If your passion for food knows no bounds, Tivoli Royale Country Club sparks love and romance using local ingredients to highlight the season’s best. From February 12 to 17, Executive Chef Jonnel Roxas and his team presented Lokal na Pag-Ibig, a special 4-course dinner in collaboration with social enterprise Philia Business Center.
Inspired by sustainable and seasonal ingredients, the menu is playful and creatively infused with organic coffee, cacao, coco, and muscovado sugar responsibly sourced from the rural and upland mountains of Mindanao.
To make each dish shine, the menu offers a distinctive taste, with the goal of maximizing the bright and lively flavors of high-quality beans and plant-based sugar. For the Philia Business Center founders, the result is a new level of dining experience where fun over formality takes center stage.
“Our first collaboration in creating these recipes is beyond ordinary and was able to maximize the products of our very own artisan communities. We love how each dish represents a distinct taste, with a happy medium between hearty and wholesome ingredients,” says founder Roma Padua.
For the appetizer, The Kinilaw na Hipon sa Tustadas is light and refreshing, while hitting all the right notes in every bite. A harmonious marriage of tang and spice, the sourness is delicately balanced by the Philia Antique Muscovado’s mild sweetness.
As for the soup, the overtly straightforward Sabaw ng Espinika is made with nothing but pureed spinach, onions, olive oil, and other natural spices. As an added touch, it’s finished with the Antique Muscovado Sugar which proves to be the perfect ingredient to mellow out the sharp and bitter taste of spinach. Simple and uncomplicated, this dish is proof that quality ingredients done right are all it takes to create an intensely flavorful masterpiece.
As seasonality sits at the heart of the menu, the main course showcases two options, the Kinulob na Balikat ng Baka sa Toyo at Cacao for meat lovers and the Inihaw na Salmon sa Kape at Balsamico for pescatarians.
Considered a must-taste on the menu, the delicately tender and succulent slow-braised beef shoulder is a perfect ratio of fat and meat, complemented with cooked-from-scratch sweet carrot puree and crunchy greens. The rich in natural fat Sultan Kudarat Premium Quality Tablea is a comforting combination with soy sauce, which results in a savory, dense texture sauce that meat lovers will surely enjoy.
While the Inihaw na Salmon sa Kape at Balsamico is a straightforward dish, the fruity and floral blend of the Philia Sultan Kudarat Arabica Coffee with its tangy-sweet notes breaks in the fat of the salmon. Light but satisfying, it’s served with a medley of colorful local produce like pumpkin, cucumber, and snow peas.
Lastly, the dessert trio is a sensory overload, which is as if an invitation to end the night on a decadent note.
The Trio Dulces presents an irresistible journey that starts with a rich, smooth, but not cloying mousse with Philia Sultan Kudarat Robusta Coffee as its star ingredient. Folded with coco sugar sabayon and coffee liquor, it’s topped with Philia Premium Cacao Nibs which proves to add a sensational subtle sweetness and delightful crunch in every bite.
Meanwhile, the leche flan presents a playful upgrade in terms of taste and character. A balance of sweet and salty, smooth and creamy, the unique take on this classic proves to be a sensational hit. The crème caramel in coco sugar is infused into the mix, which gives off its sweet-savory flavor.
Lastly, the crêpe mille-feuille captures a burst of chocolatey and heady flavor, which proves to be the velvety Philia Davao Premium Cacao Tablea only can bring. The pillowy soft layer is a mound of vanilla whipped cream and crushed toasted peanuts, served with a warm chocolate rhum sauce. Limited slots at the cabana. Book now at the Tivoli Royale Country Club and try this special Valentine’s menu, co-created with Philia Business Center and smallholder communities.
