Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest After a successful first collaboration, Gallery by Chele and Run Rabbit Run held another fun-filled food and drink pairing adventure, this time at RRR’s home court in Poblacion with ‘Chele and the Kingdom of Cocktails.’ “Run Rabbit Run is known for pushing the limits of the local cocktail scene and Gallery Chele, on the other hand, is known for pushing the gastronomical dining experience here in the Philippines,” shares Michael Hearn, co-owner of Run Rabbit Run. “When we first started talking about a collaboration, we all got super excited because we were all on the same wavelength. We were willing to try things and experiment!” Michael Hearn, co-owner of Run Rabbit Run, welcomes the guests Lift Off station Last June, their first partnership, ‘Run Chele Run: A Journey Through The Urban Jungle,’ held at Gallery Chele, was an enchanting experience filled with music, a spectacle of fire and smokes, and magicians performing tricks. This time, guests journeyed into three stations starting with Lift Off, Cave, and Forest with flavors and inspirations that crosses the Atlantic beginning in Europe and ending in the Amazon rainforest. Follow the adventure “We wanted to play on the areas that we have in Run Rabbit Run,” says Hearn. “Everyone who comes to our place says it’s like a bit of a journey. You go from a house area, then you end up in the speakeasy bar, and when you go upstairs, there’s a courtyard. I’ve always been interested in Amazon rain forest, so, when we were thinking about the second event, this idea popped up, everyone got behind it, and we just made it happen,” he enthuses. For Php2000, guests enjoyed a culinary adventure with an offering of four bespoke cocktails, and food spreads available for seconds and third servings. LIFT OFF “I’m half English, half Filipino, so we put a little bit of that in there with the first station being that of Continental Europe. Chele is from Spain, so you also go across South America,” says Hearn. “The first station is the train coach,” shares Hearn. “It’s Turkish inspired, and we are serving Turkish coffee, simply because, you know, before you go into a long journey, you drink coffee. “We thought what better way than a Turkish coffee to represent Europe!” he adds. Hot cocktail, Ottoman Ottoman cocktail made with coffee falernum, Baileys, Chivas, and Kahlua Guests took turns getting their hot Ottoman cocktails served in cups while listening to the sounds of an old train. Made with coffee falernum, Baileys, Chivas, and Kahlua, the cocktail was creamy, bitter, and sweet. It was ok to sip by itself but best paired with the Cacao Ceviche (snapper, mucilage-the gelatinous substance of various plants like legumes or seaweeds, and cilantro) and Uni Crisp (shrimp cracker, uni, pomelo, cacao). Cacao Ceviche served in cacao shells Uni Crisp (shrimp cracker, uni, pomelo, cacao) CAVE RRR’s bar turned into an eerie dark room with little light coming from lit candles. Deep mysterious sounds welcomed guests when they walked through the black curtain. Inspired by the origins of chocolate and its rich history dating back to the ancient Mayans and Aztec who revered chocolate as more valuable than gold, the bar served up creamy chocolate cocktails in tribal face wooden mugs. Named Cacahuatl (cocoa bean), the cocktail has Beefeater gin, melted Malagos dark chocolate, blueberry jam, Cointreau, and vermouth. It was too rich to drink on its own, but it was good to pair with the Burnt Banana Leaves (their take on tamales with corn and red snapper seasoned with green curry leaves and wrapped in burnt banana leaves). Don Papa Chef & Shaker 2019 champion Enzo Lim preparing Cacahuatl cocktails Burnt Banana Leaves Cacahuatl – Beefeater gin, melted Malagos dark chocolate, blueberry jam, Cointreau, and vermouth paired with Burnt Banana Leaves (their take on tamales with corn and red snapper seasoned with green curry leaves and wrapped in burnt banana leaves) Cave kitchen station FOREST The last stop is a forest-inspired destination located on the second floor of RRR where it used to be alfresco but now covered with roof due to the rainy season. Musicians playing tribal beats will make you groove or nod your head while munching on the feast. A tiki bar greats the guests by the entrance where they can get a glass of Ken Kanaka Mua (a play on Hawaian Kane Kanaka Mua which means the first human man) made with Don Papa rum, orange, calamansi, and pineapple. Ken Kanaka Mua made with Don Papa rum, orange, calamansi, and pineapple The spread consists of Chori Burgers made with ube brioche, chorizo, caramelized onions, and chili; Boodle Fight Pork with root crops, chimichurri, and spices; Bamboo Valenciana made with chicken, rice, and tomatoes; and Filipino style BBQ made with beef, pinakurat, and soy sauce. The meat spread People hover over it and get their serves on banana leaves while Chef Chele Gonzalez (owner of Gallery Chele) cook (and dance at the same time) the feast by the side, barbecue-style. I don’t eat meat, so I just went back on the first floor to chomp on the seafood offerings, but the vibe upstairs is infectious, so I keep coming back up. It was fun to see people hanging out, making friends, eating standing up while dancing to the music without a care in the world. Chef Chele having a great time Before the night ends the bar served Rosita shots, a tequila Negroni to cap off the night. Rosita, tequila Negroni I love food and cocktail experiences that transport you from a humdrum ‘dinner and drinks’ to an adventure for the palate. Thanks to Gallery by Chele and Run Rabbit Run, fun, informal, and experiential cocktail pairing might become a regular thing in Manila.