Sample the Best of Peruvian-Japanese Cuisine at This Cebu Resort

A cooking technique called desflemar, which takes out the spiciness in chilis but retains its smoky and sweet flavors, is at the heart of what many diners agreed was the standout dish during dinner last one evening in early February at DIP Nikkei in Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort.

The Best of Peruvian-Japanese Cuisine at Sheraton Cebu Mactan

The Black Cod Amarillo Chili Miso whipped up by Chef Ruben Rodrigo Serrano Cabrera exemplifies its culinary heritage, which is Nikkei or Peruvian-Japanese culinary tradition. The dish is prepared using imported US black cod marinated in miso for 24 hours, resulting in buttery softness.

This Black Cod Amarillo Chili Miso exemplifies Nikkei or Peruvian-Japanese but gives a nod to 'Chifa' influence or Chinese-Peruvian culinary tradition

“It’s a very traditional Japanese recipe but we made our twist,” Cabrera said during the dinner event. “We used Peruvian chilis in the marinade but it is not spicy. In Peru, a different water country, we use a technique called desflemar which takes out the chili spicy and just keeps the chili flavor. We don’t look for the spicy, we look for the natural flavor of the chili.” 

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The dinner isn’t just for Valentine’s Day, resort marketing communications manager JM Sequihod clarified, although a special promotion is available for the day of love. Sequihod said the dining experience is available any day with prior arrangement and will be by the beachfront. Bad weather, however, forced the resort to move last Thursday’s dinner indoors at DIP Nikkei.

This dish pays homage to the pioneer in Nikkei cuisine, Rosita Yumira, with the combination she introduced and now bears her name, octopus and black olive sauce

Cabrera said the black cod dish, which is served with pureed beetroot also has Chifa influence or Chinese-Peruvian culinary tradition, especially on the vegetables that are served with it.

The five-course dinner, a curation by Chef Cabrera for the event to highlight DIP Nikkei’s cuisine, each came paired with drinks concocted to complement the flavors of the dishes.

The dinner opened with three kinds of new style sushi: special truffle hotate, tuna amarillo, and acevichado maki.

Three desserts served during the dinner

The next dish was an homage to a pioneer in Nikkei cuisine, Rosita Yumira, with the combination she introduced and now bears her name: octopus and black olive sauce. The Octopus Rosita Yimura is a complex explosion of flavors from the combination of octopus, black olive sauce, rice crackers, tomato cherries, avocado, and togarashi. It is paired with figs of marga.

Chef Cabrera said they were very particular on the quality of the octopus that they had to import it from Manila.

The cod came next followed by the final main course, 8-Hour Beef Cheeks. The dish is made from beef checks that are braised for eight hours, which results in a texture that’s close to a tongue, very fatty and creamy. It is served with demi-glace, beans emulsion, roasted carrots, and chalaca salsa.

Chef Ruben Rodrigo Serrano Cabrera at DIP Nikkei in Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort

The dinner closed with Dulce Nikkei: three desserts that included a Matcha Cheesecake, Lemon Posset Shot, and Mango Citrus Sorbet. It was paired with the most interesting drink of the night, DIP Espresso Martini.

Sequihod said the event was held to highlight the culinary offerings of the resort and its romantic packages in time for the love month.