BY JEREMY C. MALCAMPO
There’s always a sense of artistry when it comes to food
This was my thought when I visited the Hula Hula Grill and Restaurant in Westgate, Alabang recently, and I cannot forget the Hawaiian cuisine I sampled that was combined with popular Japanese dishes and Japanese flair. The restaurant’s in-between-cuisines, which were fusion-Filipino dishes, were more than enough to amaze even a non-foodie.
"But hey, everybody plays fusion these days," a companion whispered, as she passed her French bread bowl of potage legumes to me so I could try it. It was a buttery chowder of vegetable brunoise, pureed mirepoix in chicken stock, and mixed with a hint of cream, some nutmeg and perhaps even oregano.
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Grilled Platter | | But it was hearty and a good starter; much better than those fancy soup kitchens in a famous Makati shopping complex. However, after the soup I instantly remembered that I was in a Japanese-Hawaiian restaurant, so I had to remind myself to be considerate enough in all areas of judgment and sense of appreciation.
With this in mind, and the Japanese-Hawaiian Hula-Hula menu in hand, I spotted a very intriguing dish included as a salad course. I ordered a Davaoeño Salad (if I remember it right) which was a decent enough layering of iceberg lettuce sheets on a salad bowl, sided by a few pieces of crispy, oil-fried, sun-dried fishes or "danggit", with a very unusual brown sauce called a vinaigrette in the menu.
If I still remember it right, I think the salad was topped with a type of grated cheese which was something between dried-cheddar and instant parmesan. Honestly, and with due respect to the chefs, I think the salad wasn’t good, not to mention the price which was more than P200. The vinaigrette’s taste was nowhere near balsamic vinegar, not even close enough to the taste of Datu Puti, and without hints of any type of citron; yet it had aftertastes of a reduction of fish-fumet with light soy. The danggits were so crispy they leaped out of the bowl every time I tried to use my fork and salad knife.
However, after the salad was bussed out, and the chili crab was brought in, the sun shone from my side of the table while the whiff of Hawaiian cuisine began to charm my appetite. The king crab was ethereally orange and was pre-sautéed with garlic sweet chili sauce and chopped leeks. With plain steamed rice, the crab was worth it, but it was even better when the manager served a pineapple-soy reduction sauce with pepper and hints of lemon.
Though the crab dish recouped everything regarding my appetite that day, the best thing that happened was when the grilled entrées were served. It was a festive order of grilled stuffed squid basted with citronettes, sweet-spicy pork barbecues, grilled liempos with peppery profile, and prime US beef steaks cooked tender in spice rubs.
The grilled meats were served in a big banana leaf platter with mounds of steamed and fried rice, with Japanese maki and sashimi. By then I understood why the theme of the hub was Japanese-Hawaiian.
The presentation of everything was with touches of tropical paradise--even the plating. The sauces were technically Hawaiian; almost all the sauces have undergone reduction with pineapple essences. The Japanese maki and sashimi were pretty flavorful with their traditional concoction except the spicy teka maki. It was served "ala tartar", wrapped in mirin-rice whose chopped fresh tuna meat was infused with instant wasabi, Japanese mayonnaise and dried chilies, and was indeed contemporary.
I thought the wasabi-soy dip went well with all of the grilled meats served that day. Definitely, for an oriental profile, the soy sauce went well with the pork meats and seafood. The wasabi, as one would think, went well with the beef because, for sure, that wasabi wasn’t from the wasabi plant but an industrial version made out of mustard extracts and flavorings. Overall, that festive Hula Hula platter was worth it.
For dessert, I and a special friend ordered panna cottas in order to have light, sweet highlights to go with our fruit shakes as watermelon, cantaloupe and Manila mangoes. The panna cotta, to give justice to the Hawaiian theme, was made out of coconut hinted milk and set with some light vanilla flavor. It was served with fruit coulis as sauce and topped with a lightly sweetened diablotin. It was pretty okay.
Based on my own judgment as someone who doesn’t have anything against fusion cookery (as of this moment) I think Hula Hula is a promising gastronomically-artistic hub needing just a little bit of modification. But then again, who am I to say that: what’s art for me may not be art for you, or the other way around.
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