You know how we are always told to “save room for dessert” when having a multi-course dinner? Well, in this steakhouse, dessert gets all the room it needs in the tummy as the sweet ending comes at the beginning during its special backward four-course dinner.
Every Thursday, Marriott Hotel’s Cru Steakhouse offers the “Upside Down Dinner” to adventurous guests willing to try a “normal set dinner presented in a different way.”
How different, you asked?
Upon entering the acclaimed restaurant, servers greet guests not with a “Welcome” but with a “Thank you, for dining with us.” They will then be led to a disheveled table—as in utensils and napkins in disarray—which looks like it was already used. But not; everything is clean.
Diners will be presented with a farewell gift and their bill, which they need to settle first, then they will be asked if they would like coffee or tea.
If this is already confusing or exciting, diners are up for more experience in reverse as food comes out of the kitchen.
The first course is dessert: the Noisette Exotique, a dome-shaped hazelnut dacquoise with almond lemon crumble, praliné noisette mousse, yuzu crémeux, and orange passion compote covered with yellow exotic glacage and served with raspberries, strawberries, and mango bits, adding bright citrus flavors to the sweet treat.
In an interview with Manila Standard, Cru’s senior executive sous chef Rej Casanova said the dessert is served in such a way that it looks like a salad what with all the colors and the presentation.
After a generous serving of dessert, the next course is grilled Rosemary Crusted US Angus Beef Tenderloin served with potato puree, brown butter glazed vegetables, and pink peppercorn sauce. The serving of the meat comes at 180 grams, filling enough for a main course but diners still have ample space for the next two.
The non-meat alternative is a succulent barramundi fish.
Next is soup course—the Tomato Espresso served in an espresso cup complete with a frothy top. The light, warm, and sourness of the soup blends well with the flavorful, creamy and nutty Gruyere pudding toast served on the side.
“If you’re still missing the carbs, Cru’s signature bread in tomato, spinach, and parmesan with herb butter and Davao cheese spread is served with the soup,” said Chef Rej.
For the last course, an appetizer will be served. The Crab and Apple Salad is a bite-size savory dish made of organic cherry tomatoes slow-cooked in the oven for two to three hours—infused with olive oil, herbs, and spices—stuffed with rich and creamy crab salad and pine nut gremolata, and served on a honeycomb-shaped layer of avocado mousseline and crème fraiche.
The dinner ends when the server introduces themselves to the guests.
And in true backwards dinner experience fashion, Chef Rej said he sometimes goes out of the kitchen to ask diners: “Food your was how?” (How was your food in reverse).
“When guests hear it, they sometimes think it’s French or Italian. They look confused and ask me whether I’m from a different country,” he shared.
The bizarre dining concept, according to the hotel’s executive chef Meik Brammer was inspired by the same concept done in several restaurants in Germany. But Chef Rej told Manila Standard Cru’s Upside Down Dinner took four to five years of planning and testing before it was officially rolled out on July 4.
“We had to consult with other departments. There was a lot of questions raised, whether doing it was worth it or how the guests will react to it, so we needed to justify it,” he related.
But after years of planning and a series of food tasting and product testing (down to the right cream to use and the ratio of sweetening agent), they finally came up with the aforementioned menu and a “real upside down dinner.”
Chef Rej said the first two-week run of the dinner had been successful.
“They (diners) were very surprised that something like this concept can be done,” he enthused. “When the dessert came to their table they wondered whether they made the right decision, but in the end, they said they were happy.”
“All tests and discussions prior to launching it,” Chef Rej said, “paid off.”
Cru Steakhouse’s Upside Down Dinner is available every Thursday until December for P2,800 nett. Prior reservation is required. Call (02) 988-9999 or go to www.manilamarriott.com.