MANILA, Philippines?The marquees outside Mi Piace at Peninsula Manila spelled out The Allure of Truffles and conjured images of the knobby, pitted fungal fruit. It was the centerpiece of the Italian restaurant for July and resident chef Massimo Veronesi created a menu around the celebrated tuber. The list was all of one page, sufficient to cover a meal from start to finish sans dessert.

There was some difficulty containing the excitement as fresh truffles are not easy to come by in these parts. Chef Massimo placed an order several months back with no assurance that the request would be served. When it did arrive, he was pressed to make an additional purchase, owing to the diminishing supply as the month progressed.

A man?s scent

His plates did not scrimp. When the Il Carpaccio was served, several splinters of the summer variety topped the thinly sliced US beef. The portions could not be camouflaged even among the strips of pecorino cheese and arugula. One slip of truffle disappeared into the mouth and sufficiently filled the cavity between the lips and the throat with a taste and aroma difficult to put into words. That sliver of a truffle wafted into the nostrils and enveloped the tongue with a musky smell and a hint of animal. This is one of the distinctive qualities that has beguiled epicures for centuries.

The nose plays an important part in finding truffles, which are subterranean and grow five to 30 cms into the ground. Pigs, dogs and goats sniff the earth in search of the tratufo.

It thrives in a combination of humus and chalk and necessarily at the root of a maple, birch, lime or elm growing close to an oak. These trees are only part of the equation.

The truffle is the offspring of interlocking fungi threads under certain conditions of soil and weather. It gives off a characteristic scent identical to the male hormone. It does, in fact, have testosterone, which accounts for its reputation as an aphrodisiac.

Unabashed flaunting

Tossed with slices of mandarin oranges, marinated capers and quail eggs, the opening salvo was an experience of robust flavors and sensory pleasures in the mouth. The raw meat folded on the tongue as the different textures combined for a savory degustation. Moist with olive oil, truffle oil and a hint of lemon, this was a chew in slow motion to prolong the dining pleasure of the first course.

With two little bars of polenta on the side, it could have ended there and still have been a satisfying meal, albeit light.

There was certainly more to discover. When the Il Capuccino followed, a strong aroma rose from the soup bowl, unabashedly flaunting the smell that causes truffle hunting sows to root enthusiastically. The foamy earth-colored broth reprised the thin slices of truffles, now resting on the crest of a foamy surface. A sprinkling of chives added some color.

The taste was less overwhelming, contrary to expectations brought about by the overwhelming smell. It was fine and smooth, easily consumed as the spoon retrieved little dumplings from the bottom of the bowl. It was accompanied by a piece of crostini generously spread with artichoke royale that had subtle hints of garlic.

Compelling flavor

Chef Massimo prepared a risotto dish with Portobello mushrooms, tallegio cheese and more truffles. There are different varieties found in Europe with this particular tuber, aestivum vittadini being the most widely distributed. It is the first truffle of the season, dark on the exterior but revealing a yellowish beige when sliced open. Several pieces were arranged over the Italian rice cooked in broth.

We were anticipating a heaviness owing to the nature of local rice, so it came as a surprise when it settled lightly upon swallowing. The bouquet grew in the mouth and set off a reflex action to replenish the flavor. We forked portions successively till the plate was thoroughly clean.

It seemed strange that Chef Massimo would serve a pasta after this but the I Ravioli ?Del Blinn? turned out to be an appropriate choice. He explained that Blinn was a restaurant from which this entrée was named. No food was wasted and nothing thrown away. So all the leftovers were mixed and added to prime ingredients to upgrade the food. His take on this dish used braised veal shank, tucked into the little pasta pillows. Wading in a sage butter sauce, it had a subtle richness of increasing pleasure right down to the aftertaste.

Pushing the limits, an order of Il Merluzzo produced a truffle-encrusted cod, pumpkin gnocchi with braised globe artichokes in a truffle sauce. A plump portion of fish rested on a combination of greens and lentils, displaying the Italian chef?s art of plating. The powerful flavors spread over the cod were balanced out by the beans and vegetables.

There was considerably less room for the mousse which signaled the end of the meal. We nonetheless couldn?t refrain from carving a few spoons off the soft spongy mound of chocolate that had just the right amount of sweet.

Anticipating the initial pleasure of tasting the truffle and being satisfied beyond expectations amount to an experience worth repeating. The Allure of Truffles has been extended to Aug. 2. But already, one is looking forward to next year.

The author is the editor in chief of Lifestyle Asia.