PREMIUM grass fed beef tomahawk from O’Connor Australian with 3 Azure Signature Sauces.
THE FABULOUS Azure Beach Club, the flagship restaurant of multi-awarded Crimson Resort and Spa in Mactan Island is probably the most exciting Saturday brunch destination that offers a foam party with unlimited food, beverage and fun from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The vivacious chef who created the signature taste of Azure Beach Club now wears the toque as Crimson’s Executive Chef and assumes the enormous responsibility for all the kitchens of the resort that also include Saffron Café and Tempo. This New York-trained chef who started with menial jobs has successfully moved up the culinary ladder after obtaining a culinary education in New York Culinary
Institute and working with world-renowned celebrity chefs like Nobu and Jean Georges Vongerichten. But his creativity and love for cooking are really the hallmarks of his intrepid and Asian-inspired cuisine.
Executive Chef Godfrey Laforteza enjoying the Foam Party
With my daughter, Patricia, and her New York rascals, Silvian and Sabrina, we arrived in Crimson filled with excitement to “party” in the infinity swimming pool. Patricia, who works as a mixologist for celebrity chef Daniel Boulud in New York City, finally met Chef Godfrey. Their culinary careers may have crossed paths since the two once worked at Mercer Kitchen owned by another famous chef, Jean Georges Vongerichten.
We checked out the appetizer buffet of seafood on ice (steamed shrimps, crabs, mussels, squid) assorted hors d’oeuvres, sushi and sashimi and a la minute preparation of appetizers before Chef Godfrey started “performing” on his latest creations in Azure’s open theater kitchen equipped with the state-of-the-art grills, brick oven and an authentic Indian Tandoori oven.
WHITE fish and prawn mojito
Chef started with US Angus Beef Carpaccio with Truffle Ponzu Sauce, lightly seared beef tenderloin with homemade truffle-ponzu sauce that has been fermented for 30 days. We had the privilege of watching Chef Godfrey assemble and style his creations with attention to every detail.
The Three-Ways of Salmon Donburi or Rice Bowl is topped with 48-hour cured citrus salmon sashimi, marinated Ikura or salmon roe in sake and soy and broiled salmon with sesame-miso glaze. Our eyes were feasting on the exquisite compositions!
3 Ways of Salmon Donburi Rice Bowl
The White Fish and Prawn Mojito is a tempting dish of poached white snapper, tiger prawns with cherry tomatoes in lemon-wasabi sauce with spirit of rum and mint leaves. A very colorful Unagi and Tuna Sashimi with Wasabi Cheese Pizza is another Asian-inspired creation using broiled fresh water eel glazed with soy and mirin, garnished with daikon and carrot salad tossed in sweet ponzu sauce. The main course for that day, Premium Australian Grass-fed Beef Tomahawk served with Cajun-flavored fries and three Azure signature sauces: Javanese chili sauce, Balinese aromatic sauce and classic bulgogi sauce, was served Russian Style. Tomahawk is an on-the-bone rib steak.
Just before the pleasure of sitting down for lunch, white foam started spewing, covering the infinity pool while DJ Madz played live music to start the party. Guests frolicked and played with glee. Executive Chef Godfrey and his team gamely dipped in the foam-covered pool with their chef’s uniform on. It was a foam party like no other!