It’s time to acknowledge the tasty truth: when it comes to bridging cultures, few things are as effective as food. Good food not only nourishes the body, but also enriches the soul; and therein lies its palate-pleasing power.
As a vital aspect of national heritage and cultural identity, food plays a key role in shaping and preserving the very character of a place. Culinary customs, in fact, are passed on through generations, with heirloom dishes at the flavorsome core of this cross-generational convention. From community to community, these dishes tell tantalizing tales of taste and tradition, through time.
Furthermore, food is a powerful cultural bridge between peoples — a pleasurable, palatable path that helps bring people together, through the sharing of dishes that deliciously disclose story upon sumptuous story.
In the Philippines, Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou has honed the craft of culinary storytelling, over years. The award-winning celebrity chef and bestselling cookbook author is a champion of cultural cuisine; a hero of home-cooked heritage. Additionally, he is an advocate of sustainable food culture. By bolstering Filipino culture through food, Chef Tatung is also building cross-cultural understanding and keeping community culture alive and well in the different regions of the Philippines.
Chef Tatung’s upscale contemporary Filipino restaurant, Lore, is a tasteful testament to all this.
We highlight regional cuisine, and as much as possible, we try to stay true to the original flavors. Of course, we take a bit of liberty with reinterpreting the dishes, especially visually. But it is really very important for us to stay true to the flavors and even to the ingredients that each regional recipe calls for. When you talk about Filipino food, you cannot remove it from the context of our culture and history.
Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou, Award-winning Celebrity Chef and Bestselling Bookbook Author, and Champion of Cultural Cuisine.
Tales of taste and tradition
Lore has been delighting diners and informing their palates of contemporary-meets-heirloom Filipino cuisine since December 2022. Tucked away in an expansive corner on the third floor of the west block of premier lifestyle center, One Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City, the restaurant is a bright and cheery food-lover’s haven in the heart of the dynamic city. A large wall mural, done in local tribal style, welcomes guests, drawing the gaze across roughly-hewn bricks that enhance the contemporary rustic-meets-tropical aesthetic of the restaurant. The layout is spacious; there is ample seating across the theatre-style kitchen, opening up to the main dining area, and leading out to a roofed patio for al fresco dining. A well-stocked bar occupies the far end of the main dining space, with a private function room off to one side.
Beyond the vibrant venue, of course, is the fabulous food. What used to be a degustation menu has morphed into an array of ala carte offerings, to better-suit the needs and wants of the mall crowd, as well as the many foreign nationals who come in throughout the day for a taste of Filipino fare. While the degustation menu is still available, upon advanced request for a minimum party of 12, most diners clamor for Chef Tatung’s readily-available creations. Each dish is a narrative of the best in regional heirloom cooking; hence, the name Lore. “We highlight regional cuisine, and as much as possible, we try to stay true to the original flavors. Of course, we take a bit of liberty with reinterpreting the dishes, especially visually. But it is really very important for us to stay true to the flavors and even to the ingredients that each regional recipe calls for. When you talk about Filipino food, you cannot remove it from the context of our culture and history,” Chef Tatung points out.
High-end yet homey deliciousness
The thing that foodies know about Chef Tatung is that he has found that oft-elusive balance between complex and comforting — his food is high-end and homey, all at once. And, while the flavors of the dishes he creates might be intricate, they are never, ever intimidating. Ingredients are straightforward; and recipes, though re-imagined, are as close to their regional roots as possible, narrating flavors and familiarities of generations.
While the menu at Lore is ever-evolving (there are, after all, so very many stories to tell), a number of dishes have emerged as food-lovers’ favorites. The Davao Kinilaw, a regional version of ceviche, is a refreshing starter, beloved for its tender morsels of the freshest tuna, cooked in the acids of spiced coconut sap vinegar, mixed with slivers of red radish and sweet pomelo fruit. Balbacua de Davao, a bestselling main dish, is a rich stew of slow-cooked ox tail, trotters, and tendon, complemented by the subtle sweetness of black beans and well-balanced Asian spices. Not to be outdone, Sulu’s pride comes in strong with its aromatic and appealing specialty dish, Piangang; Tausug grilled chicken, enveloped in flavor-rich burnt coconut sauce. And of course, what is Filipino food without a heaping helping of adobo? My Lola’s Adobo, Chef Tatung’s take on the super popular dish, showcases an old-fashioned recipe of pork and chunks of chicken liver, swathed in a thick soy- and vinegar-based sauce, infused with laurel leaves, minced garlic, and spices, topped with twice-fried potato wedges and a poached egg. Another dish that has found favor with foodies is the Pork Kinamatisan, crispy pork belly served with jammy sautéed tomatoes and a side of local veggies. Tatung’s Fried Rice is a family favorite, for its flavor-packed medley of tender white rice, shrimp, vegetables, peanuts, eggs, and spring onions.
Dessert is always a satisfying ending to an excellent meal, and the banana-caramel Tres Leches, with pounded sweet plantains, finished with a smooth coffee reduction sauce, is a great choice.
It is definitely worth mentioning that Lore serves an array of interesting, irresistible cocktails, with Kapre at Duwende — a concoction of horchata, rum, cacao, and coffee — being top of the must-try list.
A mouthwatering mission
Indeed, Chef Tatung is on a mission to tell the many mouthwatering stories of Filipino regional cuisine. But this mission is underpinned by one thing: food security. The chef believes that attaining this trumps catching the global eye; moreover, that the latter goal pivots on the former. “We should stop obsessing about gaining international recognition for Filipino food. I think we should first look deeper into food security and the protection of our environment, to ensure that we also protect the diversity that makes Filipino cuisine unique. People around the world will realize how great Filipino food is, as we find that balance. They will want to try the same food that Filipinos eat in their own homes, and that is how we will become great,” Chef Tatung shares.
What many might miss is that these are all ingredients in the same hearty dish: the more acclaim the chef brings to authentic regional cuisine, the more the particular local ingredients of each dish will be in demand; and this, in turn, benefits the farmers who supply the produce or the meats, and the fisherfolk who supply the seafood that goes into each dish. So, while one the one side, the spotlight shines on sumptuous Filipino cuisine, honing heritage, on the other side, you have farmers and fisherfolk who can feed their families, stirring security.
And that is truly an appetizing arrangement, from any angle.
