As its name suggests, the new dining experience brings a touch of magic to your table through an eye-catching tasting journey that’s equal parts playful and whimsical.
We’ve heard the common refrain from our elders: don’t play with your food. But what about playing alongside it? That’s the concept that lies at the heart of Grand Hyatt Manila’s latest dining experience, The Magic Table. Crafted by world-renowned mentalist duo, The Clairvoyants, it’s a genre-defying fusion of illusion and gastronomy that keeps you on your toes while providing a selection of vibrant, on-theme courses to accompany you on the ride. The experience launched this January 2026, and Lifestyle Asia got the chance to try its exciting “Wizard’s Essential Menu.”
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But First, Drinks
Before The Magic Table show began, guests were offered an array of beverage options, including a signature collection of cocktails specially curated for The Magic Table, and on-theme in both flavor and presentation.
The three choices included a bubbly Canuplin Highball, named after the famous Filipino magician who was also a well-known Charlie Chaplin impersonator in the bodabil scene. Light and airy like the laughter he likely elicited from audiences, it’s a blend of gin, toasted Japanese rice syrup, banana liquor, and Fever-Tree soda. Those with a hankering for sweet, dessert-inspired drinks can try the Illusion No. 1: a mystically purple sight made with rum, ube mix, and pandan syrup.
As for the cocktail with the most show-stopping effects, look no further than Vanished: a spirit-forward tequila cocktail with strawberry and almond syrup, lemon, and milk that bursts into a misty spectacle once you pop the bubble that sits atop its glass.
All three are also available in mocktail versions for those who want to maintain their Dry January streak without missing out on all the fun.
Tricks Of The Trade
Before getting into the food, there’s the main attraction everyone is curious about: the magic itself. A kaleidoscope of moving images, color, and light bathes each table at Grand Hyatt Manila’s Penthouse No. 66, where the experience takes place. The Clairvoyants, along with a dedicated host, guide diners through the entire program, which is brimming with engaging mind tricks, illusions, and games that astonish.
Because we want to preserve the magic, we won’t delve too deeply into what happens or what to expect—but we will say, every aspect will test both your listening skills and sleight of hand. Those who are fans of puzzles and tricks will delight in the mind-bending ones presented throughout the experience.
And for those looking to post that Instagram-worthy reel or story, you’ll find the perfect shots with the striking visuals dancing across the table, accompanied by food that puts on quite the show as well.
Food Fuels The Magic
Like its drinks, The Magic Table’s courses stay on theme, presenting a blend of “elemental” magic in their own different ways, from land to sea.
The first course on The Wizard’s Essential Menu was “A Spell of The Forest”: a verdant assemblage that calls to mind an ethereal fungi enclave from fairytale books, a combination of forest mushroom and porcini mushroom pâté, hazelnut “soil,” fig, lemon, pistachio, and manuka honey for a sweet-savory umami crunch.
Next was the “Enchanted Shell,” a tender treat of Butter Poached Hokkaido Scallop in an herb crust, drizzled with tomato-based crustacean bisque, then topped with ikura. The seafood goodness continued onto the next course, “The Alchemy of the Sea,” a creamy brandade of crabmeat and codfish with avocado puree and bits of pomelo, laden with a generous heap of sake marinated ikura for an edge. Guests were encouraged to pile spoonfuls of the dish on the bread that accompanied the course.
The main course, “The Order of Fire,” was a Mulwarra Tenderloin Beef Wellington in a buttery crisp crust, its layers stuffed with a tasty mushroom duxelles, served with a deeply flavorful bone marrow and café de paris butter jus.
And just as no magic show is complete without a memorable finale, no meal is truly finished without an indulgent dessert. This came in the form of “The Final Illusion”: a Chocolate and Hazelnut Sphere that was a medley of textures, balanced with espresso, crumbles of chocolate brownie, bourbon sauce, and a sweet-tart cherry sorbet—all presented with flash paper disappearing in a blaze of fire, and a pour of hot chocolate giving way to foggy wisps as hot and cold collided.
Other variants of The Wizard’s Essential Menu include “The Grand Illusion Menu,” which adds a pan-seared foie gras and freshly-shaved black truffle on guests’ Mulwarra Tenderloin Beef Wellington. Meanwhile, “The Enchanted Garden Menu” presents plant-forward dishes for vegetarian diners. For younger guests ages six to 12, the “Young Magician’s Feast” provides a thoughtfully selected array of whimsical, child-friendly dishes.
Whether or not you believe in magic, one thing’s for certain: The Magic Table is a sensorial event for those in search of a meal that transforms, transfixes, and transcends the regular.
Guests can visit https://www.themagictable.com/manilafor details and reservations or call +632 88381234. For more information on Grand Hyatt Manila, visit www.grandhyattmanila.com. For updates on the latest promotions, follow Grand Hyatt Manila on Instagramand Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Grand Hyatt Manila
