It was a marketplace of marketplaces — of tastes, stories and shared memories — which reminded us that sometimes, all it takes is a little tikim tikim to understand and appreciate where we hail from.
VICKI Aldaba, master chef William Wongso, Freddie Alquiros, Gigi Piit, Edu Jarque, and Neil Alquiros.
RENDANG: Caramelized Beef Cheeks Curry and Pratha.
NASI Goreng Kuning: Seafood Fried Rice with Turmeric
AYAM Taliwang Lombok: Grilled Chicken.
SATE, glorious, sate: Grilled perfection to your heart’s content.
PIYANGGANG Manuk: Burnt Coconut Chicken.
CHICKEN in Banana Leaf.
PASTIL: Rice with Shredded
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The Manila House, the elite private social club, was completely yet politely flipped into a magical transformation into a hawker’s mercado, with an assortment of charming independent food stalls, for just one night only.
Its familiar elegant dining room was suddenly altered into a venue of delight for leisurely wandering, enthusiastic sampling, curious sipping, and, most importantly, exploratory discovering. A club with a purpose was brought to exciting life through the innovative wand of Vicki Aldaba and her team, the fabled Bonifacio Main Dining into a lively, bustling and diverse Southeast Asian marketplace for Tikim Tikim.
There was excellent reason for bringing Indonesia and Muslim Mindanao to the same table. Across the deep seas of Celebes, rich in marine life and volcanic boundaries, and the Sulu Sea, which boast exceptional marine biodiversity and desired scuba diving sites, inhabitants had widely traveled, eagerly traded and absolutely absorbed influences for centuries.
In time, food naturally followed and prospered. Similar and unfamiliar ingredients, altered preparations, cooking methods and techniques, as well as flavors, savors and tastes survived their way across the waters, leaving bits and pieces which can still be lavishly and truly enjoyed today. Tikim Tikim was a delicious reminder: geography may separate us, but the sea has likewise connected us.
At the heart of the evening was master chef William Wongso, Indonesia’s foremost global ambassador for its cuisine for the last 50 years. He has spent a productive lifetime introducing the depth and diversity of Indonesian cooking to the world. And on this particular, well-attended affair, he shared some of its best-loved regional fare. His signature no-one-does-it-better rendang, with its rich caramelized beef, was naturally, without a doubt, the coveted come-on attraction.
By the opposite side was chef Datu Shariff Pendatun, whose family lineage, roots, and his own engagement and pursuit of the wider culinary offerings of Southeast Asia made him the consummate culinary partner. A distinguished alumnus of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, he is among the most revered culinarians from the vast island of Mindanao. Through Senang House, his new venture, he honors the kitchens of the Bangsamoro and beyond, while he valiantly continues to study and investigate the histories and heritages, traditions and customs that mold the dishes in the current era.
The kropek and krupuk, chips from bananas and other tropical fruits greeted us as we settled in our tables. However, this was not one of those evenings for simply sitting down and waiting to be served. Realizing the great, wonderful arrangements, we gladly stood up and began our gastronomic search for what was on the menu. Coconut milk, a personal favorite, burst in soups and desserts — linking recipes from Indonesia and Muslim Mindanao. Every curated — oh, you can’t describe it otherwise — stall presented another convincing reason — and we’re not complaining at all — to stop and savor as we genuinely asked for explanations, descriptions, clarifications and validations to enlighten us, the excited diners.
And so we strolled, meandered, drifted, strayed and wandered around. There was a silent hush-hush relationship between food historians and writers, as hoteliers and foodies shared space, while the curious and adventurous joined them in suroy-suroy mode — from one grail to another in search of the next mouthwatering bite.
The kilometric menu itself — some tried it before, while others haven’t — made the journey well worthwhile. The choices were overwhelming — almost led to a brain freeze — but here’s what I remembered most. There was Gohu Kecombrang from Maluku and Lawal Istah from Sulu, both offering their own take on cured fish. Jukut Kelor Mesanten brought shrimp, moringa and coconut milk, while Pisasawawan a Sapi offered beef with cinnamon and turmeric. At the sate stall were Piyanggang Manuk, Pastil, Satti, Pinegyew a Katipa and West Java’s Sate Maranggi, while desserts Es Campur and Sangkerat provided a sweet finish.
It was a marketplace of marketplaces — of tastes, stories and shared memories — which reminded us that sometimes, all it takes is a little tikim tikim to understand and appreciate where we hail from.
