At La Vie En Rose’s Supper Club, chefs are always bringing something new to the table, an intimate setting encouraging authentic culinary expression rooted in unique perspectives.
“Good things come to those who look hard enough” are the words emblazoned on the door of an apartment unit in Poblacion, a painted art deco peacock beneath it. True enough, visitors who see past the seemingly nondescript location are rewarded with a uniquely intimate space that’s hidden in plain sight: speakeasy bar and restaurant, La Vie En Rose.
Step inside, and you’ll find that the atmosphere is, with no amount of exaggeration, otherworldly; a scene straight from the Rothschild Surrealist Ball. An eclectic assortment of decor, including preserved animal specimens, classic artworks, and sculptures line the walls and shelves, while ambient red lighting bathes the space’s interiors, transforming it into a cozy fever dream.
It wasn’t even the end of the week yet when we dropped by (and still a workday evening), but the night was alive with the chatter of patrons seated across the bar or scattered in couches and tables, glasses in hand and plates of food surrounding them. A little farther down the room was a compact open kitchen, its occupants of chefs and servers working on dishes for the newest edition of the La Vie En Rose Supper Club, helmed this time around by Chef Martin Laurel.
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The Supper Club x Martin Laurel
The Supper Club is a regular dining series for La Vie En Rose, where authentic, personal expression unfolds on the plate through collaborations with emerging culinary talents. Its most recent edition featured dishes by Chef Martin, who honed his talent in Michelin-starred kitchens across New York and San Francisco, including spots like Nisei, Aquavit, and Kin Khao, as well as respected dining establishments in Manila like Toyo Eatery.
Despite how busy he was in the kitchen, the young chef took his time to serve and explain his dishes with a friendly smile and an air of calm—like a friend who casually cooked up a nice homemade meal for you during a visit to his house.
There were no pretenses with Martin’s Supper Club menu: it was a sleek, three-course set with a wine or cocktail pairing option. Regardless of what you chose, you were sure to get your Happy Hour fix with a fine selection of natural wines from (Super)Natural Wine, and a selection of classic cocktails with fun twists inspired by the latest menu (including The Deacon whiskey sour infused with kimchi).
The Supper Club began with appetizers, diners given a choice of richly-flavored Kimchi Bacon Mozzarella Croquettes (Spanish-style croquettes with bechamel, kimchi, bacon, cheese, Japanese panko, and sweet kimchi marinara) or a refreshing Mango Kinilaw (sashimi cured tanigue or Spanish mackerel, brunoise onion, garlic, chili, ginger, mango vinegar, citrus).
The croquettes were inspired by one of Chef Martin’s favorite combinations: pizza with a topping of kimchi (which, if you haven’t tried it yourself, I can assure you works surprisingly well thanks to the cheese and spice combination). The kinilaw is a childhood staple for him as well, one he grew up eating and loving—enough to want to include it in this personal menu.
Then came the mains, with a choice of Mediterranean Inasal with Crispy Potatoes (a spiced, Mediterranean take on the juicy inasal, paired with potatoes and lemon cucumber yogurt) or Gochu-Teriyaki Flank Steak and Kimchi Rice (a flavor punch of tender, four-hour sous vide steak marinated in gochujang teriyaki sauce and served with kimchi rice, which uses fresh kimchi instead of the more sour ones, which gave a light yet nuanced taste).
The steak dish in particular is inspired by the innovative staff meals that Chef Martin would whip up during his stints abroad, products of resourcefulness that arose when the crew was in need of something filling and delicious amid a busy schedule.
Last, but certainly not least, was dessert—perhaps the most personal of all the dishes, the Frozen Yogurt Mango Float was an ode to the mango float served at Jamie’s Grill, a restaurant owned by Martin’s father when he was younger. Of course, the chef introduces it with his own modern touches, serving layers of mango, cream, and graham crackers on a frozen yogurt treat, topped with toasted almonds.
Bringing The Chef’s Voice To The Table
“Right now, we’re just trying to stay creative and inspired. The Supper Club is one avenue for that,” shared Jenny Yrasuegui, one of the partners behind La Vie En Rose. With years of experience in Public Relations, and having been one of the talents behind the establishment of contemporary Asian restaurant Your Local, Jenny knows exactly what works and has a clear vision of what she wants La Vie En Rose to become. While it remains a beloved bar in the Poblacion area, she’s now focusing on sharpening its dining experiences through platforms like the Supper Club—which not only offers something new to diners, but also serves as a blank canvas for its partner chefs.
“A chef who’s creative but doesn’t have a space—that’s hard. What we really aimed to do was to help up-and-coming chefs that didn’t have their own restaurants yet,” she expressed. “We wanted to work with younger chefs that were clearly passionate: we give them free rein, and we also support them in terms of purchasing or marketing. I feel good being able to give, let’s say someone like Martin, a space where he can really share his food.”
Seeing guests chatting with Chef Martin and sporting wide grins as they enjoyed his creations alongside drinks—a chorus of laughter or compliments thrown around—there was little room for doubt that this mission of sharing a chef’s unbridled creativity had been accomplished.
La Vie En Rose is open 6 PM onwards from Friday to Saturday, and 6 PM to 12 AM from Wednesday to Thursday. For more information and reservations, contact 09564576850, and stay tuned for updates on its Supper Club and other activities through its Instagram @lavieenrose_mnl.
Photos courtesy of La Vie En Rose.
