MANILA, Philippines?There were stirrings among food enthusiasts as word went around that a Michelin-starred chef was setting up shop in Manila.

The shingle had barely been hung when urbanites began to sniff out La Regalade on Arnaiz Avenue, formerly Pasay Road, in Makati.

Walking into the 332-sq-m restaurant, what is visually immediate is an open kitchen facing the entrance. There is a bar to the right; all other spaces are accounted for with tables and chairs. The interiors, done by Anna Sy, convey a straightforward message that this place is primarily about food.

The fabric-coated circular lights are more than decorative; they help absorb sound, reduce intentional or unintentional eavesdropping on conversations from nearby tables.

A panel behind the bar in the colors of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec?s The Moulin Rouge Cabaret slides to reveal items for spirits and cocktails.

Bistro fare

The kitchen, visible through a generous window across an entire wall, is where Alain Raye works with a team over ovens and fires to bring French bistro fare to this part of the world.

The man from the ancient royal city of Fontainebleau opened his first restaurant in Albertville, France, in 1975. That was when he received the first Michelin star at age 24.

He had known as early as 15 that he?d pursue a culinary career. He apprenticed at Samois sur Seine in the scenic commune?s forest border.

Three years later, Raye received his toque and a national mention. The Bellifontain went to Paris, worked in several establishments and did a stint at St. Maxine on the French Riviera.

In 1992, he purchased the restaurant La Belle Epoque in Chateaufort, located west of Paris, 10km from Versailles. His inspired work earned him a second Michelin star. It was also here when he published his first cookbook, ?Une Table Pour Deux.?

By 1999, he had relocated with his family to Vancouver and opened La Regalade, serving what he called ?simple French bistro food at home.?

Passion

This is where Bubot Quicho of Hyatt Regency fame discovered him.

?He knew his plates and wines,? the former hotelier shared. Quicho, who was the only Filipino then to have become general manager of a five-star hotel chain, said he recognized passion when it was served to him.

The two connected instantly and began talking about plans to open in the Philippines. That led to the new address in Makati, which aims to recreate the French bistro dining experience?simple fare in an unpretentious setting.

Normally the menu in such establishments is written by hand with chalk on a board. In like fashion, Raye has scrawled on a board over the kitchen counter some of the standard dishes.

There are also printed bills of fare that lists the menu du soir, menu après and vin. Quicho invited a wine expert from abroad to prepare a focused selection to match the food.

Quicho also said they had installed an exhaust system that eliminates any cooking odors, despite the half-open division between the kitchen and the dining area.

Sensation

The first olfactory sensation came with the onion soup. It was the aroma of the gruyere over the croutons floating in the deep brown broth.

Dipping a spoon into the steaming bowl of beef stock and breaking the surface of melted cheese released the fragrance of caramelized onion.

Sauteed over low heat in melted butter, the complex flavors of the tuber came out with the extended cooking time. It was at once sweet and salty in the mouth, blending with the chewy cheese and the tender minced onions.

Owing to the resto?s generous portions, it?s recommended to order family-style here. It also affords the opportunity to sample different foods like the classic loin of beef?essentially a pot roast of beef brisket cut into two-inch cubes, braised in Pinot Noir, preferably Burgundy.

Seared, sautéed, seasoned with salt, pepper and bouquet garni among others, it is cooked for two to three hours with a preparation time of 25 minutes.

Beef Bourguignon is prepared with carrots, mushrooms and onions. It is an old recipe that ascended into haute cuisine through many refinements. A standard French recipe, it remains comfort food for many people in the western European republic.

Stellar

The stewed lamb with dried apricots and spices was a stellar main course. Served with couscous, it harkened to a Mediterranean table.

Honey, olive oil, ginger and saffron soaked into the meat and were all cooked in a covered pot with spices and dried fruit.

This is the food of springtime, a dish prepared using harvests from the first season of the year. Raye described how he would select the baby vegetables that appeared after the cold winter.

These would need only a little blanching to retain the fresh sweetness. Added to cuts of boneless lamb shoulder, the subtle flavors melded together with an hour?s cooking time in the oven. The dish has a lighter sauce and is not as complex as other casseroles.

Inspired by his discovery of fresh fish, Raye prepared a traditional Provençal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseilles.

?If you ask someone from Marseilles what are life?s most important things, he or she will say the birth of Christ and bouillabaisse, in that order,? he wrote in his second book, ?La Regalade.?

Vegetables, spices and orange peel are sautéed with fish heads, bones and tails. Boiling water is added together with vegetables and brought to a soft boil, then strained and seasoned to produce the stock.

The bouillabaisse is prepared separately using the meat of white fleshed fish, prawns and clams. An essential part of the food is the rouille, which should have the consistency of sauce and not mayonnaise.

The first spoonful was full of the best of the sea.

The collective silence that followed was broken by the reminder to consume the soup with the dry crust that accompanied the serving. The contrast of textures made it even more pleasurable.

Dessert sampler

At the end of the meal, Raye served a dessert sampler with lemon tart, tropezienne and raspberry charlotte. It was a taste of Paris in Manila.

Raye will be traveling back and forth between the continents several times a year. He has found not only a warm welcome for his food but is much pleased by the local culinary talents.

Working with fellow Frenchman Pierre Cornelis, he is training a predominantly young staff to do the food preparations.

Lunch service began Sept. 12 and dinner is available from 6:30-10:30 p.m., Tuesdays-Sunday.

La Regalade French Bistro is at 820 Arnaiz Ave., Makati. Call 750104, 7502105 or 7502106.

The author is editor in chief of Lifestyle Asia.