Pan Fried Chilean Seabass (photo by RUDY LIWANAG)

People have different opinions about what makes a great chef. Some would say that great technical skills and exhaustive training are tantamount to success. Some would argue that a great palate and a creative mind are a perfect combination. I agree with both, but I believe that the greatest weapon that a chef can have in his arsenal is his ability to access and manipulate the memories of his diners. Chef Ariel Manuel is a rare specimen who can do all of the above.

The minute that I step over the threshold of Lolo Dad’s Café, I feel a strange wave of nostalgia. It’s a mixture of remembering visits to my mother’s relatives in Manila and an imagined childhood. It’s not so far-fetched since Lolo Dad’s IS actually the ancestral house of Chef Ariel’s wife Mia and in fact, they live just above the restaurant. Talk about an old school family business. The sensation is sustained even after I step inside. Beyond the bar, with its shelves groaning under the weight of Chef Ariel’s trophies, is the dining room. It is cozy and intimate with a great view of the kitchen.

I sit down with my companions and our appetizers arrive. Now, I’ve read a lot of literature about Lolo Dad’s appetizers, especially the Duo of Foie Gras. People sing songs of praise about it and surely, it will have an epic poem written in its honor soon, but it’s not the only thing on the menu. Luckily for us, Lolo Dad’s has an appetizer sampler aptly called “All from the above”. It is a convivial platter that is meant to be shared, just like the food at home and the family reunions of yore.

I quickly dig into the Goose Liver Terrine and the Seared Duck Foie Gras. I quickly decide that I prefer the Goose Liver Terrine. It has a smoother texture and a lighter taste than the duck liver and the heavenly, flavorful fat sealed the deal. The tart cranberry compote cut through the richness of both liver dishes and the black vinegar reduction added a few high notes of sweetness. Both dishes played their symphonies on my tongue, enticing me to have more. I would have, too, if not for the memory of my mother clearing her throat to remind me that the dish is meant to be shared.

Perhaps that throat clearing meant that I should eat my vegetables, too, so I did. I don’t normally go for salads, but the Romaine Caesar Salad with Salmon Gravlax, Crispy Pancetta and Six-minute Boiled Egg was an interesting, high-end deconstruction of the classic. Instead of a Caesar Salad dressing, the components are separate and the ingredients are tonier than usual. The anchovies are replaced by the gravlax and the bacon has become pancetta. It’s what a Caesar Salad would be if it were reincarnated after being the amalgamation of Mother Teresa and Audrey Hepburn.

Before moving on to the other salads, I try the soups. The Seafood Pot-au-feu tastes so vaguely Asian that I almost look for a sour component. The Foamed Mushroom Cream Soup is a different thing entirely. Served in a demitasse and looking more like a cup of espresso, it is certainly not the canned mushroom soup that I grew up with. The foam was the very essence of mushroom. It is earthy and comforting, just like a mushroom soup should be, but its flavors are amplified ten-fold.

After that small intermission, I go back to the salads. The Mesclun Salad with Grilled Lobster Tail, Feta Cheese, Kalamata Olives, and Couscous with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette is a great take on a Greek Salad. The lobster tail is perfectly cooked and presented so well that it was almost a shame to touch it. The real winner, though, is the Dungeness Crab Salad and Soft Shell Crab Parmigiana with Mixed Salad Leaves and Horseradish Aioli. Again, I cannot help but be overcome with nostalgia here. I admit that I have a weakness for soft shell crabs, but again, I remember dishes from my childhood, like the crab cakes at a Creole joint and the tortang alimasag that we used to eat at home. The salad, with its horseradish aioli really wake up the senses with its pungent kick.

My mouth is still on fire after some time, but Lolo Dad’s famous palate cleanser, the Smoke Belcher, comes to the rescue. The raspberry sorbet is refreshing and not cloyingly sweet and it prepares my taste buds for the feast ahead.

At the table, we have a silent agreement to keep the “convivial platter” spirit alive in spite of our separate main courses. I have no complaints about this, but the moment I dig into my Seared Diver Scallops with Mushroom Ravioli in Lobster Sauce, I regret my decision. The scallops are perfectly cooked. They are so tender and so perfectly seasoned that I shut my eyes in ecstasy and curse every inferior scallop I’ve eaten before. The coral lobster sauce is so rich and so fragrant that it manages to lend its potent flavor to the scallops and the meaty portobello mushroom-filled pillows of pasta. It is as if the sea and the earth are conspiring to win me over and that, they did.

Unfortunately, I have to forfeit my plate, but my regret vanishes when I gaze upon the Roasted Beef Tenderloin on Veal Cheek Ragout with Cheese Gratinated Potatoes.

The Roasted Beef Tenderloin is again perfectly cooked and well-rested. It has a nice crust outside and a pink, tender core. Few places cook steak this well. However, as good as the tenderloin is, the veal cheeks invoke a more powerful memory. The garlicky and sweet-sour taste of the veal cheeks can’t help but remind me of another childhood favorite: beef tapa!

Then one by one, I try my companions’ main courses. The Pan Fried Chilean Seabass with Dungeness Crab Crust, Potato Puree and Tomato Cream needs no hype. The potato puree meets its crunchy match in a homemade potato chip and it becomes a very elegrant version of fish and chips. Again, we see Chef Ariel’s genius at re-imagining dishes and making them his. He does this once again with the Herb de Provence Crusted Rack of Lamb with Roquefort Cheese Risotto and Forty Melted Garlic Tomato Confit. The lamb inevitably beckons past holiday dinners and the typical rice-and-meat dinner all at once. Scoff all you want at “pedestrian” dishes, but they are the ones that truly nourish our souls and define us.

Finally, I get my hands on the Charcoal Grilled Muscovy Duck Breast with Foie Gras and Butter Scotch Pudding and Poached Pear in Saffron. Remember what I said about great technical skills? Chef Ariel has ‘em. He sure knows how to cook meat because the duck is rare enough to melt in my mouth yet it manages to retain its wild, gamy flavor. Add the classic fruit-and-foie gras combination and the circle of luxury is complete.

We are now ready for dessert and Chef Ariel has something special in store for us. He has recently created the latest addition to the Selecta Gold Series ice cream line. His contribution is a Vanilla Almond ice cream which sounds simple, but by now, we know that nothing is ever simple with Chef Ariel. He says that he wanted to create an ice cream flavor that could be used in both sweet and savory dishes and be a stand-alone dessert as well. I cannot resist dragging him along to my nostalgia trip and ask him what his favorite ice cream flavor was as a child. Without skipping a beat, he says, “Vanilla” and grins.

He brings out his finale, Vanilla Almond Ice Cream with Pastry Crust and Mango Mascarpone. It is a great combination of sweet and savory. The pastry crust, mascarpone and mangoes make a good base for the ice cream and the caramel adds a great touch of sweetness and crunch. Once again, Chef Ariel performs his magic and makes us play “This Reminds Me Of...”. In this case, I am reminded of otap ice cream sandwiches, made with otap from my dad’s trips to Cebu and Iloilo and ice cream from the local vendor! The almonds in the ice cream and the mascarpone may not exactly be from the store down the street, but the flavors are definitely suited for local palates.

I know that I won’t be eating at Lolo Dad’s every week (not unless I win the lottery), but like trips to memory lane and childhood trips to favorite restaurants, it’s something that is best enjoyed as a rare and well-deserved treat.

Lolo Dad's Cafe is located at 899 Pres. Quirino Ave. cor. Leon Guinto St., Malate, Manila.