The lush flavors of Italy and the Philippines

VENCHI, the Italian brand of chocolate and gelato which arrived in the Philippines late last year, has presented six pairings that each feature a Venchi chocolate creation and a Filipino dish that it complements.

Founded by Silviano Venchi in 1878, the brand has been going on a world tour to prove how flavors of different origins can make up a unique cross-cultural assemblage. Leading the tour is Giovanni Battista (GB) Mantelli, the chocolatier descendant of the original Mr. Venchi and now the brand’s main ambassador.

While Venchi only has two stores in the Philippines — at Central Square in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and The Podium in Ortigas — they are hoping to open more and connect with Filipinos, according to Mr. Mantelli.

“We want to be part of Filipino celebrations and everyday indulgences,” he said at the tasting event. “That’s why we’re here to connect your soul food with our chocolate.”

ANY TIME OF DAYAt M Dining + Bar in Makati City on April 1, the lights shone brightly at the restaurant to start off and welcome guests to the first mini meal of the day: brunch.

It was a sweet start for this writer, used to brunch being a savory affair, but the smooth Cremino 1878 is undeniably scrumptious. The silky taho and caramelized arnibal (brown sugar syrup) enhanced its hazelnut notes, while various kakanin (rice cakes) like puto, sapin-sapin, and kutsinta on the plate highlighted its nutty quality. A cocktail blending Don Papa Rum with earl grey-coconut soda served as a refreshing finish.

Other courses were a hit-or-miss, like the lunch course presenting coconut-based gising-gising with salted duck egg on the side: simply too strong for the Venchi pistachio chocolate to make its mark. It only stood out with the paired drink, the pineapple-and-lemon Don Papa Masskara with a dash of siling labuyo.

The afternoon snack or merienda was another miss — the manggang hilaw with bagoong (green mango with shrimp paste) was way too overpowering for the luxurious Chocoviar Arancia, which deserved its own time in the sun.

What quickly rose above as the best course was the appetizer course, brought in with the lights in the restaurant dimmed a bit to signal the late afternoon. The plate presented crispy chicharon with spiced vinegar on the side, pili nuts sprinkled around to add extra sweetness and crunch. Venchi’s Nougatine, one of its more famous chocolates blended as 60% dark chocolate with hazelnut crumbs, rounded out each element perfectly. The Don Papa ube macapuno (a coconut that developed abnormally; resulting in a juicy, wet, mush) lowball was a subtle complement to the course.

The lights dimmed even further to mimic nighttime, and grilled liempo and spicy laing (taro leaves cooked in coconut milk) came in for dinner. Already heavy and delicious on their own, the mini meal was topped off with Venchi’s Chocoviar 75%, providing a bitter profile to add sophistication to the experience.

Finally, the late-night cocktail closed the day out with toasted barquillos and latik, mixing crispy texture and caramelized sweetness. The chosen Venchi chocolate to pair with this was the Espresso Caffe, a 75% dark chocolate with arabica coffee notes. The Don Papa Rum with sweet vermouth cocktail was a strong finish.

“We hope we were able to show you that chocolate is perfect at any time of day,” Mr. Mantelli concluded.

Venchi stores are located in Central Square in BGC, Taguig City, and The Podium in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City. The brand was brought here by Good Eats by SSI, also the franchise holder of Salad Stop! and Shake Shack. — Brontë H. Lacsamana