Zarsuela de Mariscos
THE FILIPINO psyche is rooted in spirituality, resiliency and creativity. All these traits translate to Filipinos being essentially a happy people. And in an archipelago of over 7,100 islands, we share the zeal of celebrating religious festivities that is central to every region and province.
The Feast of the Sto. Niño, celebrated all over the country, falls on the third Sunday of January. The Sinulog in Cebu has become a major religious and cultural festivity with a grand street parade and dance competition. The city truly comes alive and the hospitality industry comes up with culinary offerings to celebrate the feast.
The opening of Salinas restaurant is very timely for the Sinulog Feast.
The first branch of Golden Cowrie restaurant pays tribute to where it all started in 2000, Salinas Drive in Lahug. Salinas, which is derived from the word “salt,” is a basic seasoning that enhances the flavors of food.
Golden Cowrie’s youthful General Manager Kenneth Kokseng and wife Kristine dela Riva, are in the forefront of the innovations.
While Kenneth takes care of the business matters, Kristine creates the menu, a spin-off from some of the classic Filipino dishes from Luzon and Visayas that we have learned to love.
Tokwa Over Baboy
Lunch with the very hospitable Kokseng patriarchs and their wives at the newly opened Salinas showcased the “reinvented” menu of Kristine, which started with Crispig Ears, strips of deep-fried pig’s ears seasoned with spices with a hint of sweetness; Smoked Bangus Croquettes; Salinas Kwek Kwek, the popular Manila street food of battered, deep-fried quail’s eggs; Pako Salad (young fern) topped with calamares instead of the usual salted eggs; and Pomelo-Turnip Salad with crunchy dried squid in calamansi dressing.
Pomelo Salad
The Bulalo traces its origins in Batangas, which is known for its cattle industry. (This boiled beef shank soup is called Pochero in Cebu. The Tagalog Pochero, however, is a meat and vegetable dish stewed with tomatoes and Spanish chorizo.) Kristine chose to reinvent the bulalo soup or Cebuano pochero by deconstructing it, which she calls Pocherong Katag where the meats and vegetables with slightly spicy soup are served in a bowl, the bone marrow baked and served with toasted bread and onion jam. The Pinaupong Manok is native to Laguna where the young chicken is baked sitting on a bed of salt. Kristine’s take is even more laborious.
Pako Salad with Calamari
The chicken is boiled in secret spices with salt and finished by bathing with hot oil until golden brown and presented seated on a plate. It was deliciously tender with the meat easily falling off the bones. I enjoyed this with Buwad and Aligue (crab fat) on Red Rice. Salinas’ version of Cocido a la Bicolana is something new to me.
I was reminded of the Chicken Binakol of the Ilonggos since Kristine uses bukco juice for the broth and soured with green mangoes. Pit Senyor!
