Grilled Bistro Steak (photo by PINGGOT ZULUETA)

For a restaurant to take pride of its international cuisine, diversity is an ally it must learn to embrace on its side. However, variety must also be well balanced with proper integration to create an identity.

With two international chefs calling the shots, Celsius Cuisine surely does not miss out on diversity. One is a well-traveled Portuguese-Sri Lankan chef, and another is a Canadian national who is married to a local girl from Dumaguete City and speaks Bisaya better than Tagalog. The international tandem of Chef Manoj De Silva and Chef Sean McSavaney is a healthy mix of cultural influences that Celsius builds on.

But more importantly, what binds everything together is their passion to create culinary masterpieces, believing that there are only two ways of serving food: hot dishes served hot and cold dishes served cold. “Temperature is one of the major things to consider in a culinary practice, and that’s how we came up with Celsius,” Chef Manoj De Silva says.

What sets Celsius apart from the other restaurants is that everyone in the kitchen has a common ideology: not only to sell but also to create things that they love to eat and at the same time exhibit their skills and talents. “First and foremost, we wanted to have an outlet of ideas. We brought our group together and we try to make something unique in our restaurant for everyone to enjoy,” Chef Sean McSavaney says.

Aside from their international backgrounds, the restaurant’s kitchen staff is composed mostly of fresh culinary school graduates gung-ho about putting their ideas on the plate.

The resto’s dynamic menu is very evident in the way the assortment of appetizers with distinct flavors from various culinary roots are prepared. For starters, the Celsius Tuna Taster showcases two ways of preparing tuna loins. The dish is actually a meeting of tuna seared and crusted with pepper and cilantro and marinated kinilaw. Served with arugula relish tossed in Asian dressing and crispy garlic chips, the dish works well with the ingredients, as the tuna neutralizes the acidity of the vinaigrette, resulting in an exciting clash of taste.

Another starter is the Longganisa Stuffed Grilled Squid with Salted Eggs. Instead of the usual tomatoes and onions, the dish presents a new twist by filling the squid with a special longganisa-based stuffing reminiscent of a seaside morning meal. Enclosed within the tasty meat of the squid, the longganisa stuffing effectively brightens the taste and texture of the dish.

And there is Sisig as well. Celsius' Sisig got its name from the way it is prepared: with braised pig trotter, diced chorizo Bilbao, and shitake mushrooms chopped and mixed sisig style. The dish is complemented with kamote chips and grilled crostini. The crispiness of the kamote chips adds a dynamic texture to the dish that helps enhance the experience. And with a generous helping of chorizo Bilbao, the dish has a spicy aftertaste that gives contrast to its sweet base.

The main courses also offer a variety of influences. The Grilled Bistro Steak is a marinated hanging beef tender, glazed with teriyaki-ponzu sauce and served with grilled mushrooms, kamote fries, and sautéed asparagus. The quality of the hanging beef tender cut alone is a treat in itself.

Another course that will absolutely satisfy any flavorful urge is the Jerk Rubbed Pork. Its fire-grilled pork tenderloin is rubbed and crusted with Jamaican jerk spice and served with spicy mango coulis with fried plantains and chayote succotash. The Jamaican jerk spice gives the dish an eluding flavor balanced by the mango sauce and fried banana. The dish rounds out all the flavors well and exudes a very tropical taste.

One very simple dish that is equally delectable as the other main dishes is the Asian style Pesto Prawns and Scallops. This wok-seared tiger prawns and sea scallops dish marinated in pesto and pickled ginger butter sauce served with Celsius’ ratatouille makes for an effective integration of tastes and textures that highlights the versatility of the meal.

For fish lovers, the Tandori Spiced Lemon Sole is a must-try that offers a rainbow of flavors. The pan-fried and crisp Tandori-marinated Lemon Sole is served with apple-date chutney, chick pea cucumber raita (Indian dip), and topped with Persian cucumber onion salad.

The Chocolate Banana Bread and Butter Pudding is a yummy treat, bringing in a remarkable play with temperature, as the cold Butterscotch-Tanduay ice cream sits comfortably on the warm Celsius banana bread baked in custard with morsels of chocolate. The dessert is an exquisite ending to an incredible dining experience.

It is quite surprising how the prices of the Celsius menu are offered. The dishes are priced the same for all items under each menu category. “We want you to read the menu and order based on what you want and not based on your budget. We want the dishes to compete with one another on a fair playing field,” explains Chef Sean McSavaney.

Slightly hidden from the glitz of the main street that is Tomas Morato, Celsius is located on Scout Rallos Street in Quezon City. From a kitchen oozing with ideas and eagerness to let imaginations run wild on their plates, to a dining area where dynamic kitchen creations are set, Celsius is certainly a place to experience international food at its finest. For more information, call tel. no. 332-6732 or email ccelsius@ymail.com.