Photos by Star Sabroso
Business partners Khristine Gabriel and Grace Lee, OCVI investors, and French chef Akrame Benallal officially launched the Manila station of Atelier Vivanda last February 5. The casual French bistro, which has three branches in Paris and one in Hong Kong, reimagines the concept of meat and potatoes with a tightly edited menu made up of hearty, simply prepared dishes that allow the quality of the ingredients to shine.
Guests at the grand launch enjoyed bite-sized portions of Atelier Vivanda’s most popular appetizers and sides, including paper-thin cuts of 50-day-aged smoked beef straight from the bistro’s Berkel meat slicer (“the Ferrari of meat cutters”); soft-boiled eggs with cottage cheese, mayonnaise, grated egg yolk, and Woods perfume; Pommes Dauphines (crisp potato puffs with butter, Old Comte, and white pepper) with homemade ketchup; and Pommes darphin (shredded potatoes with onion, chives, and Brie).
Live French-language music entertained the packed house well into the night. There was also free flowing wine and seasonal French cheese from Brut, Chef Akrame’s wine and cheese bar concept to be merged with Atelier Vivanda for the first time in the Manila outpost. Chef Akrame is currently sourcing more local ingredients and plans to add exclusive seasonal dishes to the Atelier Vivanda Manila menu. He and the team of four young French chefs he personally trained shared big plans for the bistro: they are aiming to bring in the country’s first Michelin star.
Atelier Vivanda is located at U-A8 Forbes Town Center, Forbes Town Road, BGC, Taguig City. For inquiries and reservations, call 02 VIVANDA (848-2632) or 0918 VIVANDA (848-2632).