Nothing, as it turns out, can kill The Fatted Calf.
The Calabarzon-based farmhouse kitchen has withstood all bar none. From a pandemic and volcanic eruption, to changing tastes and times, the only slaughter of any sort has been proverbially speaking.
One thing is sure for the award-winning farm-to-table restaurant as it celebrates its first birthday in its latest address in Tagaytay City’s Barangay Neogan.
That is, the husband-wife tandem of chefs Jayjay and Rhea Sycip know how to do anything from scratch and live to tell the tale.
Chef Jayjay recently hosted a private lunch with members of the media including Manila Standard, where he intimated the following stories of some of his favorite dishes to serve.
Stirrings
The menu started off strong with appetizers such as grilled ox tongue, edamame hummus with feta, and crab and potato salad.
Grilled ox tongue: “One of my favorites is galbijjim (Korean braised short ribs). So this is galbijjim on a stick… This one, we cooked it with ox tongue, skewered it, braised it, grilled it. Then the dots there are carrot puree, radish puree, kimchi, and edamame.”
Edamame hummus with feta: “With hummus you’re using so many ingredients, but this one we’re only using two ingredients, which are edamame and olive oil. The edamame brings out the really, really umami flavor with the addition of the olive oil. The feta de Malagos, it’s infused with herbs already. And then the bread is actually our house made ciabatta.”
Crab and potato salad: “The vinaigrette is actually with crab fat, Chinese black vinegar. It’s very similar to a Japanese potato salad. What’s unique with this one is we’re using kangkong. The kangkong two-ways: the leaves are fried, the stems are pickled and then julienned. Then we added carrots and corn for texture. This is one of my favorite salads at The Fatted Calf.”
Progression
The centerpiece of the feast was its selection of mains: duck ragu, Thai fish curry, and the restaurant’s signature wagyu roasted whole leg of beef.
Duck ragu: “Basically the duck is cooked in red wine and fresh pomodoro sauce. And then the pasta is fresh. We make our own pappardelle. The duck, we get it from a farm in Tarlac, consistent with our philosophy of direct from farmers. The parmesan is also local.”
Thai fish curry: “I lived in Thailand for a year. Basically I learned how to do their curries right. All of the elements of the curry base are all from the farms around here. The very base is made from scratch and the coconut milk is fresh. The fish is gindara. Our fish comes from fishermen either in Lucena or Navotas.”
Signature wagyu roasted whole leg of beef: “Before we were just using regular local beef. This is now wagyu. We cook this for seven to 10 hours depending on the size of it. The average is about three-and-a-half kilos per piece. Then the sauce is actually from the bones themselves, the kneecap and hip bone, infused with red wine and rum. At the bottom you have your roasted carrots and roasted potatoes. Very basic only, olive oil, salt, pepper, and some fresh herbs from our greenhouse.”
Culmination
Finally, the occasion concluded on a high note with offerings from Chef Rhea’s Flour Pot. These were Mazapan de Pili cheesecake, “The Buko Pie,” and pistachio cake.
With the desserts, Chef Jayjay kept his explanation short but sweet: “If you didn’t like any of the food we served, the saving grace is always my wife’s desserts.”
Just as the biblical fatted calf was served for the return of the prodigal son, The Fatted Calf is the place that will bring patrons together to come back for more. Certainly, we will.