Moon over Bulan

Tucked away at a hushed, tree-lined corner in San Juan, an intricately–carved antique door separates Bulan from the rest of the weary world.

A century-old wooden portal reveals a three-level colonial house of solid stone, with cathedral ceilings adorned by elaborate latticework handcrafted by Filipino artisans.

At the heart of the main dining hall is a bar made from antique hardwood, with a counter inlaid with ebony and ivory patterns. Adorning its center are birds and butterflies with wings of ebony and bone, and eyes of amethyst, peridot and ruby!

Dining tables are one–of–a-kind pieces. A magnificent 12–seater, with a centerpiece that was once an ornate door from India, was the restaurant’s favorite conversation piece – until someone bought it. Without a doubt, Bulan is the only restaurant where one can savor fine European cuisine and at the same time, come home with treasures of Asian art.

The seamless fusion of food and art is the result of a sibling partnership between art dealer and publisher Marlene Aguilar and master chef Tony Aguilar. Together, they built on the concept of a fine dining restaurant that tastefully doubles as a showroom for Asian objet d’art.

‘’I’ve been to over 30 countries in the world and I never splurge on shopping or sightseeing. My only indulgence is dining out. So when my brother sent feelers that he wanted to come home after almost two decades of being based in Europe, I urged him to get into this venture with me," says Marlene.

After 18 years as a master chef in Sweden, including a stint aboard a luxury liner, Tony became painfully aware of his longing to return. "You can only travel so much. This is my home, it’s the only motherland I know."

The choice of the name Bulan has confounded not a few patrons.

"Our family is from the north and bulan means ‘moon’ in Ilocano," explains Marlene. "What we Aguilars have in common is our love for our heritage, that’s why we chose a name that represents our ancestry. We are also not afraid of breaking rules and stereotypes. In the culinary capitals of the world, there are countless fine dining places whose names have nothing to do with the origin of their cuisine. That’s part of the owners’ creative expression."

Bulan has thrived on word of mouth. It has become a favorite for expats hankering for authentic continental cuisine, as well as discerning Filipinos who have no attachments to anything too sweet, sour, salty or spicy.

The menu is a particularly classy affair. Early favorites include the Cleopatra (duck imported from France, oven-baked to perfection in Sauvignon sauce and sprinkled with a dash of saffron aioli), Roma (grilled orange-flavored filet mignon in exquisite marsala sauce, served with zucchini and tomatoes in olive oil), and Achilles (grilled lamb marinated in herbs and oranges, served with ratatouille, olives and feta cheese with an undertone of marsala wine sauce).

PLEASURE IN ART

After a scrumptous meal, guests are encouraged to take a leisurely walk and take pleasure in the exquisite artwork on display. An in-house curator is always at hand to assist.

"This is probably one of the very few restaurants where people stay for two or three hours, sometimes even more," observes Marlene. "They like to linger and take their time. It’s like being transported to a different place or a quick vacation. I think that’s one of the best compliments we’ve ever received."

In the last three months of operation, Bulan has also hosted private affairs like family dinners, top level business luncheons, art exhibits, book launches and even romantic, candlelit proposals where Chef Tony admits he pulls stops just to get the lady to say "yes!" On Fridays, some of the country’s most respected artists mingle with promising new talents at regular sketching sessions on the third level function hall.

(Bulan is located at #3 General de Jesus corner Jose Abad Santos Sts, Little Baguio, San Juan, Metro Manila.)