Alfonso is an upland town in Cavite about 70 kilometers away from Manila. It was named after King Alfonso XII of Spain and it seems quite serendipitous that it is now home to a Spanish gastronomic restaurant – Asador Alfonso.
Asador Alfonso sits within a 9.4-hectare farm and leisure development aptly named “The Lava Rock” obviously inspired by the nearby Taal volcano. The main structure in the sprawling land mirrors a similar topography, a concept seamlessly executed by architect Carlo Calma. The whole development is also a visionary project of his family on this quiet part of the Philippines.
The Lava Rock project is divided into five parts, the main Pavilion and four different villas. With fire as the heart of its structure, the restaurant sits in its central area and ignites as it is designed to feed and fuel, much like a true volcano.
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With four to six-meter-long concrete cantilevered folds spanning parts of the structure, the sierra mood is established and emphasized. These also act as shields from the bright sun that flood these hills.
Inside this space is where co-owner Chef Chele Gonzalez works his magic. As an authentic Spanish roasting house, it offers more than the usual fare. Guests are invited to experience traditional and ancestral-style cooking with a contemporary approach from the central plains of Spain, the Castilla region.
A special roasting oven that is built by generations of specialists and passed on from generation to generation, the Horno Jumaco Maestro Castellano brand, sits at the heart of Asador Alfonso- just like that of famous Spanish roasting houses Asador Castellano, Asador Jose Maria, and Asador Candido in Segovia. It is also the only other one in Asia. From it come some house specialties such as carabineros or red prawns from Spain, cochinillo (suckling pig), and lechazo (suckling lamb). Asador Alfonso will also offer such unique dishes as the tawilis boquerones (the only freshwater sardine in the world found in Lake Taal) and home cured Wagyu A5 jamon. Another special experience will be the chuleta (steak) that will be offered for diners to grill the rare Angus beef to their preferred doneness on their table.
The asador respects the ways of preparation and cooking from Spain and bases its menu on the best, top quality produce from Spain, plans for the future include creating farms for the vegetables, lamb, pigeon and other local produce. Also, in its cellars are a diverse and significant selection of Spanish wines as well as Champagne, wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy, Napa Valley bottles, and New World wines. All these are prepared by the team of in-house chef Rodrigo Osorio and are presented by the team of maître Irene Fernandez.
Asador Alfonso will carry the artisanal manner of working with all produce, creating subtle and exceptional dishes to be enjoyed in a stunning and modern venue.
Asador Alfonso is now open from Friday to Sunday for lunch (starting at 11:30 a.m) and dinner (starting at 5:00 p.m.). Reservations for special events such as personal occasions and corporate bookings are also being accommodated on request. For inquiries or reservations, call (0917) 1507621 or email [email protected]. Follow them on Instagram @AsadorAlfonso.
