Chef's Table, The Fort

There seems to be a something these days about reinventing and innovating when it comes to Filipino cuisine. Everybody is trying to make a sophisticated, modern, fusion, or haute version of it. And guess what, I think fellow Filipinos are loving it. That's why more and more of them are popping up. One of the most popular of the lot is Chef's Table.

Crab Cakes- P370
Freshly picked crab meat,
seared and baked to perfection
served with sampaloc aioli.

For starters, we had some crab cakes. I like crab cakes. Also fish cakes. These crab cakes had a fragrant fishy thing going on, they were also loaded with pimiento and bell peppers. There was a glitch though, they were salty. Not just salty, extremely salty. Almost to the point that it would be inedible.

Davao Salad- P310
Mixed greens tossed in durian vinaigrette
topped with mud crab meat (replaced by tuna)
Davao fruits and vegetables.

When I was back in Manila, the heat was just crazy. So salad would often be my meal of choice. They actualized a salad that was more than inspired. The dressing was made out of Durian, there was contrast of pomelo. Both of which screamed Davao. The tuna undeniably melded well with these elements. It was so scrumptious.

Calamansi Tuyo Spaghetti- P210
Spaghetti sauteed in tuyo oil and flakes,
enhanced with calamansi juice and
topped with fried tuyo and queso de bola

Filipinos really have an ordeal with their tuyo. It's really a part of their life. So it wasn't at all a bad idea to make a tuyo pasta. It was sour, light, and flavorful. There's a hit of chili. The whole dish comes together with the creaminess of the queso de bola and the saltiness of the tuyo.

Ilocano Table on a Plate- P530
Pan-seared lapu-lapu in monggo sauce
topped with kankong and kamote tops rolled
in balayan bagoong.

To wrap up the meal, we had one of the house favorites. The monggo puree which was basically the base of the dish was impeccable. The fish was tender and the skin was noticeably crisp. Which I reckon is the best highlight in the dish. And finally, it's contrasted by some sour kang kong.

Chefs at work in the open kitchen.

I think the Chef's Table is one of those cool places to dine these days. The kitchen is basically a section of the dining area, and everything is seen. I like the idea of it. Coolio. As for the food, minor adjustments would raise the level of the food from good to great.


The Chef's Table 


Unit 106, The Infinity Tower,
26th St, The Fort,
Global City, Taguig