Visa Infinite takes diners beyond the menu at Metiz

What happens when one of Manila’s most adventurous kitchens takes an already memorable tasting menu and gives it an exclusive twist?

Visa recently hosted a dinner at Michelin Selected Metiz to give a taste of the benefits Visa Infinite can look forward to.

Designed for the affluent market, Visa Infinite anchors the suite, delivering elevated everyday value alongside enhanced travel and lifestyle rewards. Visa Infinite Privilege builds on this with broader access and more curated experiences. At the top tier, Visa Infinite Private is an invitation-only offering designed for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, with bespoke services and exclusive access to rare, highly personalized experiences.

For affluent foodies, one of the most compelling offerings is Visa Infinite’s Beyond The Menu dining and gastronomy program. These benefits grant access to exclusive, immersive experiences that bring diners closer to the craft, creativity, and personalities behind some of the region’s most exciting culinary destinations.

A recent dinner by French-Filipino chef Stephan Duhesme and his team at Metiz offered a glimpse into what a Visa Infinite Beyond The Menu experience can be like.

Long before Metiz earned its Michelin Select distinction, it already held some of the city’s most sought-after reservations, thanks to Duhesme’s adventurous tasting menus.

“Brash, strong, fermenty, and bold. The last thing we want is for people to say our food is bland,” declared Duhesme.

And he’s right.

As expected, there is excellence in execution throughout the meal. But what truly sets the experience apart is the way Duhesme and his team introduce each course with ceremony, storytelling, and a genuine sense of connection to the food.

Metiz unfolds its tasting menu in distinct movements, progressing from appetizers to mains and finally dessert, with each movement comprising several thoughtfully composed dishes.

For this particular evening, the off-menu twist came during Hapunan, the third movement and the centerpiece of the meal.

Under normal circumstances, the course features thick Snake River Farms pork chops, pan-fried and served with a bacon-mussel jus. For the Beyond The Menu dinner, however, Duhesme and his team reimagined the entire movement.

The movement began with a delicate pompano fritter served alongside a tahini-tofu sauce lightly sweetened with spiced honey.

The star ingredient remained the same: Snake River Farms pork. This time, however, the entire rack was roasted low and slow for six hours before being portioned into chops . The result was so rich and deeply flavorful that there was no need for a final sear. Every bite carried the concentrated essence of the meat itself.

Before the course arrived, diners were invited to participate in a miniature sawsawan ritual, creating their own dipping sauces. Yet the low-and-slow roasted pork chop, paired with an adobo jus made from its collected drippings, was so packed with flavor that I had no for that sauce.

The movement was completed by a chimichurri-like cherry tomato cebollas that brought a welcome touch of herbal brightness and acidity to the pork. There was also an interpretation of sitaw and kalabasa, alongside a serving of bamboo shoot rice, rounding out a course that felt both thoughtfully Filipino and unmistakably Metiz.

Beyond The Menu is just one aspect of the Visa Infinite experience. Cardholders also enjoy benefits across Travel & Exploration, Lifestyle & Entertainment, and Wellness & Renewal.