Return to the 1920s with Serbesa MNL’s Prohibited

On November 26, Serbesa MNL showcases Prohibited, a 1920s Masquerade Degustation Dinner event at Artelano 11, a heritage house tucked in the heart of the bustling city of Pasay that arouses your aesthetic senses with several designer pieces and furniture created by various artists, all curated by interior designer and Artelano owner Eric Paras. The theme revolves around New York and its five boroughs. There will be craft cocktails paired with a seven-course degustation inspired by music and music icons of the past.

Both the food and beverage are a product of 23-year-old Jazelle Carandang, a graduate of the American Hospitality Academy and a former sous chef of the esteemed Spanish restaurant Rambla. She is the one-woman army that fuels the creativity behind Serbesa MNL. “My mission is to make the ordinary extraordinary. I do get inspired by the mundane stuff, the stuff that has always been there but we fail to notice. I rarely use stuff that only the “one percent” population know about. It’s easy to wow someone with stuff that they are not familiar with. When you amaze someone with stuff they often see, that’s an achievement, in my opinion.”

Here’s a taste of things to tickle your palate at Prohibited:

First course

Pink Panther – A refreshing starter concoction of Four Seasons with a bitter-sour interplay between the dry white wine, calamansi syrup, and white rum infusion of cilantro, mint and kamias, inspired by the theme “Pink Panther.”

Plato Medio – Toasted flour taco wraps with hummus and roasted eggplant purée dips, as well as your choice of green olives. This introductory platter teases the appetite.

Second course

The Prince of Peach – Paying homage to Prince and his song “Peach,” this suave but high-spirited cocktail is a delectable blend of vodka, peach juice, Four Seasons, rosemary and black tea syrup, and dry white wine garnished with black tea leaves. Its royal taste elevates your senses with sophistication.

Squash and Jalapeño poppers – This squash blossom filled with kesong puti, mozzarella, cream cheese and jalapeño bits is deep fried to a crunchy perfection that will leave you craving more.

Third course

Golden Age – The Golden Age cocktail was born from Jazelle’s dream that was imperative for her to create—as the Eurythmics sing, “Sweet dreams are made of these.” She added gold luster dust for the fantastic sparkle and combined mango juice, peach juice, vodka, rosemary, and tea syrup with cinnamon nutmeg syrup. My favorite drink hands down. It is a beauty, and who am I to disagree?

Cerdo Tostada – Simmered in olive oil for three hours with lime, parsley, and cinnamon, the pork belly confit is toasted until crispy and prepared with spiced pear chutney, crispy kamote chips, paprika, and habanero lime glaze. It is a fitting dish to punctuate the night on a high note.

Fourth course

Posh Spice – Inspired by Victoria Beckham (aka Posh Spice of the Spice Girls), this drink makes for a captivating culmination of cocktails, what with its festive feel of spiced rum with cinnamon nutmeg syrup, apple juice, and egg whites (reminiscent of eggnog) garnished with apple slices, cinnamon bark, and star anise. It is a lavish drink with a perky flavor.

Picarones – Composed of orange sweet potatoes and roasted bananas highlighted with a calamansi glaze, and spiced chocolate sauce as well as cinnamon sugar and lime zest, this dessert is heavy despite its small portion.

Serbesa spilled a few more of its secrets for the Prohibited degustation, such as the Purple Rain cocktail (made with an ube liqueur, lavender syrup, vodka, and ginger ale) partnered with tuna tataki with cilantro dragonfruit salsa and ponzu glaze. As for the rest, you’ll have to see for yourself.

To guarantee the warm and intimate speakeasy vibe of the location, Prohibited is only available to a limited number of guests. Dress to the nines, drink up, and unwind at this unusual party for those with discriminating taste in both food and art.

Call Serbesa MNL at (0916) 636-8238 or email serbesaph@yahoo.com for reservations. Also, watch out for the Serbesa MNL collaboration with Kendo Creative at Cubao X on December 2!

Read Why You Should Watch Out for Serbesa MNL’s Next Pop-Up Event

Photos by Star Sabroso