#DineShangrila

[thehungrykat1]

Christmas and New Year’s Feasts at Samba in Shangri-La at the Fort

Shangri-La at the Fort is definitely “Where The Holidays Come Alive” this Christmas as they offer several festive options for families and friends to celebrate the season. Aside from discounts on room accommodations this month, the hotel’s signature restaurants all have their own unique holiday spreads and set menus that will truly make Christmas and New Year’s more memorable. One particular dining place to consider is Samba, Shangri-La at the Fort’s South American restaurant that will tease and sizzle your palates with its exquisite Peruvian cuisine.

Samba can be found on the eight floor of the newest Shangri-La property in the country located at the heart of Bonifacio Global City. Diners can discover the tantalizing flavors of Peru at Samba, with healthy, colourful cuisine inspired by the dishes of South America, Spain and the Philippines. The Hungry Kat was invited for a preview of their special Christmas set menu last Tuesday and even the monstrous holiday traffic couldn’t stop me from experiencing this excellent and colorful dinner.

I usually dine at High Street Cafe whenever I visit Shangri-La at the Fort, but this was my first time to enter Samba. Known as the original fusion cuisine, Peruvian fare is the result of more than 500 years of immigration and the integration of Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese influences with native Peruvian culture. I have to admit that I know very little about this exotic cuisine, so i was really excited to finally be able to dine at what they say is the best Peruvian restaurant in the country. 

Guests have a choice of indoor or outdoor seating at Samba. The indoor setup is more formal, especially with the air-conditioning, but if you want a livelier and more festive environment, choose the tables at the al fresco areas. 

The dress code at Samba is simply casual, and this is the same ambiance you feel whether indoors or outdoors by the poolside. The cool December breeze was very much welcome as our group got ready for a spectacular evening with good food and good music. The Samba bar and terrace area actually remains open until 12:00 midnight, so late night guests can relax by the pool and enjoy the merry drinks and snacks.

We were hosted by Samba’s Peruvian Chef Carlo Huerta Echegaray who created an elegant Five-Course Menu that will only be offered on selected dates during the holiday season. A native of Peru, Chef Carlo has over 14 years of culinary experience and brings the exciting and contemporary flavors of Peru to the discerning diners of Samba. Also joining us that evening was Ms. Enah Baba, Shangri-La at the Fort Communications Executive, and Ms. Sam Gallardo, Director of Communications.

Chef Carlo has curated this set menu specifically for this season and you won’t find these items on Samba’s regular ala carte menu. The Five-Course dinner will be offered on December 24 and 25 for P2,900 nett per person as well as on December 31, 2017 for P3,350 nett per person with a welcome drink. A holiday lunch set will also be available on December 25, 2017 and on January 1, 2018 for P1,900 nett per person.

Cocktails are an integral part of Central and South American culture, so of course we also had to experience these exotic mix of concoctions that are mostly fruit-based with tequila or rum. At Samba, the featured cocktails are from different parts of the region - Brazil, Cuba, Mexico and of course, Peru.

Aside from the regular cocktails, Shangri-La at the Fort is also featuring its Yuletide Spirits which are available in all its restaurants until January 1. Among the favorites here are Christmas Flip (center), a cognac-based drink inspired by the traditional Christmas eggnog; Pinay Coloda (upper right), a rum-based cocktail with a twist on the piña colada; and Sparkles (rightmost), a sparkling drink with whiskey, honey, rosemary and liquid gold prosecco.

Dinner at Samba always starts with some complimentary sweet potato chips for appetizers.

The first course is the Ceviche de Atun Y Camaron En Crema De Rocoto. Chef Carlo explains that you haven’t tried Peruvian food if you haven’t tasted their ceviche, which are cuts of raw seafood cured in citrus juices. This ceviche comes with yellowfin tuna loin, prawn tails, rocoto leche de tigre foam, glazed sweet potato, cancha corn, and cold press extra virgin olive oil. The ceviche is an excellent dish, with the tuna and prawn tails doused in a somewhat spicy tiger’s milk foam which gives it a distinct taste. Even the glazed sweet potato is good to eat by itself. This is the perfect appetizer to jumpstart your taste buds.

Next we have a soup course called Cappuccino de Ave Al Ají, but it is unlike any other soup dish I have ever tasted. This is a creamy chicken soup inspired by lola’s recipe with cinnamon and bread croutons. We are used to chicken soup with light clear broth, but this Peruvian version is a thicker and creamier style that is really so good.

Now let’s get to the main courses with the Corvina En Reduction de Chupe. This has a very tender braised black cod fillet paired with a grilled prawn then topped with coral butter sauce, creamy fava beans purée, and micro greens.

You don’t need to be a seafood lover to enjoy this dish because the coral sauce made from lobster roe really gives everything that deep curry-like flavor. The prawn is also peeled already, so it’s much easier to devour.

There’s not just one but two main courses and next we have the Lomo Al Wok Con Quinua Andina. This is a U.S. beef tenderloin sauté with potato canchan, Organic black and white quinoa, panca pepper sauce, and micro leaves.

This gorgeous steak is cooked medium, just the way I like it. The flavors of the steak are magnified by the panca pepper sauce, and I had no problems finishing this off even as my other friends already started to get full. What’s nice about this Christmas set is that all the courses are quite filling, so you will definitely be going home full and satisfied.

The fifth and last course is a dessert called Trufón de Chocolate Y Lucuma. This beautiful chocolate shell is a work of art itself as it comes with a 70% Peruvian chocolate mousse, almond crispy flakes, garden greens powder and Lucuma ice cream. The homemade Lacuma ice cream is one of Samba’s specialties made from a unique Peruvian fruit called Lucuma, which is similar to a Chesa fruit. 

It wasn’t over yet for our birthday celebrant that evening, Bettina Bacani of Life in Technicolor, who got a surprise treat from Chef Carlo himself. This cute chocolate shell has to be dropped onto the plate to reveal another chocolatey work of art that looks like it should be placed on the wall. 

It was a great introduction for me to Peruvian cuisine and Chef Carlo aptly demonstrated its intricate flavors and colorful presentations. The Five-Course Christmas set is only available on a few selected dates so make sure to reserve your tables now and experience the best of South American cuisine at Samba in Shangri-La at the Fort.

Samba

Level 8, Shangri-La at the Fort, 30th Street cor 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig 

820-0888

www.samba-fort.com

www.facebook.com/SambaatShangrilaFort