‘Off Menu by Tatler Dining’ returns, as Marvin Agustin brings in celebrated tandoor concept from London
There is a risk in having too many cooks in the kitchen. Like a plate that badly needs editing, having multiple personalities, styles and concepts runs the danger of a disjointed outcome. But that’s not always the case.
7 courses, 14 hands
As 2022’s “Off Menu by Tatler Dining” has proven, partnering chefs to work on a stellar dish can also lead to delicious results. And that’s why they’ve decided to bring it back this year with a new roster of collaborations.
To be held at The Grand Ballroom in Shangri-La The Fort over two nights (Sept. 29 and 30), this interactive food fest will have guests dropping by several booths to have their culinary passports stamped and in turn, they’ll receive a total of seven courses (plus drinks, of course) worked on by the following tandems: Nicco Santos (Cafe Aurora) and Miko Calo (Metronome); Stephan Duhesme (Metiz) and Don Baldosano (Linamnam); Margarita Forés (Cibo) and Jordy Navarra (Toyo Eatery); Josh Boutwood (Helm) and Jorge Mendez (Modan); Tom Bascon (M Dining) and Rhea Rizzo (Mrs. Saldo’s); Joris Rycken (Shangri-La The Fort) and Aaron Isip (Balai Palma); and Bettina Arguelles (Sofitel) and Yoji Kitayama (Wagyu Studio).
“It’s the camaraderie of chefs that truly make collaborations work, especially when the two chefs are aligned,” says Baldosano. “When Stephan and I talked about the dish, we wanted something where we can play around with ingredients that we can’t use in our respective restaurants, a dish where we can do flavor combinations that aren’t usually paired but can make an impact on taste. And that’s why we wanted to create a terrine comprised of luscious and rich ingredients such as foie gras and pork belly.” This is just one of many other mouthwatering dishes we can all look forward to at “Off Menu.” Tickets are limited per night. To reserve, visit media.tatlerasia.com/events/offmenuph.
Tandoor tag team
Another exciting collaboration that’s currently exciting palates in Manila is the recently opened Tango Tandoori by Indian chefs Kundan Singh Rawat and Kapil Devidas Jogdand, both of whom are multiawarded and celebrated culinary trailblazers in the London food scene.
Restaurateur Marvin Agustin, who also runs cocktail lounge Kondwi and Secret Kitchen, is the one responsible for flying the duo to the metro and letting them play in the BGC kitchen that formerly housed his Cochi Bistro. Agustin has been traveling to London every year since 2016 (except during the pandemic) and has visited their Indian restaurant called Tandoor Chop House each time. “Hinahanap ko talaga yung owner and yung chef dati pa kasi nasasarapan ako (I had been looking for the owner and chef for a long time because I found the food delicious) and ang unique ng positioning nya sa London. They adjusted it to the British palate,” says Agustin.
Just this 2023, Agustin met a Filipino staff member and asked if she could hook him up with the restaurant’s chefs. She did via Instagram, and a fast exchange of messages immediately led to a meeting. Apparently, the chef has been to the Philippines more than 10 times and the idea of starting a food concept in the country was something he took genuine interest in.
Early this month, their modern Indian kitchen and bar, located on the corner of 30th Street and 11th Avenue, opened. Called Tango Tandoor, their place promises to serve a passionate dance of flavors culled from the marriage of tradition and innovation.
There’s cauliflower croquettes. A deviation from the usual tempura-fried florets, theirs come as a purée that’s been breaded then dunked in hot oil until golden brown. The dish is served with a confit garlic aioli.
They also do a mean rendition of classics like butter chicken, tender fillets bathed in a rich tomato gravy, as well as lamb rogan josh, a curry with a heady combination of spices, which the chefs have tamed a bit for the local tastebuds. If the guests want more amplified heat, the kitchen is ready and willing to cook to their preference.
As the name suggests, a lot of dishes are cooked with the tandoor, an urn-shaped oven that allows for fast and intense cooking. Their range of naan, for example, is finished in this clay vessel, as well as proteins such as chicken, like their signature tango house tandoori chicken, that’s been marinated in spiced yogurt before it’s kissed by fire.
Punjab-born Kundan and Kapil from Pune in western India have merits on their own. But they prove to be even stronger when working together. Tango Tandoor is definitely in good (four) hands. INQFollow the author at @fooddudeph on Instagram.
Angelo Comsti writes the Inquirer Lifestyle column Tall Order. He was editor of F&B Report magazine.
