The ‘great media cookout’

MARCO Polo Plaza has once again up the ante. It was a fortunate thing to witness another culinary journey. Oh yes, we read them on the papers, online and see them on television, but we never think of them as chefs. At first I was a bit skeptical on trying their dishes. Media personalities cooking food for the best buffet in town—you’ve got to be kidding! We are talking about Cafe Marco’s “Great Media Cookout.” And it is not a one-day event; it is from April 12-21. It was amazing to see how excited these media personalities were. And so the day of reckoning had arrived and my judgment is bravo! I was speechless, astonished—these people can really cook. The food was so delicious, not to mention the drink they served, which was thirst-quenching and very summery. The Virgin Island Cooler made with ginger ale, lemonade, basil leaves, lime wedges and Angostora bitters was so refreshing people had to have a refill. Guided by the tutelage of the legendary Jessica Avila and the Marco Polo Plaza chefs, the event had a good start. The Freeman’s Dr. Nestor Alonzo’s Jade Green Prawn was to die for. The little prawn sandwiches were deep-fried until golden brown. It melted in your mouth with a crunchy texture. His Beef in Perpetual Sauce was so good it gave diners goose bumps. The sauce was delicate yet it brought out the character of the dish. According to Alonzo, the sauce gets better and more flavorful day by day. Not bad for Cebu’s best food critic who now happens to be on the firing line. Honey Jarque Loop’s pollo a la chilindron was very savory. The chicken was cooked to perfection with a slight tangy taste from the stewed tomatoes. Sun.Star Cebu’s Noel Villafor made his Sisig with Quesong Puti, which was also one of my favorites. He even added his secret ingredient: “oatmeal” as a binder. Very innovative indeed. The sisig was very tasty with a hint of spice and there was the taste of chicharon, which gave a crunchy texture to the dish. The flavors were just right and not overpowering. Wow, that dish made the diners eat more than one cup of rice! Alexis Yap, also of Sun.Star, made kinilaw. The kinilaw was very fresh and delicate with a hint of lime. It reminded you of the song Girl from Ipanema—a lovely thing strolling down the beach with the waves rolling. That’s how good it was. He also made everyone’s favorite, the mango float. This dessert reminded me of my childhood. Sweet and tangy. Very creamy and delicious. CDN’s Tonee Despojo cooked grilled boneless bangus, which was so heavenly. The fish was light and stuffed with tomatoes, onions and ginger. For a non-fish eater, this dish was one of the best seafood dishes I’ve tasted. Marie Tan of GMA 7 made humba with egg. The dish was simply exquisite. The pork was so tender and the sauce binded it all together, giving body to the dish. IluvCebu bloggers brothers Doyzkie, Edd and Reymond Buenaviaje made a unique twist to their dad’s crispy pata. They it into kare kare. The sauce of the kare-kare was so rich and creamy with a hint of coconut milk and ground peanuts. The crispy pata imparted more flavor to the kare kare. Everything was indeed good. This is one of the best culinary journeys Marco Polo has invented. It is definitely a feast for the palate. Each dish had its own character and uniqueness. Congratulations to these media personalities and to the hotel for giving the Cebuanos the great media cookout. (Katrina Charmaine Avila)