Less talk, less everything—in this fine-dining restaurant, food is the main attraction
This is an excerpt from MEGA’s April 2024 Dining
Along the 26th street in Bonifacio Global City is a nondescript glass door that has “Taupe” as the largest word written on it. Its irenic facade may be easy to miss, especially that it lounges alongside the humming restaurants and cafes in the vicinity. But the geniality this entryway evokes is a precursor of the experience to come. We say, in this case, do judge the place by its exterior.
The fulfillment of Chef Francis Tolentino’s years-long ambition, Taupe is the dining version of “quiet luxury.” While those words have somehow lost their meaning in fashion due to over-usage, in the Philippine dining scene, however, the concept holds strong merit.
In recent memory, there have been arguments about restaurants that offer tasting menus (Taupe offers eight-course or ten-course menus, with the option to add cocktail pairing, concocted by mixologist Radge Egar).
For some, the pedagogic introduction to the dishes and the environment itself may seem too busy or lofty; for others, it’s a welcome reminder of our heritage, and the skills and passion of the people making it. Within this polarizing discourse, Taupe may have found the perfect balance.
AROUND THE PHILIPPINES
Dining at Taupe, which is named after Tolentino’s favorite color, is like taking an unhurried and enlightening trip around the Philippines, where many of the restaurant’s ingredients are sourced. But, while such is the case, it would also only take seconds upon entering to know that whoever birthed the ideas for this place is an avid world traveler: Guests are promptly welcomed in by a modern, cozy bar that stands beside a prominent staircase with recessed lights—which leads to a visible wine cellar. The marble dining tables and chairs as soft as suede, all in neutral shades, are illuminated by white, pendant lights.
On the end corner of the restaurant, atop a few steps, is the pass—a widely open one—where guests can marvel, in full view, the well-rehearsed dance happening in the kitchen. Then, in that same place, items in black wooden crates will catch anyone’s attention: It’s a collection of different kinds of locally made artisanal salt. This place, in essence, is a reflection of Chef Francis Tolentino’s journey.
Discover more about Taupe’s take on quite luxury dining in MEGA’s April 2024 issue, now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Creative Direction JONES PALTENG. Photographed by KIERAN PUNAY of KLIQ.INC.
