Spices, tears, and cheers
People gather together around a table of food for many reasons. To celebrate, mainly, and in our case, it was to mark a beginning and an end. To say goodbye.
It was a bittersweet lunch we had at The Peninsula’s Spices with our Lifestyle writers because the food was very good and somehow washed away the tears.
“Spice is never an issue at Spices,” said our honoree Therese Jamora-Garceau (more on her later). “While you can literally burn your tongue in Bangkok restaurants, the spice level here is mild and just brings the dishes to life.”
Being a seafood lover, Therese favored the steamed fish (Pla Neung Manao) with lemongrass, chili, fish sauce, and lime juice.
“Another standout was the crispy Vietnamese rolls (Cha Gio) filled with shrimp and chicken. No heavy lumpia vibes here. Everything was light, airy, and refined.”
On the other hand, Scott Garceau, a certified beef lover, enjoyed the Beef Short Ribs that “I polished off the entire plate (at a seatmate’s urging) after the other writers’ tentative nibbles subsided.”
Scott’s beef craving not quite satiated, he added: ”I fell for the Beef Rendang, perfect on a rainy day: stewed beef, shredded coconut, lemongrass and kaffir leaves—topping my rice, naturally.”
Frannie Jacinto’s favorite? “I am not a huge curry fan but the fish in a claypot (Asam Pedas Kari Ikan) bathed in Malay spicy-sour tamarind curry sauce with okra, onions, and tomatoes was so good that I had to have seconds and thirds. The rich, flavorful sauce was a perfect foil to the white rice.”
Lai Reyes noted that sous chef Leo Rabino presented a well-curated menu at Spices that appealed to everyone. “The Beef Short Ribs paired well with the Vietnamese noodles with lemongrass chicken (Bun Ga Nuong). The refreshing pomelo salad (Yam Som-O) doubled as a palate cleanser.”
Marbbie Tagabucba, who braved a very rainy journey to Makati, exclaimed: “A lunch at Spices is the next best thing to traveling to Hoi An for refreshing and authentic Vietnamese noodles with lemongrass chicken. I always order the Thai Milk Tea as my drink, but I like it hot, too! Perfect for rainy days!”
Monique Toda exclaimed: “When I first saw Beef Rendang on the menu, I immediately knew we were having a great lunch. To enjoy it more, I had plain white rice, two servings of it!”
Ricky Toledo loved the shrimp cake (Tord Mun Goong). “It was a divine prelude to a sumptuous feast, with just a wisp of batter—crisp on the outside and succulent on the inside, with the flavors of the sea complemented by sweet plum sauce and pickled radish on the side.”
Chito Vijandre confessed: “I’m a dessert fiend, often fast-forwarding to the sweet temptations. I really got excited with three of Spices’ best, presented beautifully on a banana leaf-lined plate—from the warm Bubur Cha-Cha of sweet potatoes and coconut milk to the layered Wun Gati Bai Tuey of coconut and pandan jelly, to the Gula Melaka pudding of chilled coconut mill with sago, then a surprise with crunchy balls of melon.”
Lisa Guerrero Nakpil reminded us that Indonesia was on everyone’s mind following the capture of fugitive Alice Guo, so heading to Spices for a taste of Indonesia was so timely. “I enjoyed a trio of Asian magnificence: melt-in-your-mouth Beef Rendang, Asam Goreng—sampaloc-laced short ribs, and classic Gulam Melaka sago pudding.”
Vicky Veloso-Barrera translated her delight into words succinctly: “The prawn cakes and Beef Rendang—the best!”
After this feast hosted by The Pen’s brand communications director Mariano Garchitorena, brand communications executive Grace Lim and F&B director Katsuna Tokitsu, Garch (as this journalist-turned-hotel industry stalwart is fondly called) explained that Spices turned 48 this September and is preparing for its 50th birthday in 2026 under the leadership of The Pen’s managing director, the amiable Kevin Tsang.
This Spices lunch was held to celebrate the 30 years that our brilliant assistant Lifestyle editor Therese Garceau has spent with The Philippine STAR, which she considers her family. She now bids farewell as she retires from newspaper work to devote more time to her life as a flamenco dancer, band drummer, and mom to summa-cum-laude new chemical engineer-daughter Isobel.
It was some 30 years ago when Therese, after finishing her MA in Journalism at Boston U, went back to Manila with a balikbayan box of memories and husband Scott, whom she met during her post-university job at TV station WGBH Boston. Now she begins her next life as a screenwriter, perhaps joining forces with sister Marie Jamora-Maclagan, who is an award-winning film and TV director in Hollywood, and her other sister Jenny Jamora, an outstanding actress who’s grown to become a producer and award-winning director herself in the local theater scene.
Shall we look forward to our very own version of Nora Ephron to make us sleepless, and of Park Ji-eun to make us queens of tears?
As Ricky Toledo told Therese: “We wish you luck in this new phase in life, and we hope we get invited to a Tony or Oscar award night someday.”
