MANILA, Philippines – Celebrating an anniversary, a birthday, or any special occasion soon?

If an out-of-town getaway, a meal to remember, and romantic ambiance are what your date dreams are made of, check out Anya Resort Tagaytay this weekend – they’re hosting Goût De France, a global culinary festival celebrating the best of French food all over the world. 

Anya Resort – a beautiful, secluded spot in Tagaytay City – is offering at its main Samira Restaurant a French gastronomical journey in the form of a 5-course degustation set, first-handedly crafted by French executive chef, Jonathan Bouthiaux.

For P2,500 per person, you and your date can experience a unique, fine dining experience straight out of a luxury French restaurant. So, what can you and your tingling taste buds expect? 

To start: Smoked salmon in foam form (and raw beef)

The course starts off with an amuse-bouche, a culinary term for a “bite-sized hors d’oeuvre” – ‘di ba appetizer lang yan?’ you may ask (like I did.)

Technically, not quite – an amuse-bouche is apparently never ordered off a menu. This complimentary starter is specially curated by the chef before a 5-course meal; a “palate-opener” on the house, if you will.

Gout De France’s takes you on a wild, gastronomical ride starting with the smoked salmon foam, green pea purée, crispy rice, and dill beef tartare starter.

Inside each teacup is a light, creamy soup that melts in your mouth like foam and surprises with smoked salmon bits inside. At the bottom of the cup is a thick green pea purée, which is all included in every spoonful.

The beef tartare is perched atop a crispy rice cracker. On the plate as well is a French gougere, a baked savory pastry made with fresh cheese. 

1st course: Sinfully buttery foie gras

Next up: seared foie gras. This soft duck liver is served with a celeriac purée, green apple tartare, and red wine jus, making it an instant, multi-layered favorite.

The rich, buttery foie gras is seared to perfection – notice how your knife silkily slices through like butter. 

The acidity of the red wine reduction helps cuts through the richness, and the green apple tartare adds some sweetness and crunch to the mix. Underneath, the celeriac purée (celeriac is a root vegetable) adds a smooth, creamy texture to the whole dish. Plus, the presentation is pretty!

2nd course: What the duck

Presenting the main entrée – a juicy duck leg confit. 

If you’ve never had duck this way before, think of it like a peking duck – just the darker meat version. 

The leg is cooked for a long period of time, which makes the meat extra tender. It’s cooked in orange jus, which explains its sweet-savory flavor. Vegetables and a light carrot purée accompany it. (You can opt for an alternative meat if you’d prefer).

3rd course: Say cheese

And what’s a meal without some cheese?

The 3rd course presents a French cheese trolley that doesn’t disappoint – an assortment of hard and soft cheeses (there’s some blue, camembert, and manchego) served on a platter with nuts and toasted baguette slices on the side.

4th course: Yay for sorbet

Sorbet, a frozen fruit dessert, is typically served after a heavy main course to clear and cleanse one’s palate.

This refreshingly cool vodka lime sorbet packs a tart punch and a kick of vodka with every spoonful. It’s also innovatively served with fragrant flower foam on top and a sweet rosemary syrup below.

Best for last: Room for dessert

The course ends with Chef Jonathan Bouthiaux’s Black Forest cake – a French version of the famous Red Ribbon cake. It’s petite in size and features freshly-baked chocolate cakes sandwiching fresh cherry cream in between. 

The mini-cake is accompanied by dark chocolate biscuits, fluffy meringue, cherries, and a scoop of homemade pistachio ice cream and nuts.

I was initially hesitant about the smaller serving sizes, but I was proven wrong – at the end of the degustation set, my tummy, tastebuds and I were perfectly satisfied. – Rappler.com

For more information, check out Anya Resort’s website and Instagram account.