya Mateo (Arielle), Bea Luigi Gomez (Belle), and Celeste Cortesi (Cinderella) - had to take their leave, so no slippers were lost along the way..