Charting my zen, no-meat territory
Like fish out of water.
That’s how I felt in the kitchen of Asador Alfonso during the cooking competition, one of the main activities of the media ride-and-drive of the Ford Territory held last May 28. But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me start from the beginning, or when we pushed the start button of the Territory from our starting point at Seda Hotel Manila Bay in Pasay City.
Usually, I’d still be in dreamland at 7 in the morning. But duty beckoned, and Georges Ramirez and his ever on-point Ramirez and Cutter crew needed us to start early so we could beat the evening rush hour getting back home. A crisp briefing and a perky cup of coffee at the hotel woke my spirits up, and we were given the keys to Car #6, a base model Titanium variant. The other Territory variants in use for the day were the Titanium X and Titanium Sport. We’d be in the middle of a 15-vehicle convoy of Territory units and support vehicles, joined in by a mix of 30 online and print media and content creators.
We didn’t encounter much traffic on the way to Alfonso in Cavite province, as the bulk of the morning rush went the opposite way, towards Manila and Makati City. Good for me, since I was designated driver #1 in our car. In no time, we entered Skyway southbound from Macapagal Avenue. The morning coffee was strong and spunky, because our group, composed of veteran motoring and sports journalist Ron Delos Reyes, his jovial and eagle-eyed cameraman Davein Madrid, TessDrive’s manic editor Aries B. Espinosa, and myself, began grooving to ABBA’s hit “Dancing Queen” blaring crystal clear from the Territory’s sound system.
The caffeine rush wore off soon after, though, and by the time the legendary Swedish ‘70s band was singing about “Fernando” two songs later, all of my companions were dozing off, waking up only during the first driver change at the Petron station along the South Luzon Expressway in Binan, Laguna, 26 km into the trip. Georges and his team called this and subsequent gas station stops as “bio-breaks,” which I prefer over “piss stops,” by the way, because it sounds more scientific and “inclusive.” The Territory’s digital instrument cluster indicated my fuel consumption at 13.2 km/liter, with an average speed of 53 km/hour.
It was Aries’ turn to drive the remainder of the SLEX route and onto the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax), before Ron would take over as Driver #3 for the final leg in the provincial roads of Cavite.
I’ll be patting myself on the back now because later on, in the cooking competition, I’d be completely useless. So, yes, I take pride in developing over the years the skill of “zen driving” – lulling my passengers to sleep. If my foot was heavy and my driving so “gigil,” I bet no passenger would be able to sleep a wink, no matter how sleep-deprived they were. There were also a lot of factors at play: We woke up really early, and the Territory was comfortable and very well insulated from outside noises. There should be a 5th mode to the Normal, Eco, Sport, and Mountain, and that would be Doze. Exclusive to passengers, of course.
Driving and riding a tech-laden SUV like the Territory for just a day doesn’t really give you enough time to “internalize” all of the vehicle’s features. But what grabbed me immediately when I drove it for the first time was the Ecoboost 1.5L’s 160ps of power and 248Nm of torque managed by the smooth 7-speed automatic transmission with dual clutch system and rotary e-shifter. Given time, I would’ve had the chance to experience its other features some more, such as the Active Park Assist, the 360-degree camera, Advanced Driver Assist Tech, Blind Spot Information System with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Door Opening Collision Warning System, among many others.
The Titanium X and the Sport variants have panoramic moonroof, hands-free, foot activated lift gate that opens and closes with the swipe of one’s foot beneath the rear bumper, and Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Lane Keeping Aid, plus Lane Departure Warning.
The 80-km drive from Pasay to Alfonso took just a little over two hours. The fuel mileage read 11.1 km/liter at 44 kph average speed.
Driving’s over, uncharted territory begins
Once we parked inside the sprawling gardens of the upscale Asador Alfonso, a well-known fine-dining destination surrounded by farmland and marked with geometric structures and art installations, I knew I was out of my comfort zone.
The imposing main structure at the middle of the property—of a contemporary architecture designed by Carlo Calma Consultancy—housed the kitchen and restaurant.
At the kitchen’s upper deck, we were briefed on our next activity, a cooking competition among the car groups. We were to prepare a dish called Ceviche (fresh, raw fish or seafood, in this case raw tuna, and “cooked” via marinating in citrus juice) and present our creations to judges Chef Rodrigo Osorio (Asador Alfonso’s resident chef), Ford Philippines’ Herbert Haber, and Georges.
Finding my way around the kitchen isn’t really my thing. Add to that my vegan diet, and I felt like fish out of water in this activity. Good thing Manong Ron took the initiative and did almost everything by himself. And so was born the vaunted “Car-Ron-Deria,” where the greatest ceviche in the universe would be made. Manong Ron swore before the judges that the dish he made was so good they would not only forget their names, they would also forget where, how and why they were.
To make a long story short, yes, the dish was so good, the judges also forgot to put Car #6 among the list of winners that day. Oh well, I tip my hat and wave my apron for Manong Ron’s bravura and pizzazz in the face of inedible, I mean, incredible odds.
Turns out, I would later on feel like a winner, too, as Chef Rodrigo and his talented team prepared a 12-course vegan meal, and I partook of some of the best-tasting plated preparations I’ve had for some time. I do know that Spanish restaurants and their cuisine are heavy on meat, but for Asador Alfonso, they also delivered when they needed to create tasty plant-based dishes.
My hearty lunch consisted of a vegan appetizer, then Ensalada de Tomato (heirloom tomato, onions and arbequina olive oil), then Periñaca (potato mousse, carrots, goral olives, pickles and extra virgin olive oil or EVOO), followed by Tosta Pimiento Asado (bread toast with wood fire bell pepper), then Pasta al Olio (garlic sauce pasta with EVOO and guindilla), followed by Puerros (brick oven roasted leeks).
My favorite was the Arroz de Setas, rice stewed with shiitake mushrooms in a clay pot. So good, as well, was the Parilla de Verduras (roasted vegetables). I’m not a big fan of avocados, but I couldn’t help myself with the Avocado Tartare (hand chopped seasonal avocado with basil and tomato). Dessert was a serving of caramelized fresh fruits (in tiny servings, my only gripe), and a slice of super sweet vegan pie.
After a short tour of the premises and the vegetable farm, we drove our way back to Manila, on the same route. I took notice of the Territory’s enhancements, with all three variants featuring a more modern exterior. The touchscreen has an updated infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility complemented by a wireless charging pad.
All variants have LED lights. The wheels for the base Titanium are 18 inch wheels, while the Titanium X and Sport are 19 inches.
Ford Philippines also boasts the Territory’s 190 mm ground clearance, useful for negotiating the expected potholes on the road resulting from the incoming monsoon season. Ford PH also points to the spacious storage compartments, and a trunk that can hold up to 448 liters.
“The Ford Territory is a level-up SUV that complements the passions and interests of our customers with its modern design, spacious interiors, and smart and safe features that will let them make their personal and professional pursuits possible,” shares EJ Francisco, Ford Philippines communications director.
On the trip back to Manila, catching up on lost morning sleep at the back seat of Car #6 on a full stomach, I found myself comfortably back in familiar territory. Sometimes, you do really need to experience what it’s like outside of your comfort zone to appreciate what you’ve got.
