A Southeast Asian Steak Affair: Chefs Sharwin Tee and Gerwin Bailon Collaborate for East Meets Grill at 22 Prime in Discovery Suites Manila

A creative culinary collaboration brings the comfortingly familiar and distinctive notes of Southeast Asian flavors with that classic steakhouse flair in a lavish 7-course menu at 22 Prime at Discovery Suites Manila. Dubbed East Meets Grill, noted culinary expert, columnist and author Sharwin Tee and Executive Chef Gerwin Bailon team up for a two-night dinner event on September 15 and 16 highlighting inventive flavors with masterful execution. Ready for East Meets Grill? The read on for a sneak preview...

Located twenty-two floors above the Ortigas commercial and business district, 22 Prime at Discovery Suites Manila becomes the perfect stage for a unique dining experience deeply rooted in the steakhouse tradition with stunning views of the impressive cityscape (for more on 22 Prime, see my posts The Steaks are Back. The Unlimited Steaks and Sides of 22 Prime at Discovery Suites Manila during the long days of the quarantine experience back in 2021 and Primetime Dining at 22 Prime in Discovery Suites Manila from early this year). Fine dining elegance matched with a wide selection of premium steaks is what you can expect at 22 Prime keeping it high on your list of dining options. In an unexpected yet creative spin, 22 Prime explores diverse flavors in a collaboration flexing its culinary range. Southeast Asian flavors in a steakhouse? Absolutely.

For two nights only in September, 22 Prime becomes your gateway to a flavorful journey of flavors created by two master chefs spinning Southeast Asian notes with the elegant and timeless steakhouse setting with East Meets Grill.

Southeast Asian flavors are not exactly what you'd expect in a traditional steakhouse, but leave it to Chefs Sharwin Tee and Gerwin Bailon to surprise, tease and delight your palate with their collaborative renditions of enduring flavors with a modern and contemporary twist. Each course becomes a vibrant tapestry of colorful notes that just works in a perfectly balanced weave. The collaboration also provides an insightful glimpse at the infinite possibilities in terms of new flavor experiences at 22 Prime. 

"We are thrilled to have this chance to collaborate with Chef Sharwin," shared Chef Gerwin. "This event is a celebration of the vibrant flavors that Southeast Asian cuisine has to offer, combined with the elegance of fine dining through a selection of dishes that we have carefully crafted." 

Chefs Sharwin Tee and Gerwin Bailon curates a sumptuous 7-course feast at 22 Prime from starters to mains and dessert in an elegant yet playfully inventive reinterpretation of seemingly contrasting notes and combinations while staying true to its steakhouse character... 

...and the result is an unrestrained exploration of pure flavors reimagined by two culinary geniuses. Sambal, rojak, laksa and chili crab sauce are just some of the unique flavorful elements for the aptly named East Meets Grill collaboration.

"We're bringing in all of the Southeast Asian favorites and putting them in 80's classic steakhouse dishes," explained Chef Sharwin. 

It's a novel concept, and Chefs Sharwin and Gerwin begin the flavorful journey with a savory duo of tasty nibbles to open up the palate...

The Amuse-Bouche of Chopped Salad on Parmesan Tartlet with Rojak Sauce and Seared Tuna with Peanut Sauce are the opening salvo of refreshingly new and inventive flavors, with each bite delivering familiar yet surprisingly unexpected profiles. 

The crisp tartlet with a delectable sharpness from the Parmesan is complemented by the subtle sweetness of the fresh chopped vegetables followed by the sweet and salty hints from the rojak or shrimp paste sauce for a delicately balanced play on flavors and textures. The quail egg brings an added layer of richness to smoothen the contrasting weave of flavors.

The briny sweetness of fresh tuna lingers on the palate, with the nutty peanut sauce adding depth to round out the flavors. The tasty duo of flavorful bites sets the tone for the rest of the dinner, and you can expect even more bold notes from Chefs Sharwin and Gerwin in the next courses for East Meets Grill at 22 Prime. 

The appetizer course takes inspiration from the popular steakhouse staple, the timeless and enduring shrimp cocktail but with a Southeast Asian spin. The Shrimp Cocktail with Chili Crab Granita with succulent steamed prawns in Singapore Chili Crab Sauce and Fried Egg Sauce topped with Tapioca Chips is a beautifully plated reinterpretation of a classic steakhouse favorite. Instead of the usual cocktail sauce, Chef Sharwin served a granita of the iconic chili crab sauce with its soothing sharpness mellowed by the equally creative Fried Egg Sauce.

The fresh snap of the steamed prawns leaves a lingering briny richness on the palate followed by the burst of flavors from the melting Singapore Chili Crab Sauce granita. The multi-layered flavors and textural contrasts are completed by the creamy and lusciously indulgent Fried Egg Sauce and crisp Tapioca Chips. The complex play on flavors with seemingly opposing and diverse notes come together seamlessly in another masterfully plated course by Chefs Sharwin and Gerwin at 22 Prime.

The traditional consommé and terrine make a comeback in an homage to the timeless steakhouse institution with the Bah Kut Teh Consommé, a hearty course with house-made pork terrine and pickled chayote in a light, thin yet comforting and flavorful broth. The Malaysian and Singaporean pork rib dish becomes the base for another unique culinary expression by Chefs Sharwin and Gerwin, reviving old school culinary techniques for an imaginative and elevated take. 

The tender and juicy terrine made with pork shoulder and blended with pistachios and spices brings a rich yet delicate sweetness to the palate, while the crunchy fried doughnut and pickled chayote completes the bah kut teh base. But it's the finely clarified and concentrated stock that gives this dish its refined finish, draping the palate with its richness. The deceptively simple clear broth goes through a tedious process of layering flavors to build the stock base, and it isn't easy. Pure elegance in its cunning and crafty simplicity, you'll want an extra serving of the broth. And the terrine too. 

"Nothing says classic more than fish with Hollandaise sauce," shared Chef Sharwin to introduce the next course. The Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Otak-Otak Marinade laid on Coconut Rice and Sambal Belacan Hollandaise takes inspiration from the Southeast Asian steamed fish cake with its blend of spices wrapped in banana leaf. Instead of the silky smooth fish paste, a slab of fork-tender mahi-mahi fillet is used for a fuller bite slathered in the traditional otak-otak marinade. The subtle sharpness of the sambal-infused Hollandaise Sauce complements the sweet notes of the mahi-mahi followed by the nutty otak-otak and completed by the sticky coconut white and black rice to make it a hefty meal in itself. 

The use of sambal and otak-otak marinade gives the ubiquitous "fish with Hollandaise sauce' a totally different character and profile. Unexpected? Definitely. But it works. 

The sixth course takes you back to the core of the 22 Prime dining experience with a steak dish, the Crying Tiger with USDA Ribeye, Dauging Harima Menangis Marinade, Cherry Tomato Salad, Gratin Potatoes and Singapore Laksa Sauce. The premium slab of USDA Ribeye is perfectly grilled to medium with a juicy pink center, just as you'd expect from 22 Prime. The layering of distinctly Thai notes to the dish transforms it with its vibrant sour, sweet and tart flavors complementing the premium steak.

The Crying Tiger sauce with its blend of herbs and spices cuts through the richness of the ribeye for a sharp and flavorful yet balanced finish along with the tart tomato salad. The creamy gratin is infused with the flavors of laksa for yet another layer of savory deliciousness to the dish. And finally, the crisp chips made from mashed dehydrated rice infused with laksa completes the dish. Each component of the dish brings brings its own flavor and texture into play complementing without overwhelming the other.

The feast ends on a sweet note with yet another homage to a classic staple from the past, the Baked Alaska with Red Bean Ice Cream, Salted Coconut Ice Cream, Pandan Ice Cream and Italian Meringue. The stacked layers of ice cream along with the meringue conspire for that perfect sweet and indulgent finale to the East Meets Grill dinner menu by Chefs Sharwin and Gerwin at 22 Prime.

Each course builds on the next in a steady progression of flavors, revealing another side to the flavors of 22 Prime. Creative and refreshingly different, East Meets Grill at 22 Prime is a pleasant change from the usual. The East Meets Grill dinner also supports the Aeta community in Tarlac with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Aeta Ako, Pilipino Ako, Foundation Inc. to aid in the education of four senior high school students. 

Southeast Asian flavors in a steakhouse? Absolutely. Reservations are now open, with limited seats available priced at P 3,800 net per person inclusive of a complimentary glass of wine. For reservations and more information, please visit bit.ly/EastMeetsGrillAt22Prime or call +632 7719 8888.