FOREMOST restaurateur Colin Mackay did another exceptional job yet again when he prepared the lunch for visiting scion Benoit Louis Vuitton last Monday at his Sala restaurant on Makati Avenue.

 

How do you suitably feed a Louis Vuitton heir, whose name has become a brand of luxury and sophistication?

 

Colin made everything simple, stark yet elegant—a table setting in black, crystal and spare blooms, and a menu that was sumptuous yet fresh and refreshing. Nothing pretentious or trying too hard.

 

Appetizer was seared scallop with Shimeji mushrooms and Jerusalem artichoke veloute. Then came a medallion of duck foie gras, parsnip puree and spiced sauteed apples, followed by a plate of blue swimmer crab, sweet shrimp, fennel and trout caviar spaghettini.

 

These were all in small portions so that the diner left room for the main course. It was a choice of ocean trout or Wagyu beef flank tagliata. The ocean trout came with beetroot carpaccio and horseradish potatoes; the beef with confited tomatoes, rocket and pangritata.

 

Dessert was strawberry, white chocolate and macadamia brittle semifreddo, passionfruit and rhubarb sorbet.

 

After lunch, the guest of honor stood up from the table with a wide smile on his face. Clearly, he was beginning to feel at home. His work done, it was also Colin’s turn to smile at us from the kitchen.