Tags: Food Establishments, Food Fare and Dishes, Food Preparation
By Anna Valmero
MANDALUYONG CITY, METRO MANILA – Fancy some fish pinipig as prepared by actress Iza Calzado? How about a taste of vegetable quiche as baked by fashion designer Randy Ortiz?
These are just two of eight celebrity recipes featured at Lola Maria Restaurant.
“What makes these special is that the recipes were shared to us by our celebrity friends,” says Ginger King-Villavicencio, chief operating officer of The Legend Villas where Lola Maria Restaurant is located.
“These dishes are staples whenever they have gatherings with family and friends and we added that distinct Filipino taste offered by Lola Maria’s restaurant.”
Two new main course dishes include cocido by Ginger’s mother-in-law, Carol Villavicencio, which happens to be a favorite of blogger Anton Diaz, and rosemary and garlic rib-eye dish of actress Ara Mina.
Also in the menu is prawn cakes, a recipe by acclaimed custom car decorator Atoy Llave.
For desserts, they serve ube and langka panna cotta by actress Sherilyn Reyes-Tan, ensaymada pudding by Ford supermodel grand winner Danica Magpantay, and fried suman with tsokolate by actress Wilma Doesnt.
The original recipes were further developed by Chef Michael Martinez of Legends Hotel.
As you enter the restaurant, one can see the Vigan-inspired interior design, which was done to replicate the ancestral house of the late Doña Maria Villanueva Rosario, grandmother of Legend Hotels International Corp. chairman Wyden King, who named the restaurant after her.
The view of Vigan’s most photographed cobblestone street, Calle Crisologo, is painted on one of the walls enough to inspire guests to reminisce about the scenic Ilocos town.
Doña Maria was the wife of former Ilocos Sur Governor Jose Florendo Villanueva. She was famous as the “First Lady of Vigan”, said to be the first woman in the province to drive her own convertible car in the 1920s.
Naming the restaurant after her was her grandchildren’s way of giving tribute to the values she taught them, according to Ginger.
Ginger also shares stories behind some of the celebrity recipes. She says Randy usually serves his vegetable quiche to guests in a pie. “It is perfect for breakfast or snack and is ideal for people on-the-go,” she says.
The quiche makes for a tender pastry crust with fresh vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, egg and spices and topped with a dollop of sour cream.
Iza’s fish pinipig, meanwhile, is made of cream dory fillet covered with crispy rice puffs and served with tartare sauce. It is the actress’ version of a healthy snack, says Ginger.
“It is healthy and easy to make. It’s like the Filipino version of fish and chips,” the actress herself says.
Atoy, a seafood lover, said prawn cakes – made of oriental style minced shrimps coated with bread crumbs and served with hoisin sauce – is perfect for cocktails.
The prawn cakes served at Lola Maria’s are mixed with minced pork also while the crumbs are hand-crushed to give it the right texture, says Chef Michael.
“I think what separates Lola Maria (Restaurant) from others is the dedication that we put in cooking and serving Filipino food. We do not use shortcuts in the cooking methods to achieve the taste of the Filipino food fare,” says Ginger.
Related stories:
Mandaluyong coffee shop serves authentic Filipino meals for the holidays
Vigan Chronicles Part 1: Travelling back in time
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