Solaire unveils its latest partnership with one of the country’s most sought-after chocolatiers, Auro Chocolate, in a one-night exclusive degustation dinner entitled “Chocolate Harvest: Farm-to-Table Degustation”. Happening on April 28, 2022, at the luxury resort’s Finestra Italian Steakhouse, guests can witness Italian heritage and Filipino excellence come together to champion sustainability and elevate communities.
The event features a 6-course menu with dishes rooted in classic Italian cuisine infused with fine Filipino-made chocolate. Chef Alan Marchetti draws inspiration from his home country and pushes the boundaries of the conventional by experimenting with the familiar and the new
The 6-course menu features different parts of the cacao, rendering distinct taste notes and mouthfeel. The first starter is an earthy but refreshing tuna ceviche with tinges of pleasant cacao’s astringency and spice for an added bite, while the second is an ox tail vaccinara that brings the Romans’ vivid history to the attention by pairing meat with fresh and piney nuances.
The pasta course presents a luxury pairing that will entice your senses to lean in for a closer look. An explosion of overwhelming depths of flavors from foie gras, chocolate, and porcini will envelop you in a tender balance of sweet and savory punctuated by a delicate nuttiness that lingers.
The fish course is gently infused with hints of cacao for a subtle tone of sweet vanilla complemented by a mild earthiness from the bed of puree it is laid on. The next is a lamb tenderloin cooked at a precise temperature while immersed in the dense silkiness of cocoa butter. To end the meal, a dessert trio of chocolate exuberance made from different Auro chocolates will delight you with a myriad of taste combinations that will set the fireworks alight.
The new partnership between two of the country’s leading brands was initiated by Solaire’s Vice President for Culinary, Chef Michael Dinges, a staunch sustainability advocate who puts emphasis on farm-to-table practices as a means to support local farms.
Aside from the culinary treat, Solaire’s Finestra also officially introduces its newest signature retail chocolates crafted in collaboration with Auro Chocolate. These exclusive and limited-edition chocolate bars come in three decadent flavors and cocoa percentages: Olive Oil and Sea Salt (64% Dark Chocolate), Hazelnut and Mango (42% Milk Chocolate), and Calamansi and Basil (32% White Chocolate).
