Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Chef Doy’s, Cereza, Naga City

Chef Doy’s
Cereza,
Magsaysay Ave, Naga City

A classmate commented in one of my entries
that I seem biased against
most of the Filipino restaurants…

see comment on this post:


I beg do disagree.
I love Filipino Cuisine.


I grew up with Filipino food, so I know
how an authentic native dish tastes.
That familiarity, maybe the reason
why I’m harder to please when it comes to our own food.


One should be very cautious
In tinkering the original recipe
as it may make or unmake the chef in doing so…


Fusion Cuisine is where
Chef Doy’s succeeds…


He has perfected the art of combining elements
of different Filipino culinary traditions,


...and comes out with delicious new recipes
but with the familiar but moreimproved taste
that we have gotten used to.


We started with Chicharong Bulaklak na Manok
using chicken innards as appetizer.
The dish was not unique as this could be bought commercially
but the Chef Doy’s type is not the salty nor the spicy kind…


There is barely a hint of salt,
just the pure natural taste the way it is supposed to be……

We all gobbled them up with gusto…


...until it disappeared so fast
that we needed to order another appetizer…


We decided to have “Batangbatang Pusit”
or young squid cooked in olive in spices…


It is a variant of Adobong Pusit  
and it tasted so good that we decided
to reserve it for the main meal.


We thought the dish would be better eaten rice
than just being an appetizer…

We once had a funny dining experience in Athens Greece.
We ordered rice after being given a delicious fish appetizer.
The chef advised us ”it does not go well with rice…”


I retorted that everything goes well with rice for Filipinos.
With a sigh of exasperation, he gladly served us one…

I love Pancit Bato cooked the most natural way-
guisado with nothing but pechay and soy sauce.
No more no less.


 I like what Chef Doy did to Pancit Bato
he cooked it like Pancit Canton to perfection…


We were already full after the Pancit Bato was served
 we thought we could not eat anything anymore…

We were wrong…
the main course was just as fantastic
that would entice you to eat more
even if your tummy is filled to the brim….

The Salmon Belly sa Miso
as delicious and gelatinous…


...the taste was superb and we kept on wondering
that we rarely taste any hint of salt on most of the dishes
which is the common fare among Filipino dishes…


In contrast to most Kare- kare made of slimy oxtail.
Nobody would have realized its crispy version ...


...would be a perfect combination..
Kare- kare was fused with Lechon Kawali…



This dish was a
work of a genius.


We are used to eating Singalay na Tilapia with Pechay…
but Chef Doy’s version of combining it with malunggay
was also witty and unexpectedly perfect...


My kids, especially my son loves fish
but not necessarily malunggay ...


This is a brilliant idea of letting them
eat the kid- dreaded vegetable by fusing it
with something more edible…


The fish was so good that everything
 disappeared in a jiffy...



...other dishes were also consumed
up to the last morsel of food...


The desserts were also glorious-
the lanka in turon was gelatinous
and with just enough sweetnes


 ...and the Pili- topped
 leche flan was heavenly…


Chef Doy’s definitely is
      ...a must visit…
              …must eat place…
                …and must not be missed ...
by Naguenos


or by anyone
visiting Naga.



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