Philippine Food Fest in Shangri-la’s Café Mix, Sydney
Photos: Evelyn A. Opilas
Sydney-Australia
September 28, 2018
‘Dinakdakan’, yet easy to swallow
“I steer clear of ‘dinakdakan’,” I smile impishly at my friend Doti, “but not from this one.”
We were comparing notes about the Filipino food on offer at the Philippine Food Festival 20-30 September at Shangri-La’s Café Mix, where I spotted the Ilocano specialty ‘dinakdakan’.
While ‘dinakdakan’ equates to a delightful dish in the Ilocano language hence easy to swallow, ‘dinakdakan’ in Tagalog slang translates to ceaseless chatter akin to ‘nagging’, making it unpalatable.
Left photo: Pastry chef Manny Boy Alday, executive chef Anthony Galo and chef de partie Zharin Salac of Shangri-La Makati; Right photo: Shangri-La Sydney executive chef Hemant Dadlani, Shangri-La Makati executive chef Anthony Galo and Bayanihan News editor & publisher Nonoy Perdon get acquainted at the Philippine food fest.
AGAPI members Thelma Danao, Faith Montecillo, Babes Cordoba, Vicky Tinkler, Maria Singh, Susana Agcaoili, Edna Onato, Elaine Liddle with Shangri-La Makati chefs Anthony Galo, Zharin Salac and Manny Boy Alday
But then there might be a positive aspect to ‘nagging’ when it comes to the underrated Filipino cuisine.
A Shangri-La Sydney F&B staff at the live halo-halo station
While many who have tried Filipino food attest to its merits, including celebrity chefs Nigella Lawson, Andrew Zimmern and the late Anthony Bourdain, Filipino cuisine has yet to evolve as a habitual meal of choice among the restaurant crowd – and what better opportunity to ‘nag’ the uninitiated into having a taste than at a respected establishment?
Leche flan single serves; All-time Filipino faves – turon, puto and bibingka
The ongoing Philippine food fest is the sixth such event Shangri-La Hotel Sydney has hosted in association with the Philippine Department of Tourism Sydney and Philippine Airlines – and seems to be drawing much attention, interest and patronage.
“I hope they’ll still have my favourites,” my friend Cory mused, having booked a family lunch on the food fest’s last day.
For the occasion, guest chefs from Shangri-La Hotel, Makati – executive chef Anthony Galo, chef de partie Zharin Salac, and pastry chef Manny Boy Alday – were specially flown in to showcase the diverse array of Filipino dishes for festival guests, among them members of the Association of Golden Australian Pilipinos Inc (AGAPI).
Association of Golden Australian Pilipinos Inc members Sita Castaneda, Elaine Liddle, Edna Onato, Maria Singh, Vicky Tinkler, Dorothy del Villar, Susana Agcaoili, Thelma Danao, Babes Cordoba and Faith Montecillo meet for lunch at Shangri-La Hotel Sydney.
“I had a big bowl of halo-halo,” beamed AGAPI officer Elaine Liddle of her much-loved iced fruit mix, having already savoured dishes such as sisig, lechon, pinakbet, adobo, binagoongan, paksiw na bangus and yes, dinakdakan, or sisig with pork brain served cold.
Green mangoes with shrimp paste, pickled papaya (achara) and grilled eggplant salad
“We are presenting nine main courses and 25 of everything else,” said executive chef Anthony Galo, who has worked with major kitchens in the Middle East before joining Shangri-La Makati, of what’s on offer at the food festival.
The meticulously curated menu reflects Chef Galo’s personal commitment.
“I missed the authenticity of Filipino cuisine while I was in the Middle East that I wanted to bring it back with a modern twist,” he said, thankful that Sydney had the ingredients required to produce his culinary creations.
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney’s Executive Chef Hemant Dadlani was excited to celebrate the hotel’s Philippine Food Festival as he joined Chef Galo among lunch-time guests.
Photographer Jade Cadelina and choreographer Faith Montecillo at the Philippine Food Festival – Faith taught Jade the ‘Tinikling’ years prior.
Time to face ‘dinakdakan’, the easy to swallow kind!