A Taste of Japan: An Elegant Cocktail Pairing Dinner at Prologue D'FINED in Mitsukoshi BGC

An elegant and curated feast made with the freshest and finest ingredients paired with handcrafted cocktails showcased the very best of Japan in a lavish array of rich and diverse flavors that memorable evening. At  Prologue D'FINED in Mitsukoshi BGC...

In collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization or JETRO, Alyanna Uy and Executive Chef Hiroyuki Meno of Prologue in Mitsukoshi Mall BGC presented a culinary spectacle of fresh and exquisite flavors highlighting Japan's finest seafood, beef and sake for a memorable dining experience. Using premium Japanese ingredients readily available at Mitsukoshi Mall BGC, the elegant feast clearly demonstrated the infinite culinary possibilities with the vast selection of produce straight from Japan. Read on for a tasty and flavorful peek at Japan's best, one elegantly plated dish and cocktail at a time...

Long known for its classic and comforting cuisine, Prologue takes its brand a notch higher with its elevated offerings at Prologue D'FINED in Mitsukoshi BGC. And it's always about the right start. The name of the brand reflects its uncompromising commitment to the very best quality which requires making everything from scratch using only the best ingredients for real flavors to begin your culinary experience at Prologue. At Prologue D'FINED, the next level approach to flavor is meticulously and elegantly re-interpreted with a fresh perspective and purpose for comfort food, elevated. And that makes Prologue D'FINED the perfect stage to showcase the very best ingredients from Japan masterfully executed by Chef Hiroyuki Meno. 

At the helm of the kitchen at Prologue D'FINED is Executive Chef Hiroyuki Meno, whose stellar and impressive resumé and experience include stints in Michelin-starred institutions around the world. Tasked with the brand's culinary direction, Executive Chef Hiroyuki Meno brings his vast experience and mastery of classic French techniques and global cuisines to the dynamic restaurant group with a diverse menu selection. At Prologue D'FINED, Executive Chef Hiroyuki Meno raises the bar with his curated menu made with the finest ingredients. And this is where JETRO Manila steps in with its extensive offerings of Japan's very best products and ingredients transforming dishes and elevating it to a whole new flavorful and indulgent experience. 

The collaboration is a perfect match with a shared passion and commitment to quality produce. Like an artist with a blank canvas, Executive Chef Hiroyuki Meno paints his colorful palette of flavors with a variety of Japan's finest ingredients for an elegant feast paired with cocktails at Prologue D'FINED. 

That evening, Director of JETRO Manila Makoto Sudo welcomed guests to the much-anticipated Japanese feast at Prologue D'FINED in Mitsukoshi Mall BGC as glasses of Yamazakura Tokubetsu Junmai were served with its refined and subtle sweetness to tease the palate. The evening marked a celebration of indulgent Japanese culture and flavors in an elegantly seamless blend expressed in the creative renditions of Executive Chef Hiroyuki Meno. 

At the bar, Prologue D'FINED and JETRO Manila featured some of Japan's finest sake and spirits for the evening's feast. The selection is just one of many available at Mitsukoshi Mall BGC (for more on the various Japanese products and Sake selection available at Mistsukoshi BGC, see my post Bringing Love from Japan: JETRO Hosts the Nukumori Valentine's Fair at Mitsukoshi BGC).

The first cocktail for the evening signaled the start of the lavish feast at Prologue D'FINED...

...with the Atiho, a refreshing libation with Umeshu, yuzu and honey. The pronounced citrus notes of the yuzu and the deep sweetness of the honey are given a flavorful depth by the Japanese plum liquor for a light yet balanced finish to open up the palate. 

The soothing Atiho is paired with Executive Chef Hiroyuki Meno's elegantly plated Kagoshima Hamachi with succulent yellowtail carpaccio, konbujime or seaweed cured fish and ikura or fish roe. The famed bays and pristine waters of Kagoshima are well known for its abundance of prized seafood and Chef Meno recreates the fresh catch of the day with his first seafood course at Prologue D'FINED.

In true Japanese style, the ornate dish first feeds the eyes before the palate teasing the senses. And that first bite of contrasting flavors and textures reels you in for one more bite and another. 

The dish is all about clean and fresh flavors at its most elegant and purest form, with each silky smooth bite releasing a vibrant burst of briny sweetness. The dish also combines both traditional Japanese and modern culinary techniques resulting in an exceptional and perfectly executed dish. Freshness, they say is flavor and this dish is validation right from the very first bite. 

The bar then prepares the second cocktail for the evening at Prologue D'FINED, and it just keeps getting better...

The Beniotome Standard is a shochu-based cocktail with bold yet refreshing ginger hints for a unique spin on the classic Martini. With upfront flavors with each sip, the Beniotome Standard cleanses the palate with its sharp ginger notes for the next dish on the menu by Chef Meno...

...using the finest uni or sea urchin roe as its flavorful and decadent savory base. Served in a glass jar filled with smoke, opening the cap releases a fragrant aroma while revealing yet another masterful creation by Chef Meno...

The Nagasaki Maguro, Hokkaido Uni with tuna and sea urchin roe, sesame oil, yukhoe or raw beef, crisp potato frits and eggplant espuma unveils yet another colorful layer in the richness of the Japanese culinary tapestry. The luscious and indulgent blend of flavors and textures makes this dish another hit from Chef Meno's winning playbook.

It's a deceptively simple dish yet the use of the freshest and finest ingredients from the uni to the tuna and the raw beef conspire for a flavorful experience like no other. Modern touches like the espuma gives the dish a contemporary vibe and character, but it's the blend of fresh ingredients that defines the dish. 

One more bite followed by a long and soothing sip and the "spectacle" tag attached to the event becomes an apt and fitting description. And rightly so. The pure and fresh flavors from Japan's very best characterizes each intricate dish. And this is just the second course...

That last bite brings its decadently opulent finish to the palate and it suddenly hits you. Could this be the end of one of the most memorable dining experiences so far? Take another sip of the Beniotome Standard as you ponder on the next dish from Chef Meno's kitchen...

The Komasa Gin Sakurajima is then served with its deep citrus and aromatic hints from the gin base brightened up by a fresh squeeze of local calamansi to tickle the palate. Smooth and perfectly balanced, one wonders what Chef Meno has in his bag of creative and inventive tricks. 

That is soon answered by the Toyoma Amaebi, Totori Surume Ika with succulent sweet shrimp, squid, capellini, Osetra Caviar, dashi jelly and Tororo Kombu. Drawing on his vast experience in international cuisine with exceptional culinary techniques sharpened with stints in Michelin starred institutions, Chef Meno orchestrates another complex play on flavors and textures, traditional Japanese and western styles and the finest ingredients for another showstopper of a dish highlighting the very best of Japanese produce.

The thin and delicate noodles absorb all the richness from the various components of the dish, delivering a flavorful burst with each bite from the briny sweetness of the shrimps and squid kicked up by the distinct notes of the Osetra Caviar smoothened by the dashi and kombu for that final layer of flavors. 

For the fourth course, the Komasa Gin Hojicha was served warming the palate with a nutty sweetness...

...paired with the Hokkaido Hotate, Chiba Hamaguri with plump and fresh scallops and clams, French Girolle or wild winter mushroom, stuffed pumpkin flower and briny clam jus. The medley of seafood delivers both fresh and clean notes finished by a whisper of sweetness tempered by bold briny hints from the clear broth. The use of the freshest and finest ingredients clearly transforms any dish, and Chef Meno weaves all the flavors in a balanced blend.

From the first bite, the shrimps and squid combine for a delectable and flavorful duo of fresh notes. The deep earthy and nutty hints from the mushrooms and sweetness of the pumpkin flower completes another complex play on subtle, nuanced yet elegant weave of unrestrained flavors. 

The refreshingly clean finish of the cocktail spiked with hints of pepper is the next libation from the bar with the Juju Japanese Craft Gin...  

...paired with Chef Meno's sumptuous Miyagi Hirame with halibut, beurre blanc, aonori, French Trumpet, chestnuts and bamboo shoots. The classic French influence is evident in the dish with the addition of the beurre blanc for that luscious richness, but the premium halibut clearly is the undisputed star of the plate. Soft and buttery, the halibut just melts in the mouth releasing rich flavors while the fresh-baked French Trumpet absorbs the varied flavors of the dish released in a bite. 

The sweet briny hints from the aonori or seaweed and bamboo shoots adds even more subtle layers to the dish. Silky smooth and creamy, the dish drapes the palate with a delectable richness lingering long after the last bite. 

The sweet and bold character of the Okukuma with shochu and Amaretto was my personal pick of the night with just the right blend of soothing and contrasting notes. Each little sip captivates your palate and senses and soon you succumb to her scintillating charm. I'll have one more, please...

And my cocktail pick of the night is paired with the epic savory finale to a memorable dinner of Japanese flavors with the Oita Kuroge A5, the prized Japanese Wagyu Beef with smooth Katsuo Bearnaise infused with skipjack tuna, Tamari Soy Sauce which is a richer variant of soy sauce, sweet and smoky roasted onions and Autumn Truffle. Chef Meno hits it right off the ball park with this one.  

Like butter, you don't even have to use the knife to slice a tender piece with each melt-in-your-mouth bite releasing a savory richness to the palate. The supporting cast of players from the Katsuo Bearnaise, Tamari Soy Sauce, Autumn Truffle and roasted onions complete the flavors complementing the world-famous Oita Kuroge A5 Japanese Wagyu Beef. The richly marbled beef of the Japanese black cow breed rated A5 is among the world's best, as Chef Meno brings his own playfully inventive spin inspired by the ubiquitous sukiyaki staple with its blend of sweet and savory notes in one memorable dish to cap an evening of decadent Japanese flavors. 

Working with the best Japanese ingredients makes a world of difference, and Chef Meno's expertise on classic French techniques combined with the finest produce takes you on a deep dive to exquisite Japanese flavors at Prologue D'FINED. Consistent with the brand's elevated approach to flavors, the collaboration with JETRO Manila is as perfect as it can be. And more. 

The lavish feast ends on a sweet note with the Little Kiss Black Tea...

...and the sweet Warabimochi with French Black Fig, Kinako, Kuromitsu and Hoji Vanilla Ice Cream for perfect pairings from the first course all the way to the last. 

JETRO Manila's Makoto Sudo and Alyanna Uy of Prologue engaged guests after dinner for another round of good vibes. Prologue D'FINED is clearly taking comforting and classic cuisine a notch higher with the collaboration with JETRO Manila. The lavish cocktail pairing dinner by Chef Meno, designed and created to highlight the best Japanese ingredients and produce clearly succeeded in demonstrating what premium products can do in transforming your dining experience. And the best part? You can find all these ingredients at Mitsukoshi Mall BGC. Will the elegant menu be available soon at Prologue D'FINED in Mitsukoshi Mall BGC? Maybe...

In the meantime, savor the moment with another round of Okukuma. And keep it coming...

Prologue D'FINED is located at Ground Floor of Mitsukoshi Mall, BGC, Taguig City. You may call 0927 322 5052 for inquiries or reservations. You can also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/prologue.ph/ for more updates and information. 

Dude for Food is now on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, check out these social media accounts for regular updates on good eats. Better yet, click "Like" and "Follow" and enjoy the ride...just look for the FB and IG widgets on the right sidebar.