Good food, according to August Escoffier, is the foundation of genuine happiness. And people who love to eat are always the best people. Just ask Julia Child. And when you think of elegant cuisine, the rich culinary heritage of France always comes top of mind. Last March 21, the world came together once more to celebrate the storied richness of French cuisine with Gout de France...
The global culinary event, Gout de France, celebrated its fifth edition last March 21 with some of the country's finest chefs and restaurants creating their own French-inspired menu. The Grand Dame by the bay, The Manila Hotel, weaves its own flavorful layer to the celebration with its Good France Menu at the Champagne Room...
And when dinner is at The Manila Hotel, one can already assume it will be very special. As the sun gently sets on the distant horizon, the calm waters of Manila Bay are draped in a colorful palette of rich hues...
...setting the stage for another spectacular sunset...
...framed perfectly at The Manila Hotel's pool deck (for more on the fabled Grand Dame by the bay, see my earlier posts, Experience History at The Manila Hotel on the hotel's rich heritage, The Manila Hotel's MacArthur Suite featuring the historic accommodations of one of the Grand Dame's famous residents and Sunset at Manila Hotel from its scenic pool deck). Think of it as a pre-dinner show, which happens daily at The Manila Hotel. The Manila Hotel is then illuminated for the graceful transition to evening, and it glows brightest at the Champagne Room.
The elegant silver and crystal palm trees and ornate tasseled ceiling fixtures exude refined and tasteful opulence as The Grand Dame by the Bay's luxurious Champagne Room continues decades of tradition. That evening, the Champagne Room becomes the perfect stage for a Five-Course French dinner for the 5th edition of Gout de France... 
First launched by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs back in 2015 immediately following the inclusion of the "Gastronomic Meal of the French" in the UNESCO World Intangible Heritage List, the biggest French dinner in the world is celebrated once more on March 21 in the Philippines and the rest of the world for its sumptuous fifth edition. Gout de France aims to celebrate French cuisine, showcasing its rich traditions, values and heritage with a global gastronomic dinner held on the said date all over the world. In the Philippines, the worldwide event is joined by 26 noted chefs and institutions with their own French-inspired creations (for a complete list of participants, check out the link, https://ph.ambafrance.org/5th-edition-of-Gout-de-France-Good-France-in-the-Philippines). Each participating chef will serve a traditional French menu including a starter, main course, cheeses and dessert paired with French wine. The Manila Hotel joins the global celebration of French cuisine with its lavish Good France Menu at the Champagne Room, and Executive Chef Konrad Walter signals his culinary team to fire up the kitchen...
Over at the different stations, chefs begin to prep the special dishes for the Good France Menu. The foie gras is pulled out and delicately sliced for the foie gras sauce in one of the five dishes for the evening's special French menu (R) while the dessert plates are given the final creative touch (L). 
The scallops are gently seared (L) as Executive Chef Konrad Walter inspects the cheeses for the dinner service (R). Precision and timing, the kitchen at Champagne Room hums like a well-oiled engine efficiently expediting orders for the dinner service. Executive Chef Konrad Walter inspects each and every dish... 
...before being served. Like the Grand Dame, the Champagne Room has seen its own memorable and historic moments through the years, not to mention the countless wedding proposals. As the kitchen served other dishes from the menu, our Gout de France experience at the Champagne Room was about to begin...
The Good France Menu at Champagne Room starts with an elegant amuse bouche...
...of fresh tuna with avocado mousse served in a shooter. Fresh, clean and uncluttered flavors, it's a tasty preview of even more tasty dishes yet to come.
Our first course was then served, a refreshing salad dish of Beetroot-Marinated Salmon with Goat Cheese Mousse in Lemon-Olive Oil Dressing paired with Ampelidae, Marigny Neuf Organic Sauvignon Blanc...
...with the subtle sweetness of garden fresh greens complemented by the clean briny notes of beetroot marinated salmon and the richness of the feta cheese mousse perfectly finished by the light yet vibrant hints of the lemon-olive oil dressing. A sip of the crisp Sauvignon Blanc completes the flavors. The fresh cherry tomatoes add a layer of tartness to the dish, tempering the richness of the salmon.
The second course, an elegantly plated dish of Pan-Seared Scallops on White Asparagus with Foie Gras Sauce paired with Joseph Drouhin Organic Macon Lugny is another masterfully plated dish highlighting bold layers of fresh and rich notes. From the subtle sweetness of the white asparagus and the bold briny flavors of the succulent scallops, the dish becomes even more indulgent with the foie gras sauce adding its distinct nutty and earthy notes. Topped with fresh microgreens adding both texture and flavor, the second course perfectly captures the style of French cuisine with the use of the freshest ingredients and layer upon layer of unrestrained richness that only the French do so well.
For the main course, the Roast Rack of Lamb Vert Pre with Rosemary Jus, Garlic Confit, Gratin of Potato Puree paired with Chateau La Gamaye, Cotes de Blaye was served next. Slow roasted for hours, the lamb was perfectly fork-tender, delivering a savory richness with every bite punctuated by the woodsy notes of rosemary for balanced flavors. The gently poached cherry tomatoes, potato gratin and garlic confit add their own unique notes in a colorful plated palette of flavors. The deep and bold notes of the robust red wine completes the dish.
In true French style, a platter with a Selection of French Cheese was also served to complete the French experience at the Champagne Room. In a country where there are well over 400 different types of cheese, with as many varieties within each type or category leading many to believe that at least an even thousand is a more accurate count, there has to be cheese in the special Gout de France menu. And the Champagne Room indulges you with the finest French cheeses.
The indulgent Gateau au Chocolat, Fresh Raspberries and Vanilla Sauce served with Clarendelle Amberwine caps our French-inspired Gout de France dinner at The Champagne Room. The deep rounded notes of the luscious chocolate, the fresh and tart flavors of the raspberries and the sinful richness of the vanilla sauce, each one contrasting notes coming together for that perfect finish. The masterfully prepared dinner, exquisite service and the luxurious vibe at The Champagne Room combine for a memorable dining experience. The is, after all, the Champagne Room.
The Champagne Room's Good France Menu is available for dinner from March 21 to 31, 2019 for P 3,100++ (additional P 1,500 net with wine pairing). Bon appetit!
The Champagne Room is located at the Lobby Level of The Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, Manila or call +632 527-5348 for inquiries and reservations.
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