Thank God It's Potato!

The Pedestrian Foodista

12/05/2009

The customary Thanksgiving turkey

For Americans, Thanksgiving ranks as one of the most favorite holidays of the year, alongside Christmas or the Fourth of July. While we Filipinos don’t have Thanksgiving, we can still relate with Americans in a sense that holidays such as these are opportunities to bond with family and friends. Holidays such as Thanksgiving are also chances to savor good food, which we did experience in the US Potato Board’s Thanksgiving dinner.

Crispy sea bass with parsley brandade, root vegetable floss and rosemary orange beurre blanc

Held on the 25^th of November this year at the M Café, Greenbelt, the US Potato Board decided to invite press people and bloggers like The Pedestrian Foodista to sample scrumptious Thanksgiving fare, using none other than the humble potato! While most of us then were quite clueless, and were expecting a carbo-loading affair, we were proven wrong as we were presented a seven-course meal prepared by Chef Sau Del Rosario. With his team of sous chefs, we had a gourmet experience, featuring different takes on the potato all the way from appetizers to dessert.

Seared foie gras and US scallop potato pea soup

A look at their Thanksgiving menu certainly looked fancy and intimidating, even to the most grizzled food critic, but it whetted our appetites nonetheless: (1) Potato Dill Sourdough, (2) Crispy Sea Bass with Parsley Brandade, Root Vegetable Floss and Rosemary Orange Beurre Blanc, (3) Seared Foie Gras and US Scallop Potato Pea Soup, (4) Porcini and Truffle Gnocchi, (5) Baked Pork Tenderloin with Potato Spinach Flan and Mustard Sauce, (6) Whole Roasted Turkey with sides of Roasted Pumpkin with Capers and Rosemary, and Cranberry Sauce, and (7) Potato Torte with White Chocolate. All of these dishes were served generously with California red and white wines.

Baked pork tenderloin with potato spinach flan and mustard sauce

We were overwhelmed with the food! If there was Iron Chef in the Philippines, Chef Sau and his team would have earned top points for taste and plating. Among the courses, we would rate the soup as the top standout. We love the rich taste of foie gras by itself, but searing it and placing it in a soup is a coup! Complemented by the luscious, well-prepared scallop, that potato pea soup was heaven. The textures and taste were just perfect. In our opinion, it was the best thing we have tasted for the entire year, or in our recent memory.

The fish and the pork were also delightful. We loved the sea bass done with vegetable floss, which acted as the fresh counterpoint of the fish. The parsley brandade bed filled us well, and sauces were perfect in putting together the flavors of the dish. On the other hand, the potato spinach flan complemented the pork, which was juicy, luscious and excellently done. Actually, by the time we were halfway with the pork, most of us were quite full already. Pacing ourselves at that time, we wanted to reach all the way to dessert.

Potato torte with white chocolate

The last course honestly gave us a bit of a scare, as we had no idea on how to incorporate a potato in dessert, and make it taste decent. Chef Sau, however, in a stroke of genius, made a potato torte, which tasted just like sans rival, but was creamy and rich like mashed potatoes, only sweeter. Dessert certainly gave a great cap to our fabulous meal, and we were in a pretty thankful mood after dinner for the awesome offerings of Chef Sau. Indeed, for that night, thank God it was potato!

(M Cafe is located at the Greenbelt 4 in Ayala Center, Makati. It is adjacent to the Ayala Museum. You can call 757-3000 for reservations and inquiries.)