Introducing Restaurant Cicou

Restaurant Cicou

Hotel Celeste’s Restaurant Ciçou in San Lorenzo Village, Makati, hosted the third leg of the 3rd Annual France Food & Wine Festival, an event by Sommelier Selection, extending their schedule to a third day. But before you rush over to make a booking for Restaurant Cicou, please note that they’re not opening their doors to the public until November 15.

We were assured it was a pleasant challenge, especially to Chef Cyrille Soenen who recreated his Michelin-wine worthy menu thrice in his eponymous restaurant (taken from his nickname and pronounced as “see-sue”). The food and wine festival offered a special preview of Chef Cyrille manning his very own kitchen.

Just like SPOT.PH’s Mo Francisco’s account of the Sala leg of the food and wine festival, Restaurant Ciçou echoed the successful pairing of the Michelin-rated restaurant’s French wines and the full-course menus created by Manila’s international chefs.

Chef Cyrille was previously chef de partie (or ‘station chef’) of Ritz Hotel, Duc Denghien, Le Drouant and Le Grand Hotel Intercontinental (all with Michelin stars) before setting up house in Manila. He is a familiar face in the local hotel and restaurant industry, as the executive chef of Prince Albert Rotisserie and later, Crowne Plaza Galleria and Holiday Inn Galleria. It was natural he combined his French expertise with a taste of the local in his first course, the amuse bouche.

It’s a spoonful of smooth, pureed smoked tanguige flecked with minced shallots that sharpened it a bit. Underneath were soft, tiny green pellets of boiled mongo. Taste them together and you get good old ginisang mongo at tinapa. It was paired with Carte d’Or Brut from the Champagne region, a sparkling white which goes well with most food including, well, opulent ginisang mongo.

Scope, Swirl and Sip

At this point I am just getting my bearings on the wine. I adore wine from a distance—the slender, cylindrical bottle and the liquid gold it holds make me swoon—but I am not a connoisseur. My last wine tasting was as fleeting as the alcohol content. Wine can be intimidating to some, a breeze to others. The Restaurant Ciçou meal offered me an opportunity to learn about wine and be comfortable despite not knowing much at the onset.

I know how to swirl my glass to let the wine breathe, put my nose into the glass for a brief sniff and aerate it when I sip, to let the wine show its character. But then what? Sommelier Selection thoughtfully provided tasting note cards which indicate the wine name, producer/estate, vintage, grape variety, tasting notes and food recommendations. I imagined the tasting notes in my mind’s eye and connected them with what was resting on my palate at the moment. I was happy if I recognized anything floral and fruity, confused if the expected hazelnut aftertaste did not pass my tongue.

Halfway through the third course, I got into the flow of things and learned some reassuring lessons by the glass:

Tasting Notes give important information to the consumer, things like the grape variety and food pairing recommendations.

Let the wine endear itself to you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t detect what the tasting notes describe at the start. Try to imagine the descriptions and match them each time you sip. Go with your gut feel in finding out which wine is kind to your palate, which ones burn you or make you feel like you’re drinking acetone than wine. The chemistry also changes when you taste the wine with the food it’s paired with. If they’re perfectly paired, the flavors are harmonious and more vibrant. If you like the wine, finish the whole glass instead of just sipping—the taste experience will be fuller.

Listen to the wine and the food converse. I was excited about the Michelin starred wines, the very same ones served in three-star restaurants like Paul Boucuse, Pierre Gagnaire, and Georges Blanc. The best way to enjoy them is of course with the food.

After the amuse bouche, Chef Cyrille served Duck Liver Cooked in Madiran Red Wine, Crispy Pain de Campagne, Ginger Bread and Marmalade of Pomelos. The foie gras balanced precariously on a toast of bread and mixed greens on the side. Chopped basil incorporated into the greens resonated the mentholated notes of the Viré Clessé (Cuvée Tradition EJT 2003) and cut through the duck liver. The marmalade rounded the flavors, along with a thin streak of balsamic vinegar.

The Prawn Bisque, served in a cup that didn’t overfloweth (as it should be).

The fourth course, Prawn Bisque and Sea Urchin Flan, was made interesting by a piece of flan surfacing in the middle of the cup. Next was the Roasted Local Sea Bass, Red Wine and Lime Sauce, Oysters and Green Cabbage Ravioli. The sea bass goes easy with a white, particularly the Pouilly Fuissé (Les Reisses 2005). Set against the light, the color is pale gold with pinkish tones. It emerged as my first favorite for the night because of its “long enjoyable finish.”

No need to get Chilean Sea Bass – we have our own local version.

Chef Cyrille’s piece de resistance was the Veal Rack Cooked in Cocotte, Gratin of Pasta, Duck Liver and Truffle, Wild Mushroom. Tender veal blessed with a shower of sautéed mushrooms, each with its own yin and yang of sauces, equals utter joy on my mouth. The simple gratin of pasta provided a beautiful hint of cream and cheese to the dish. It was paired with a red, the Chinon (Croix Boisée 2004), which was dark purple it’s almost black. Its spicy aroma hints of oak. Sipping it after each hearty spoonful brought all the flavors to the fore.

The sixth course, Shavings of Goat Cheese, Pear Cooked in Sweet Wine and Mint Salad, was paired with Beaujolais-Villages (2006). “Floral and vegetal hints leading to a lively and fleshy mouth” came alive in my palate. The joy of recognition is palpable I could spear it with a fork. This wine, deep ruby red with violet edges, was my Ratatouille moment.

Mille-feuille is a type of multi-layered puff pastry with a whipped cream or jam filling.

The last course centered on Chocolate Milles Feuilles (pronounced as ‘mill-fuh-yuh’), Ganache and Mousse, paired with Monzabillac (Grains Nobles 1998). It smelled of honey and vanilla, the alcohol (14%) apparent when sipped by itself. It vanished as soon as it combined with chocolate. All that was left in my mouth was the essence of sweet chocolate and bliss.

Chilled wine is best served with warm company. I was fortunate enough to be seated with a veteran writer who cut his teeth on wine 101 by listening to sommeliers and chefs discuss wine as if it were the latest Hollywood gossip. He did not raise an eyebrow when I puzzled at what “crisp” and “long enjoyable finish” meant. Instead, he asked if I could literally feel the wine linger a little as I drink it. The Pouilly Fuissé did. “That’s the long finish,” he said and advised me to keep a list of the wines that I liked so I would know what to buy for special occasions or if I simply wanted to do my own tasting.

Text and images by Jenny Orillos

Restaurant Cicou is located at Hotel Celeste (opening on November 15), 2 San Lorenzo Drive Cor. A. Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City. For reservations or inquiries, please call 887-8080 local 242/ 268.

Sommelier Selection at 2295 Don Chino Roces Avenue, Magallanes, Makati City or log on to www.sommelierselection.info. For more information, please contact them at sommelierselection@mac.com or call 840-4211.

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