Dinner meets mind games. Illusion meets immersion. Are you even ready?
Here’s a question for you: so, what even is dinner anymore? The rules fly out the window, the lines start to blur, and the dining experience becomes a seamless dance of taste and wonder. Welcome to The Magic Table, the spellbinding sensory experience created by world-renowned mentalist duo The Clairvoyants—aka real-life couple Thommy Ten and Amélie van Tass—now making its way to Grand Hyatt Manila on a limited run starting January 2026.
I got a front-row seat to the recent media preview held at The Peak, the hotel’s rooftop stunner of a venue, and let’s just say: you’ve never eaten like this. You’ve never felt this kind of “wait, did that just happen?” at a dinner table.
Mind games, medium-rare
The Magic Table isn’t your typical “dinner out at a hotel”—it’s a genre-bending collision of illusion and gastronomy. The Clairvoyants first launched the concept in Hong Kong, and now it’s Manila’s turn to play.
Thommy flew in solo for the preview (Amélie stayed back with their baby—mentalists, they’re people too) and gave us a tightly executed taste of what’s to come: a short but scintillating mentalism show, sneaky-smart canapés, and an exclusive peek at the full-blown set-up for the upcoming five-course mind-fry of a meal.
Even the arrival was a performance. At the hotel lobby, I pulled a tarot card—which then determined what I drank. The cocktail? A vibrant gin-based creation called Magic Mist, infused with butterfly pea and topped with prosecco, forecasted a very glittery future. Other guests sipped on The Golden Charm, a silky milk-washed mix of rum, strawberry, and lime, or Mystic Eye, a clarified vodka blend with Midori, pineapple, and cucumber. These Spellbinding Signature Cocktails, crafted exclusively for the launch, were as theatrical as they were tasty. I mean, I didn’t choose my drink. My card draw did. Talk about fate and flair!
When your scallops are doing performance art
And speaking of flair, the food wasn’t just served—it played along, in the kind of impeccable, luxurious style Grand Hyatt Manila is famous for.
After the arrival antics, we made our way up (60 dizzying floors up, to be exact!) to the lounge at The Peak. There, the spellbinding stunts continued—with edible enchantments. Think sumptuous heavy cocktails and canapes that boggled the eyes and delighted the palate, like caviar-topped, painted marble potatoes so deceptively real they could be mistaken for actual stones, each bite a creamy, decadent surprise. Scallops floated on an exquisitely crafted bed of seashells, marrying elegant textures and oceanic freshness. Even the charred broccoli was masterfully prepared to disappear into lumps of coal—smoky, tender, and utterly unexpected (the broccoli cups, not the coal).
It’s safe to say: The Magic Table is not your run of the mill menu ; it’s an artful orchestration of taste and thrilling tricks.
According to Thommy: “We do the magic with guests, right on the table. The magic acts are incorporated in the dishes.” Translation: you’re not just watching tricks—you’re part of the trick. This is a five-course narrative where each dish is a carefully crafted chapter of flavor and mystery, designed to both satisfy and surprise.
There’s a dog in the show (nope, not a rabbit—stay with me)
At some point in the show, we were introduced to Coney, a dog who’s not just a passing part of the narrative—he’s written into it. A quick clarification: Coney is an animated character (with a stuffed toy version, too), but he’s based on Thommy and Amélie’s real-life dog. And he’s most definitely in on the magic. I had my up-close encounter in one segment. I chose Tom Hanks from a page in Thommy’s book. Or…did Tom Hanks choose me? Plush-version Coney knew my answer beforehand. Don’t ask me how. You had to be there. Just book a seat and thank me later.
This isn’t just a dinner—it’s sleight of hand in sequins (with a side of tech)
Everything about The Magic Table teeters between slightly spooky and oh-so sophisticated, which, for someone with a soft spot (read: borderline obsession) for anything with a little juju, hits just right. One moment you’re sipping a glass of wine, the next Thommy’s guessing thoughts straight from your mind, and by the end, you’re questioning whether your memory is your own. And throughout it all, you’re having an absolutely grand time!
As Thommy put it: “I always want to create something that is unique, where you are becoming the magician yourself.” And he meant it. The line between guest and performer blurred real quick, and suddenly we weren’t merely watching the trick. We were the trick. Or at least part of it.
And if things don’t go according to plan? “Things can go wrong,” Thommy shrugged. “But the beauty of magic is it’s all about surprises. So we can always take it in another direction.”
Coming soon, if reality doesn’t fold in on itself first
The Magic Table preview made one thing clear (and yes, I have said it before but it bears repeating): this is not your average hotel meal. It’s a reality-bending, genre-defying spectacle built on psychic surrealism and edible storytelling.
While the full two-hour dinner doesn’t officially launch until January 2026, reservations will open soon, for a limited run. So don’t sleep on it—unless you like your food predictable and your reality, boringly unbent.
Don’t blink.
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