Sofitel’s Spiral, reborn

Maybe it was the lone dessert on the tray she was holding, or the fact that I spied a little balloon-like thing on it that made me motion for the roving lady server, so chic in her cream-and-brown Rajo Laurel-designed uniform, to come to our table yesterday.   “Would you like some?” she asked.

  I nodded and she placed the little glass on my table, explaining that it was a rum cake with edible gold on top. “You can press this to inject the rum,” she said. My dining companions and I ooohed as we surveyed the little dessert, which went well with the freshly brewed coffee laid on our table.   It’s the little details like these that make the six-year-old Spiral, the flagship restaurant of Sofitel Philippine Plaza, interesting.   And with the much-touted investment in the restaurant’s redesign – over P500 million, or about $11 million, we were told – there is indeed much buzz about the reborn Spiral, set to open its doors to the public on November 7.   “We are proud to announce the rebirth of Spiral which is set to revolutionize the art of interactive dining. This has never been seen before in Asia-Pacific and it can be found right here in Manila,” said Goran Aleks, Sofitel Philippine Plaza general manager.   The multimillion peso investment resulted from the extensive repairs that had to be done after waist-deep floods from Typhoon Pedring ruined the restaurant in 2011. Spiral has been closed since September 27, 2011, and is scheduled for a soft opening on or before October 30 this year.   Around P210 million alone was spent on the property’s protection. An international consultant on flood control was contracted, and a 0.9-meter high retaining wall was built as perimeter defense. The drainage system was also improved, and a 100-meter long trench was constructed to divert the water back to Manila Bay in case of repeat floods. “We put systems in place to protect the property for the safety and security of guests,” Aleks said during a press conference Tuesday at the hotel right beside Manila Bay. With the protective systems in place, Spiral was then redesigned. The Japan-based Design Studio Spin’s concept brings the ambience and warmth of French markets and Asian hawker stalls into a five-star hotel setting.   And to reclaim the 400-seater Spiral’s premier post in Manila’s hotel buffet world, the restaurant will now offer 21 food stations that it calls dining ateliers. These will give diners a wide range of cuisines and food items to feast on, whether it’s xiao long bao or chicken tandoori, foie gras or tom yum soup, or Gruyere cheese and some wine.   “The 21 dining ateliers of the new Spiral reflect the best of the world’s cuisines in one magnificent destination. It is Sofitel’s vision to showcase not only the best of French culinary heritage but also combine it with the best of Eastern, Western and Filipino cuisine, produce and artistry,” said Aleks.   ‘No chafing dish’   “See, there are no chafing dishes here,” explained the food and beverage manager as we went around. “It’s a la minute buffet. Everything is done before you,” he added.   Indeed, we spied the master chefs and their staff preparing the sushi, foie gras canapés, shrimp tempura, prawn cakes, noodles, and the desserts right before our eyes. It’s like we’re walking into the kitchens ourselves. As Aleks explained at the press conference, “I said, ‘Let’s bring the back of the kitchen in the restaurant.’” Credit goes to executive chef Eric Costille and his team of master chefs for coming up with the menu and the food. Aleks said the chefs were sent abroad for three months to do research and “discover street food in Hong Kong, the best tandoori in India, the best tom yum in Thailand. They had to go into detail and bring the original to the Philippines.”   The details are also in the interior design, from the capiz chandeliers and tiles from France to the glass windows at the Parisian-styled La Veranda bar, which allows one to have a drink while looking out onto the famous Manila sunset by the bay, or the moonlit sky.   All these new features come with a price, naturally, so how much does it cost? “About P200 to P300 more than the per head rate before,” the food and beverage manager said. He quickly explained that they do not want to increase the rate too much, because they want people to come back.   Knowing Pinoys though, and their love for eating and dining at the newest place in town, the reborn Spiral won’t lack for guests, whether it’s a sunny day or a rainy night. – YA, GMA News Restaurant photos courtesy of Sofitel Philippine Plaza