Putien brings the clean taste of Fujian cuisine
THE PLANET’S seasons shape our lives, and one might think that this is limited to agriculture, but think about how they alter your wardrobe, travel, and work plans. Those powers are heavily reflected in Putien’s menu, which changes according to the seasons. Perhaps it’s that respect given to the planet’s axial spin that is the reason the restaurant has consistently earned one star in Singapore’s Michelin Guide for four years straight.
The restaurant was founded by Fong Chi Chung, and the dishes are memories of his hometown Putian in Fujian province. The Philippine franchise of Putian, which opened last month, was made possible by the Vikings Group, which also opened the Philippine franchise of Taiwanese chicken chain Monga last month.
Filipinos are more familiar with the robust tastes of Cantonese cuisine, and Charles Lee, Vikings Group Marketing Director said, “I could say that Fujian cuisine is not as heavy — the taste is not as heavy,”he said.
BusinessWorld got a taste of this with the Fried Heng Hwa Bee Hoon, a noodle dish with seafood and vegetables tucked within its strands. It did taste remarkably light, and gave one the feeling of being full — but never exceedingly so; this even after three small bowls. We paired this with the Fragrant Herbal Chicken, which tasted almost like medicine — in a good way. It’s as if it had absorbed a potion that made one’s soul feel lighter, but we got over that quickly enough. We had the deep-fried pork trotters next, which were delicately spicy and had a nice inviting texture as you eat them with plastic gloves: it was like holding the hand of a jolly fat man.
The seasonality of Putien’s menu, part of its raison d’être, are followed strictly in the Philippine franchise, according to Mr. Lee. “We are strictly required by HQ.” As for the ingredients, some are sourced locally, while some are from Singapore, and some come straight from Fujian province.
As we’ve noted, Filipino palates are more familiar with Cantonese cuisine: perhaps because the people from that region have a stronger presence globally, thanks to large waves of migrants from the province of Guangdong. Mr. Lee, however said, “At home, we eat a lot of Fujian cuisine.” His family is from Fujian province, and the region is very well-represented in the Philippines: the Gokongweis, the Cojuangcos, the Sys, the Tys, and the Tans all lay claim to ancestors from Fujian province. “This type of cuisine resonates with them,” he said about Chinese-Filipinos of Fujian ancestry. We asked Mr. Lee how many Fujian-influenced restaurants are in the city at present, and he said, “I don’t have a number for it. And you know why? It’s not as heavily familiar. Cantonese is still the go-to comfort food.
“We’re banking on the fact that it’s a one-Michelin Star brand,” he said.
Besides, the market for Fujianese food is different — it isn’t about familiarity. Keeping in mind the changing seasons, Mr. Lee said about Putien’s customers, “They look for things that are always new, always changing; something different.”
As for the Vikings Group, Mr. Lee said that they plan to open a Filipino-themed food hall and a Korean barbeque concept, as well as a spa, in the near future. — Joseph L. Garcia
