A gustatory affair to remember...
My husband abhors foie gras. The good thing about it is, I don't have any competition when I'm enjoying a foie gras dish, I can have every luscious morsel all to myself. The downside, on the other hand, is I never get to bring him to places serving foie gras with tiny tasting portions to boot. Steakhouses and buffets are a yes, but degustation dinners and tasting menus are a no-no.
Knowing I'll never get to spend a romantic dinner at The Goose Station anytime soon, I dragged my mom in his stead. At least she can appreciate a good foie gras dish. Besides, I know she'll never get to spend a romantic dinner at The Goose Station either, my dad will take lechon over goose liver any time, in fact, he'll choose lechon over any other dish, much to his doctor's dismay.
With no husbands in sight (at least for that dinner), we prepared ourselves for an affair---err, gustatory affair---to remember. We arrived right on time. The place, located at the far corner of Bonifacio Global City, is small and intimate, not to mention dim. We started with the usual bread and butter, only this mini baguette is advertently shaped like a goose sans the wings. Yes, let your imagination fly.
Foie Gras Cone
The first course is a signature dish of this restaurant. One simply does not dine here without having the Foie Gras Cone. Velvety goose liver, silky enough to slide you over to your very own utopia, is topped with a disc of port jelly, fig jam and hazelnut. The entire mousse is wrapped in filo pastry, and what I wouldn't give to be eating this sinful cone of opulence every single day.
Tuna Crudo
Crudo, like sashimi, is raw, and here it is celebrated with grapefruit, beet and raspberry vinaigrette. The small triangular pieces seem to command some sort of reverence so I take my time and savor each bite.
Trio of Bruschette
Of the triad of canapés, I lean towards the Salmon. That isn't to say that the Chickpea and Chicken Liver are to be ignored, though.
Egg and Sweet Potato
Definitely one of the most beautiful egg dishes you'll ever see, a motley of sweet potatoes, goat cheese, smoked bacon, and other select produce form a ring around what very much looks like a 63 degree sous vide egg. I slowly impale my fork into the egg, and it slightly quivers before a stream of golden yolk oozes out of the fairly runny whites. That single act creates a beautiful mess, and everything just melds harmoniously, causing eyes to roll back in rhapsody, and lips to whisper a string of profanity.
Intermezzo
To cleanse the palate and prepare it for more drool-worthy comestibles, a quenelle of strawberry sorbet is placed on top of some lychee granita. A strawberry chip (what a clever use of this berry) sticks out from its side, prompting you to closely examine its cross-section like you've never had before.
Scallops and Carrots
Once again, attention to detail is apparent here. Dices of carrots are strategically placed on the plate, each with a potato chip leaning on its side, much like the ending pose in a tango. Meanwhile, large scallops are placed on a puree of carrots dotted with fennel froth.
Foie Gras Taho
I've seen foie gras in various forms -- burger, macarons, ice cream, lollipops, but never as "taho". This goose liver chawan mushi swims in a pool of Pedro Ximenez sherry reduction, but first you have to unearth it from the copious amount of tapioca that covers it.
TGS Burger
Angus patty, brioche bun, asiago-raclette cheese, and a side of fries. The Goose Station Burger is my least favorite dish of the night, and perhaps, ironically, the only victual my husband would have enjoyed.
Halo Halo
Next came a deconstructed Halo Halo. A lovely quenelle of ube ice cream perches royally atop crushed ice and dices of similar elements found in this local dessert. There's a tuft of what looks like potato strings at the crown, though I'm pretty sure they're not. And just as you would enjoy the ubiquitous Filipino treat, every element meets in synchronization inside the mouth, the climax in an orchestra's final piece.
Petit Four
This enthralling meal ended with an uneven ball of dark chocolate. This is the only time when bittersweet endings are welcome. As I swallowed my last bite, I turn and look at my mom's, sitting there untouched. She gingerly pushed the spoon toward me with a knowing smirk. Such is the unconditional love of a mother; I then blew a silent kiss her way.
From start to finish, almost everything was exquisite. Such is the reputation of The Goose Station---a clever play on the word degustation, if you still haven't noticed by now---and deliver, they did. The dishes were well-plated, creative, and the execution of each was a marvel to observe. Needless to say, Chef Roberto Pengson and Chef Sunshine Pengson did a fine job with this genius of a place.
The Goose Station
Spot: G/F W Tower 39th St. Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Contact Nos.: 556.9068 or 0917.854.6673
Facebook: The-Goose-Station
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