The Virtue Art Café — gastronomic tour of Philippine favorites
Published May 1, 2018 11:52 am
By Noreen Jazul and Marjaleen Ramos
A gastronomic tour around the Philippines --- this is what diners will experience in the artisanal curated private dining place, the Virtue Art Café.
Virtue Art Café Chef and Owner Nathalia Estrella introduced a nine-course dinner menu “LuzViMinda” which offers meals inspired by dishes from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Manila Bulletin got the first dibs on what’s about to land on the table on your next visit to the private dining place.
The course kicked off with a tasty appetizer, the Dulong Dip with Fresh Garlic Bruschetta.
Dulong Dip with Fresh Garlic Bruschetta
(MANILA BULLETIN) The garlic and cheese bread perfectly complemented the fresh dulong fish sautéed in olive oil. The combo had a balanced salty taste which would surely please one’s palate. Chef Nathalia, in an interview with The Manila Bulletin, said she wanted to bring in a new take on dulong, which most of the time is used for making omelet. Countering the salty taste of the bread and dip pairing was the Sunday Salad with Mixed Candied Pinoy Nuts made with home-made yogurt dressing which gave the salad a sweet flavor.
Sunday Salad with Mixed Candied Pinoy Nuts
(MANILA BULLETIN) As per the inspiration behind the dish, Chef Nathalia said the salad was a mix of favorites, by her, her mom’and her grandma. “Every Sunday kasi I spend time with my grandparents, and then my Lola being the American that she is, she likes salad, like ayaw niya mag rice, ganoon, so salad every time. Yogurt kasi yung base niya, then my Lola likes salad, tapos ako I like fruits naman after eating. So ayon, combine-combine lang sila.” Next on the menu was Pasta Ko Ditto which was made with pasta noodles with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic cloves topped with deep fried longanissa fresh from Vigan, giving the dish a savory boost.
Pasta Ko Ditto
(MANILA BULLETIN) “ my Mom's favorite. She likes bell peppers, olive oil, and then longanissa. Kasi may one-time na may leftover longanissa, ‘ay ilagay natin sa pasta,’ so ganoon lang siya. It's always home cooked and inspired by her sa house, my cousins, my mom, my parents,” Estrella shared. LuzViMinda also has a splash of scrumptious seafood dishes to offer, Shrimp Lianne and Cangrejo. Shrimp Lianne which is Estrella’s “personal touch of gambas” was made of perfectly cooked shrimp, sauteed in garlic and butter, with Virtue’s very own mix of locally grown bell peppers.
Shrimp Lianne
(MANILA BULLETIN) Estrella’s favorite, Cangrejo, is made with Heirloom Crab Laih which are fresh harvests flown from Ipil, Zamboanga, and served with classic Aligue sauce.
Cangrejo
(MANILA BULLETIN) A Filipino course-meal would not be complete without a “putok-batok” meal. Served in bilao, one will definitely relish Virtue Art Café’s heirloom Laing topped with everyone’s favorite Crispy Bagnet and Chicharon bulaklak. The inspiration of Estrella behind this dish is very simple: “I love laing, plus I love bagnet, plus I love chicharon bulaklak, so altogether ‘di ba, I love them all.”
C'Laing Topped with Crispy Bagnet
(MANILA BULLETIN) For those who are not fans of pork, the Virtue Art Café has a twice cooked chicken (inihaw and adobo) prepared with a signature sweet sauce and jalapeños.
W-Chicken
(MANILA BULLETIN) A favorite of many, the Special Beef Shank is definitely the highlight of the nine-course meal. The 12-hour cooked beef shank is served with gravy and comes with baked vegetables and sweet corn on the sides. Its tenderness will leave its devourers slicing for more.
Special Beef Shank
(MANILA BULLETIN) “ inspired by my Tito. He prepared it before, pero with the barbecue-ish sauce so iniba ko lang, ginawa ko siyang gravy,” Estrella shared. Diner’s gastronomic LuzViMinda tour ends with a sweet note. For dessert, the Virtue Art Cafe offers a toothsome Classic Leche Flan and classic Brazo ni Mercedes.
Classic Leche Flan
(MANILA BULLETIN) ‘A continuing travel’ Besides luscious food, Chef Nathalia also shared her journey to "LuzViMinda". Estrella said her love for traveling paved the way for the creation of the new dishes in the menu. “I like traveling with my boyfriend, si Job, so what we do, wherever we go, I try new food, and then I try to learn it from the locals; that’s the 'LuzViMinda' behind it.” “This is just the first and then I plan to do more as I travel more. Like if I go to Siargao, what’s the good food in Siargao?” “I feel all the other places, yeah, they serve Filipino food but it’s not yung galing talaga sa provinces so I wanted to bring it, na what I learned from my provinces, I bring it to my guests.” As for Estrella’s future plans, “I want a bigger place, I’m kind of limited to 30. Gusto ko marami pang maka -taste, mas maraming maka-experience.” “Gusto ko more ang makaranas ng private dining, you get to eat with curated things, you enjoy it, you experience. “ Estrella’s also a proof that age doesn't have to be a hindrance in achieving your dreams. She started her business when she was already 25. “I started this business last July, I want to travel more and bring my private dining out like into the islands, like bring a group and then let them taste the nature talaga.” “I just want to inspire, whether you’re young or late bloomer, you can still do something kasi talaga, basta you like it and it’s your passion, walang question doon.”
Dulong Dip with Fresh Garlic Bruschetta(MANILA BULLETIN) The garlic and cheese bread perfectly complemented the fresh dulong fish sautéed in olive oil. The combo had a balanced salty taste which would surely please one’s palate. Chef Nathalia, in an interview with The Manila Bulletin, said she wanted to bring in a new take on dulong, which most of the time is used for making omelet. Countering the salty taste of the bread and dip pairing was the Sunday Salad with Mixed Candied Pinoy Nuts made with home-made yogurt dressing which gave the salad a sweet flavor.
Sunday Salad with Mixed Candied Pinoy Nuts(MANILA BULLETIN) As per the inspiration behind the dish, Chef Nathalia said the salad was a mix of favorites, by her, her mom’and her grandma. “Every Sunday kasi I spend time with my grandparents, and then my Lola being the American that she is, she likes salad, like ayaw niya mag rice, ganoon, so salad every time. Yogurt kasi yung base niya, then my Lola likes salad, tapos ako I like fruits naman after eating. So ayon, combine-combine lang sila.” Next on the menu was Pasta Ko Ditto which was made with pasta noodles with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic cloves topped with deep fried longanissa fresh from Vigan, giving the dish a savory boost.
Pasta Ko Ditto(MANILA BULLETIN) “ my Mom's favorite. She likes bell peppers, olive oil, and then longanissa. Kasi may one-time na may leftover longanissa, ‘ay ilagay natin sa pasta,’ so ganoon lang siya. It's always home cooked and inspired by her sa house, my cousins, my mom, my parents,” Estrella shared. LuzViMinda also has a splash of scrumptious seafood dishes to offer, Shrimp Lianne and Cangrejo. Shrimp Lianne which is Estrella’s “personal touch of gambas” was made of perfectly cooked shrimp, sauteed in garlic and butter, with Virtue’s very own mix of locally grown bell peppers.
Shrimp Lianne(MANILA BULLETIN) Estrella’s favorite, Cangrejo, is made with Heirloom Crab Laih which are fresh harvests flown from Ipil, Zamboanga, and served with classic Aligue sauce.
Cangrejo(MANILA BULLETIN) A Filipino course-meal would not be complete without a “putok-batok” meal. Served in bilao, one will definitely relish Virtue Art Café’s heirloom Laing topped with everyone’s favorite Crispy Bagnet and Chicharon bulaklak. The inspiration of Estrella behind this dish is very simple: “I love laing, plus I love bagnet, plus I love chicharon bulaklak, so altogether ‘di ba, I love them all.”
C'Laing Topped with Crispy Bagnet(MANILA BULLETIN) For those who are not fans of pork, the Virtue Art Café has a twice cooked chicken (inihaw and adobo) prepared with a signature sweet sauce and jalapeños.
W-Chicken(MANILA BULLETIN) A favorite of many, the Special Beef Shank is definitely the highlight of the nine-course meal. The 12-hour cooked beef shank is served with gravy and comes with baked vegetables and sweet corn on the sides. Its tenderness will leave its devourers slicing for more.
Special Beef Shank(MANILA BULLETIN) “ inspired by my Tito. He prepared it before, pero with the barbecue-ish sauce so iniba ko lang, ginawa ko siyang gravy,” Estrella shared. Diner’s gastronomic LuzViMinda tour ends with a sweet note. For dessert, the Virtue Art Cafe offers a toothsome Classic Leche Flan and classic Brazo ni Mercedes.
Classic Leche Flan(MANILA BULLETIN) ‘A continuing travel’ Besides luscious food, Chef Nathalia also shared her journey to "LuzViMinda". Estrella said her love for traveling paved the way for the creation of the new dishes in the menu. “I like traveling with my boyfriend, si Job, so what we do, wherever we go, I try new food, and then I try to learn it from the locals; that’s the 'LuzViMinda' behind it.” “This is just the first and then I plan to do more as I travel more. Like if I go to Siargao, what’s the good food in Siargao?” “I feel all the other places, yeah, they serve Filipino food but it’s not yung galing talaga sa provinces so I wanted to bring it, na what I learned from my provinces, I bring it to my guests.” As for Estrella’s future plans, “I want a bigger place, I’m kind of limited to 30. Gusto ko marami pang maka -taste, mas maraming maka-experience.” “Gusto ko more ang makaranas ng private dining, you get to eat with curated things, you enjoy it, you experience. “ Estrella’s also a proof that age doesn't have to be a hindrance in achieving your dreams. She started her business when she was already 25. “I started this business last July, I want to travel more and bring my private dining out like into the islands, like bring a group and then let them taste the nature talaga.” “I just want to inspire, whether you’re young or late bloomer, you can still do something kasi talaga, basta you like it and it’s your passion, walang question doon.”