It was a hot ticket to paradise, the brothers Lichaytoo’s “Reservations in Paradise,” a yearly affair that has, for the second year in a row, moved to Shangri-La Mactan, thanks to its general manager Dave Junker, from Shangri-La Boracay, which has since the beginning hosted over 10 editions of this once-a-year food and wine weekend organized by Bacchus International.
Cebu, even as a city, as developed as any of the world capitals, can hold a candle to Boracay’s slice-of-paradise offerings of white, powdery sand, crystal-clear waters, and breathtaking sunsets. For the 62 guests of “Reservations in Paradise,” including myself, it was indeed, in a word, Shangrila, defined as it is by Oxford, as “...a beautiful place, where everything seems perfect,” away from it all.
A luxury menu, approved first and foremost by men of the world Alex and Clifford Lichaytoo, was curated for three days packed with a paradisiacal champagne brunch, sunset cocktails, and two special banquets al fresco featuring Louis Roederer and a collection of wines from Château Pichon Longueville, Cocchi, and Michele Chiarlo Winery as well as the work of Shangri-La Mactan’s executive chef William Tan, executive sous chef Nathan Griffin, executive Chinese chef Liu Zhijun, chef de cuisine Marvin Ampoloquio, and Italian chef Luca D’Amora. Along with other chefs from the Shangri-La group, such as pastry chef Myles Sanchez from Shangri-La the Fort and dim sum chef Andy Liew from Edsa Shangri-La Manila, this stellar cast of culinary artisans was joined by Francesca Benedettelli, a Michelin-starred pastry chef, who flew in from Italy just for the occasion.
and cold cuts for a mini charcuterie experience
Dinner on the beach
We arrived in Mactan just in time for the first sunset cocktail, but not before a long stretch of a lazy afternoon we could spend on the beach or at Chi, The Spa at the resort. The evening soirée, called “Aqua Terra Fusion,” highlighted Louis Roederer and Château Pichon Longueville wines on the beachfront, a front-row view of the sunset, which was eclipsed only by the Cristal, canapés, and conversation, as well as a spectacular performance of fire dancers, a meditation in movement, replete with juggling acts, fire-breathing, baton-twirling, and poi-spinning.
Dinner, of course, was the main event, a five-course affair that dazzled with William Tan’s ways of duck Nathan Griffin’s Iberico grilled pork pluma, Luca D’Amora’s Roaring Forties lamb, and Marvin Ampoloquio’s ultimate surf-and-turf, Westholme tomahawk and lobster. Myles Sanchez delivered the fifth course, an exciting selection of tropical and classical confectionaries. The dessert buffet wrapped up the dinner, but not the evening, as it stretched out into the late night with dancing, singing, and more drinking.
Champagne brunch
Though still a little buzzed from the night before, we woke up, as in we literally woke up, all senses awakened and revivified, for “Flavors of the World” at Buko Bar Garden on the Mactan coast, described on the menu as “a vibrant celebration of global gastronomy under a canopy of sunflowers and billowing umbrellas.”
The brunch buffet did span the globe, from Oriental delicacies, such as an assortment of dim sum specials by Liu Zhijun and Andy Liew and street treats reminiscent of Seoul to Spanish tapas, Italian pasta, French cheeses and charcuterie, not to mention the famous Cebu lechon and tuslob buwa or pork liver and brain sautéed with garlic, onions, shrimp paste, and chilis, a street food specialty from the neighborhoods of Pasil and Suba in Cebu City. Needless to say, as the culinary odyssey stretched out from mid-morning to late-afternoon, coffee service was nonstop and champagne was overflowing.
feet, the sea providing a breathtaking backdrop, and the twilight sky overhead
To this day, especially since I hardly ever wake up early enough for breakfast, my mouth waters whenever I look back on the champagne brunch we were served on a slope of palmlined garden on the edge of Mactan Bay. If Eden were anything like it, I bet no serpent would be convincing enough to get Adam and Eve to risk getting booted out of it, I swear!
Essence of Italia
There was no better place for the grand finale, “Essence of Italia,” than Acqua, Shangri-La Mactan’s signature Italian restaurant. To pair excellently with the finest Barberas and Barolos the winery Michele Chiarlo has produced in choice vineyards in the southern area of Asti province in Piedmont, Italy, especially the hills around Nizza Monferrato, Luca D’Amora and Francesca Benedettelli came up with a six-course menu of exquisite dishes such as the wafers with foie gras and dark chocolate, venison tartare with marinated juniper, ravioli filled with pumpkin, guinea fowl stuffed with foie gras, and the Super Prime Wisconsin USDA beef striploin. A duo of desserts was just as delectable—citrus granita with melon, watermelon, green apple, and vanilla cream and Jasmine Baba Delight, which was infused with jasmine tea, topped with passion fruit and mango cream, mascarpone foam, and banana tuile.
Again, though saddened that we were at the end of the lavish affair and dreading the next day’s flight back to life and comforted only by the repertoire of feel-good songs that artist, pianist, and songstress Kate Torralba performed on the piano throughout the dinner, we danced deep into the night.
Well, there’s always next year. Caveat: “Reservations in Paradise” gets booked fast, and mostly by the same people who make it a point to be in this epic weekend paradise every year around March. Book now at (032) 2310288. www.shangri-la.com