Beer on the dinner table

Chef Thirdy Vano prepares roasted bone marrow as part of Seventeen Steakhouse’s multi-course dinner pairing premium beers with dishes

What happens when premium beer pairs with a multi-course dinner

In the Philippines, beer is still closely tied to pulutan, barkada gatherings, and casual nights out, so seeing it handled like a serious part of a multi-course dinner creates an interesting contrast.

That was the idea behind a Sept. 1 tasting at Seventeen Steakhouse in Greenhills, where San Miguel Premium Beers were paired with different dishes and, in some cases, used in the cooking itself.

The dinner featured San Miguel Cerveza Blanca, San Miguel Cerveza Negra, San Miguel Premium All-Malt and San Miguel Super Dry, with each beer chosen to match a particular course. Rather than serving one bottle throughout the meal, the pairing changed as the food became richer and more complex.

Smashed potatoes with garlic aioli and Cerveza Blanca, a light beer with citrus notes, started the meal 

Smashed potatoes with garlic aioli opened the menu alongside Cerveza Blanca, which ended up being one of my favorite beers of the evening. Its lighter character and citrus notes worked well with the potatoes and creamy aioli, making for an easy start to what would eventually become a much heavier meal.

Another favorite was Cerveza Negra, served with roasted bone marrow finished with garlic confit, gremolata, orange zest, and smoked salt. The beer’s roasted and slightly sweet character suited the richness of the marrow, while the citrus and herbs on the plate kept the combination from becoming too heavy.

Premium All-Malt accompanied the vongole, made with linguine, clams, cherry tomatoes, Calabrian chili, white wine, garlic, and parsley. The pairing was more restrained than the courses before and after it, allowing the seafood and acidity of the pasta to remain at the center.

San Miguel Cerveza Negra is paired with roasted bone marrow as the tasting explores how different beer styles work with richer dishes 

Among the dishes, the 30-day dry-aged Australian Wagyu porterhouse was one of the strongest. Served with aged steak rice and a choice of sauces, the steak was paired with Super Dry, whose clean finish worked well against the fat and deep flavor of the meat.

The collaboration became more interesting with Seventeen Steakhouse’s new beer-braised beef short ribs with risotto Milanese, another dish I particularly liked. Instead of keeping the beer in the glass, the kitchen used Cerveza Negra to braise the short ribs and Super Dry to pickle the onions served with them.

That dish showed the broader point of the dinner more clearly than any pairing could. Beer was treated not only as something chosen to accompany food but also as an ingredient capable of bringing depth into the cooking.

For those curious about how beer works with and within a meal, the special menu is now available at Seventeen Steakhouse. — Jasper Valdez