Have you ever tried seafood broth for caldereta? Or perhaps fried fish adobo? ¡Que horror! You exclaim in disbelief, shaking your head at the travesty. But the beef caldereta and the chicken or pork or chicken-and-pork adobo that have become synonymous to Filipino cuisine trace their history to Spanish cooking. In Spain, they traditionally used seafood broth for caldereta, which comes from the word caldo or broth while their adobo, which comes from the word adobar or to marinate, uses chunks of fried fish – and with no soy sauce and laurel leaves, too.
Filipinos have imbibed Spanish cuisine, thanks to 333 years of occupation that began in the 16th century, and have localized these transplanted dishes long before fusion became a dining scene buzzword.
“It would be very painful for me if other Asian neighbors take the lead when it comes to Spanish cuisine, given that we have more than 300 years of shared history,” said ¡Oye! owner Andrew Masigan of The Advent Hospitality Group.
Masigan had two objectives in mind in creating Oye’s menu – to reintroduce traditional Spanish dishes and to launch modern tapas to Metro Manila diners who have become weary of the ubiquitous patatas bravas, croquetas de jamon and gambas al ajillo.
“We are trying to straighten the flavors of traditional Spanish dishes. It can be jarring for most diners – going back to the original recipe, that is – that is why we also provide explanations in our menu,” he said.
Oye’s callos, for example, is done Galetian style with only tripes, chorizo, and pimenton as ingredients, cooked in beef broth that takes two days to prepare.
Masigan added, “Traditional tapas remain at the heart of Oye. But we are pushing the boundaries and bringing in modern tapas that are part of the new wave of tapas in Northern Spain.”
Oye’s Basque head chef, Joseba Sola, who has worked with three-Michelin star chef Ferran Adria and two-Michelin star chef Paco Roncero, takes care of the modern tapas.
There’s the Huevo Trufado con Patatas y Jamon – a foamed truffled egg topped with potato sticks and bits of ham; the must-try Callamares Pollenos de Chorizo – baby squid stuffed with Oye’s homemade chorizo that cleverly combines squid ink and Spanish honey as drizzle; Solomillo a la Brasa – sirloin steak with the option to order either the very tender beef from Cagayan de Oro or authentic Argentinian beef; and the playful Steak Tartare con Hellado de Mostaza – the combination of the Spanish mustard ice cream, which is lighter in flavor than the American mustard variety, and the parmesan crisp is the perfect foil to the raw steak.
“We are focused on new techniques to create modern flavors and textures,” said the 33-year-old Sola.
Sola pointed to Adria, Barcelona’s most famous Catalan chef, as having started the Spanish cuisine insurrection, changing the basic characteristics of food to result in modern textures and intense flavors.
“He was a real game changer. He started experimenting and was at the center of the molecular gastronomy movement,” Sola said, who, together with traditional Spanish cuisine expert chef Juan Mortel and Filipino chef Tanya Dizon, complete Oye’s gastronomic troika.
Oye may have opened only in mid-December at Uptown Mall in Bonifacio Global City, but it has already gained a steady following. On the day that I tried some of its best-selling tapas, most of the restaurant’s clients – including one table that consisted of certified ladies who lunch – stayed for more at least two hours for their leisurely lunch.
“In a way, what we are doing is a bit revolutionary,” said Masigan, whose genius has also brought to life the likes of XO46 Heritage Bistro and Arroz Ecija. “But I believe that if our food is good, people will keep on coming back.”
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