Magnum Manila: One Sweet Paradise

Illuminated by soft, golden chandeliers arranged like chocolate drops in the cozy nooks, and rich interiors inspired by lush Belgian chocolate, Magnum Manila oozes of sin and decadence. And armed with a menu that gives us 101 heavenly reasons to break our vow of abstinence, Magnum Manila is a devilish temptation we simply cannot resist.

After its successful launch of Magnum Golda few months earlier, Magnum Philippines follows up with another mouthwatering success – Magnum Manila, the first pop-up store of its kind in the country. Brian Chanyungco, the brand manager of this famed ice cream brand, affirms with much excitement that this new “pleasure place” will set the gold standard in sweet and savory offerings. “There are several other existing pop up stores around the world – Milan, New York, Cannes and London. It’s about time we bring the ultimate Magnum experience to Manila.

(Unlike other ice cream brands in the country) Magnum is about savoring the moment, indulging your desires and breaking free from the stress of everyday life.”And the chic restaurant in Skypark, SM Aura offers that unique space for that special moment of escape.

The iconic Magnum emblem, made with popsicle sticks by renowned artist Ed Calma,does it’s share in catching the attention of the passersby. But it is the wafting scents of chocolate and cookie dough,which truly entice curious eyes to take a step into the welcoming abode. Halfway into the door, the warm, luscious scents fold you in.

Inside, the Banaue Rice Terraces- inspired art installation, a creation by Calma’s son Carlo, embraces the entire floor space, which is intelligently divided into an open seating area, private booths for a more intimate dining experience, and the DIY Magnum station at the front.

The Magnum Bar, the pride and heart of the restaurant, affords customers with the luxury of tailoring their own ice-cold, couture creation. With 18 choice toppings - from childhood favorites like nerds, caramel honeycomb, chocolate nuggets; and more exotic adult flavors like quezo de bola slivers, chili flakes and sea salt, among others, the combinations are endless. I may be rusty with my math, but with three Magnum bar flavors to choose from (classic milk chocolate, white chocolate and dark chocolate) and 18 toppings, that adds up to more than 230,000 possible combinations!

Complementing the Magnum Bar offerings, award-winning pastry chef Mikko Aspiras(the hand behind the desserts enjoyed at Raffles & Fairmont hotel) expertly crafts a dessert menu that reflects hisyouthful philosophy on food. None of his creations hold back when it comes to satisfying your sweet tooth. From his interpretation of the strawberry cheesecake and cookie ala mode, to the Rainbow Dream–everything is spot on in the flavor front. Not too sweet or overwhelming, each dessert is elegant in its presentation,and always inviting.

After making our own Magnum bar (I chose a dark chocolate bar with quezo de bola, potato chips and gold nuggets), we are greeted by a delicious trifecta back on our table. The first to open up the heaven of saccharine surprises is the pretty Rainbow Dream. Its layers of light, moist cake, nestled between softened buttercream, make for the most colorful treat for young birthday celebrators. This is undoubtedly what children’s dreams are made of.

Next comes The Pink Friday. The creamy strawberry cheesecake, drizzled with light strawberry syrup and “glittered” up with nerds and crushed Speculoos, stirs up wonderful memories of summers in Baguio and many love-filled February nights.

The star of the night, the Magnum Cookie Skillet rounds out the dessert dream. Two chocolate dipped vanilla Magnum bars, cushioned on a dollop of smooth creamy whip, lies on a bed of warm, freshly baked chocolate chip. The heady, sinful scents make your mouth water, and nothing comes close to the beautiful moment when your spoon breaks into the warm crust and the delicious chocolate ganache oozes out from beneath like a decadent chocolate Nile.

While the desserts are straightforward, aimed at fixing your sugar cravings, the savory dishes by Chef Him Uy de Baron of Nomama restaurant fame sways the palate in another interesting culinary direction. In his dishes, Chef expertly cradles flavors with the light touch and a delicate wisp-of what else?Chocolate.

The savory menu offerings are many – all familiar and comforting to the hungry soul – but for this evening, I settle for a three-course meal of three-way crostini, truffle mushroom soup anda vegetarian mushroom burger. The bite-size appetizers – a beautiful display topped with handmade ricotta cheese, seared tuna and mushroom -teases the palate and successfully leads the meal into a crescendo that peaks with “meaty” flavorful vegetarian mushroom burger. But it is the truffle soup that trumps all for this dinner. The soup is quiet sonnet of flavor, whose wonderful light notes of truffle oilurges a delightful, little dance in your mouth.

For pleasure seekers, a meal at Magnum Manila is an exquisite peek into the possibilities of chocolate. It’s unfortunate that Magnum Manila is only to be around a little less than a year. But with everything that the brand has taught us, Magnum is about making the most of moments and indulging in private pleasures, and the next 365 days gives us more than enough time to revel in this novelty.