Inasal in a Jar. Batchoy served Tsukemen style. Traditional Ilonggo cuisine gets an exciting new spin in a unique one time only dinner pop-up at Il Ponticello...
Il Ponticello recently hosted a one-night only dinner pop-up, dubbed Migo Miga Ilonggo Moderno by Chef Panky Lopez as part of guest chef Yana Gilbuena's innovative Salo Series.
As you enter Il Ponticello, you just know this was going to be special. The tables were set-up with banana leaves for the evening's Ilonggo-inspired dinner, with none of the usual utensils. The entire dinner required using your hands, and that alone made this different and special. And four Filipino-themed cocktails would also be served... 
Chef Panky Lopez (L), the culinary force behind Il Ponticello (for more on Il Ponticello, check out my previous posts on their classic Italian-inspired cuisine here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-heats-on-with-il-ponticellos-new.html and their weekend Brunchissimo with their signature Porchetta and rustic Roman-style Pancetta here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2015/04/pizza-porchetta-and-pancetta-at-il.html), collaborates with Chef Yana Gilbuena (R), one of Spot. ph's twenty-five chefs you should know and recognized for her epic Salo Project where she did pop-ups in all fifty states in fifty weeks in the US, for a modern take on Ilonggo cuisine. The five-course dinner featured traditional Ilonggo cuisine with a cool and inventive spin, transforming and recreating classic flavors with a whole new and exciting approach.
Premium spirits for the evening's cocktails were provided by Destileria Limtuaco (L), the oldest distillery in the Philippines, and coffee by KKK Coffee (R) to complete the local flavors for the pop-up dinner. The evening began with some creative Filipino-inspired cocktails...
Destileria Limtuaco's Liquid Chef and Consultant, Ervin Kalel Demetrio served his unique Fora Republica (L), a fragrant concoction with sampaguita essence and lemongrass mixed with lambanog and calamansi liqueur; and the Pinoy Guerrero (R), a fiery cocktail with cilantro, capsicum, lime, dalandan liqueur, and vodka.
One of the metro's best mixologists, Larry Guevarra and Sharleen Antonio recreated their signature Feisty Pinay (L), with rum, vodka, lemon, Tabasco, ampalaya (bitter melon) and a saline foam; and Passion Never Grows Old (R) with rum, calamansi, and passionfruit puree. After a few more rounds, the Salo Project began at Ponti...
Dinner began with Crisp Ube Chips, Camote Chips, Camote Balls, and Lechon Kawali served with Ilonggo Sinamak, or spiced vinegar with chili. The paper-thin slices of crisp ube chips delivered both sweet and salty notes, and a dip in the sinamak bings out even more flavors. The natural sweetness of the camote chips and balls are perfectly balanced by the sharpness of the sinamak. And the crispy Lechon...just can't get any better than that. Great when paired with the specialty cocktails served that evening.
The Seafood Embutido was then served, a savory ball with a light and crisp outer layer filled with a soft-boiled egg. Almost like a Scotch Egg, the lightly sweet sauce adds a hint of local Ilonggo flavor to the dish. Tackling this savory treat with your hands also proved to be quite a liberating experience. Each succeeding dish raises one's anticipation, and the progression keeps the excitement at a constantly high level.
Chefs Panky Lopez and Yana Gilbuena had even more surprises up their sleeves as they served the next course for the pop-up event...
The iconic Batchoy, deconstructed and served Tsukemen-style, was another memorable dish served that evening. The soft noodles, topped with crunchy bits of chicharon and roasted garlic served with slices of tender chasiu-like pork belly and marinated quail eggs, each with its own distinct layer of flavor, is perfectly finished by the equally flavorful batchoy broth. The rich flavors remind you why you love this comforting Ilonggo classic, and the flavors are richly recreated and reinvented with a creative and innovative spin.
No Ilonggo feast is complete without the familiar Chicken Inasal, and chefs Panky and Yana go even further by serving it in a glass jar. The inventive Chicken Inasal in a Jar is filled with tender and smoky chicken chunks draped in the richly seasoned annatto oil with whole roasted garlic cloves. Pouring some of that annatto oil on garlic fried rice is the way to go, adding intense flavors. The flavors are rich and much more amplified than the usual grilled chicken inasal, making this yet another memorable dish.
Il Ponticello's signature Porchetta, prepared Ilonggo-style seasoned with lemongrass with sides of oyster mushrooms and kangkong drizzled with shrimp paste was then served next. The fragrant and sweet notes of the lemongrass adds subtle yet sharp layers of flavor to the richness of the pork, perfectly roasted with its tender and juicy meat capped by a crisp outer layer of crackling for contrasting textures. The distinct salty notes of the shrimp paste on kangkong tempers the richness of the pork, allowing you to go for even more of the porchetta.
Dinner culminates with tender slices of Grilled Giant Squid and fresh Oysters served on seaweed with Ilonggo Pok-Pok Salad. The sweet and briny oysters with vinegar and calamansi cleanses the palate, preparing you for the subtle and delicate flavors of the buttery tender Grilled Giant Squid. Perfectly grilled, the soft and almost melt-in-your-mouth texture of the squid completes the unique Salo experience at Ponti.
For dessert, Avocado Panna Cotta with condensed milk topped with crispy pinipig completes the Ilonggo feast. Impressed and satisfied, and probably one of the best dinner experiences yet.
Ponti's bar kept up the pace with their special cocktails for the evening, with Larry Guevarra (L) and Destileria Limtuaco's Ervin Kalel Demetrio (R) serving up even more cocktails.
Ervin serves up his refreshing Supremo, an homage to the revolutionary nationalist, with a spin on the classic Old-Fashioned with its distinct dalandan blend for balanced sweet and smoky notes...
...while Larry offers his inventive Antastico, a refreshing tea-based cocktail garnished with red ants. It was an evening of inventive Ilonggo cuisine, and equally inventive cocktails, combining for a memorable dinner. Cheers to Panky, Yana, Larry and Ervin for one epic Salo experience at Ponti...
Il Ponticello Bar and Italian Restaurant is located at the Second Floor, Unit 203, Antel Corporate Centre, 121 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati or call 553-9971 for inquiries and reservations.
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