After our eight-course dinner at our 65th Michelin Date at Michelin Selected Taupe, the handsome hubby and I left completely aligned. We think this restaurant is a strong Michelin star contender.
We’re not chefs, nor are we qualified to dissect technique like professionals. We’re simply passionate foodies who come for the full sensory experience: beautiful food, captivating ambiance, thoughtful service, and, above all, flavors and textures that make us sit up and take notice.
Plating may set the stage, but the first bite is where the verdict begins.
And Taupe had our attention from the moment we walked through the door.
We were warmly welcomed and seated at the kitchen counter, our favorite vantage point for watching the culinary magic unfold. Our server Julian introduced himself, followed by Alia, who guided us through each course and its story.
And what a story it was.
8 Course Menu : The Elements
AMUSE BOUCHE
Three whimsical bites representing air, water, and fire opened the evening.
GUYABANO CLOUD TART
Sweet Potato Tart, Guyabano Espuma
A delicate little cloud of local flavors. The airy guyabano espuma made this a beautiful expression of air : light, ethereal and almost weightless.
PRAWN BUTTER BRIOCHE
Lemongrass Brioche, Fresh Local River Prawn, Custard Butter
Fragrant lemongrass brioche, luscious custard butter and fresh river prawn. Asian flavors wrapped in a buttery, pillowy bite : water with depth and character.
Then came fire.
BEEF TACOS
Beef Jerky Tartare, Beef Fat Emulsion, Picillo Pepper, Kombu Ash
Tiny but mighty. Dehydrated beef jerky tartare met rich beef-fat emulsion, Picillo pepper and smoky kombu ash. Deeply savory, smoky and unapologetically beefy.
BLUE CRAB ICE CREAM SANDWICH
Now this was fun.
Imagine crispy chicken skin transformed into the “bread” of a sandwich, enveloping blue crab, mango gel, Osetra caviar and cold-smoked roe. Sweet, savory, briny and wonderfully textural.
The crackle of the chicken skin against the delicate crab filling? Pure genius.
WET-AGED HAMACHI
Fresh Longan, Calamansi Snow, Avocado Purée, Fermented Daikon
Delicate wet-aged hamachi met sweet longan, creamy avocado and fermented daikon.
But the magic happened tableside. Alia sprinkled calamansi snow over the entire ensemble, and as the icy citrus melted, it gently coated every piece of hamachi, bringing a beautiful dance of sweetness and acidity to each bite.
So good!
A clever showcase of Filipino ingredients in a contemporary frame, without losing their soul.
WINTER MELON SALAD
Winter Melon Spaghetti, Kaong, Fragrant Pear, Onion Butter, Peach Granita, Lambanog-Infused Salmon Roe, Onion Tuile, Yuzu Cotton Candy
This was no ordinary salad.
First, we had to break through a cloud of yuzu cotton candy to reach the winter melon spaghetti beneath, then mix everything together.
And what a revelation.
Sweet, savory, tangy, creamy, crunchy and icy—all dancing across the palate. Maximalism with purpose, where every element had a role in the orchestra.
HOKKAIDO SCALLOPS & CORN
This was one of those dishes where earth and fire seemed to be having a very delicious conversation. The Hokkaido scallop is first cured in kombu, then smoked and grilled, giving it this lovely depth without losing its natural sweetness. It sits on a silky crab flan, while the burnt coconut-corn cappuccino brings an almost nostalgic sweetness, but with a smoky, savory edge.
The result? Sweet, smoky, creamy, briny—and beautifully layered.
SMOKED IBERICO SKEWERS
Grilled Iberico Pluma, Sugar Cane Skewers, Pear Salsa
Tender Iberico pluma kissed with smoke and char, playfully skewered on sugar cane and brightened by pear salsa.
Richness meets freshness, with texture taking center stage once again.
PALATE CLEANSER: 24K MAGIC
Fermented Guava Soft Gel, Lime Pandan Syrup, Edible Gold Dust
A sparkling little reset of fermented guava, lime and pandan, dusted with edible gold.
24K Magic—pretty, refreshing and exactly what the palate needed before the grand finale.
A5 WAGYU BALBACUA
Grilled Dry-Aged A5 Wagyu Ribeye, Kombu Ash & White Corn Pasta Blanket, Kadyos Purée, Beef Tendon Demi Sauce
The A5 Wagyu ribeye was rich, beautifully marbled and grilled to perfection. But Taupe didn’t simply let the wagyu bask in its own glory.
It was wrapped in a kombu ash and white corn pasta blanket, accompanied by kadyos purée and beef tendon demi sauce : Filipino flavors given a sophisticated new wardrobe.
The wagyu was pure indulgence; the kadyos and tendon demi brought earthy, savory depth.
BURNT BRAZO
Local Passion Fruit, Calamansi, Vanilla Egg Custard, Charcoal-Burnt Italian Meringue
A Filipino classic with a modern flourish.
Creamy vanilla custard and Italian meringue kissed by charcoal met the bright acidity of local passion fruit and calamansi.
Creamy, tangy, smoky and sweet, with citrus keeping the whole affair beautifully balanced.
CHOCOLATE & PISTACHIO ENTREMET
Pistachio Butter, Sponge Cake, Black Sesame Dark Chocolate, Raspberry, Mushroom
And finally, a little plot twist.
Pistachio butter, sponge cake and black sesame dark chocolate met raspberry and an unexpected earthy note of mushroom.
Nutty, bitter, fruity and earthy …a sophisticated finale that left us pleasantly intrigued.
On its way to Michelin Star?
The handsome hubby and I think that Taupe is a strong contender.
After eight courses, we walked away with the same feeling: Taupe has the makings of a Michelin-worthy experience.
The menu was inventive without being gimmicky. Local ingredients were given the spotlight. Flavors were layered, textures thoughtfully contrasted, and every plate seemed to have a story to tell.
Add attentive service, the intimate kitchen-counter experience and Alia’s thoughtful storytelling, and dinner became more than a meal…it became a multi-sensory journey.
Because for us, Michelin isn’t just about what lands on the plate. It’s about the food, craft, service, setting, and that elusive feeling that you’ve experienced something truly special.
Taupe gave us exactly that.
Fearless forecast? We’re watching closely.
Could Taupe be our next Michelin star?
Let’s wait and see on October 29…
