sirloin Archives - Between Bites - Bites of Food, Travel and Lifestyle

September 23, 2011 by Janey

Aubergine, pronounced somewhat nasal by some people, is the French word for “eggplant.” I remember my mom always tells me that eggplants have barely any nutritional value –yet it’s frequently on our dinner table because it’s one of her favorite vegetables –or fruit for that matter. I take after her because after a certain point, I finally grew appreciation for them. Eggplants can absorb flavors tremendously and I love that its texture can be squashy because it’s always thirsty for liquid or oil. It’s prone to sucking up flavor and moisture from how it is cooked.

In Spain, it was highly cherished for its supposed aphrodisiac qualities. Who would have thought right? In 16th century England and Italy, eggplant was apparently shunned and suspected of causing madness. I don’t know about eggplants but I know one Aubergine can cause some happy madness in me.

Some eggplants have won best in gardening and biggest or best-shaped trophies but this particular Aubergine has been awarded the Nescafe Gold Spot 2009, The Miele Guide’s One of Asia’s TOP 20 (Restaurants 2009/10) and Philippine Tatler Best Restaurants 2008. [Read more…]

Aubergine

September 16, 2009 by Janey

Recently dined at Aubergine for a business dinner with BBC and it was quite appropriate. Aubergine, French for eggplant, is an illustrious French Continental restaurant affiliated with the International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management (ISCAHM). It is not my first visit at Aubergine but the stellar wine cellar still catches the attention as the showpiece spectacle of the restaurant.

Image Source: Aubergine.ph

On the Table

French Duck Confit PHP

With creamed Brussels sprouts and parsley marble potatoes

Roasted Wagyu Beef Tri Tip PHP 1,200

With pan-fried duck foie gras, Port wine sauce, glazed vegetable and Pommery mustard mash potato

The entrée plate arrived looking fanciful with the lavish alliance of Wagyu and foie gras at the spotlight, outlined with champagne froth, while shoestring potatoes curled resembling a bush, glossed vegetables and mustard mashed potato at the hem.

Requested for medium and the kitchen got the perfect doneness according to preference. The Wagyu beef is just divine, a reddish pink center with an outer charred layer perfectly seared, locking the moisture of succulent meat. The luxurious lean cut of Wagyu didn’t have intense marbling in it as most expect of Wagyu beef. Tri tip is a comparatively lean cut since it is taken from the bottom sirloin, similar to skirt steak.

Foie gras, the fattened liver of a duck or goose, in this case duck, was indisputably delicious. It was definitely rich in flavor, surprisingly more generous in size than expected. Quite delicately rich and creamy, it enhanced the beef flavor of the meat providing an almost melting effect in the mouth.