Filipino Favorites Worth Dining For At Siklab

  If you are not familiar with Filipino dishes but want to try what makes the Filipino eat five times a

 day, then Siklab should be one of the first Filipino restaurants you should visit. If you are entertaining balikbayan friends or foreign guests, you won't regret bringing them to Siklab. Opening its doors at the 3^rd level of Greenbelt 3, SIKLAB offers local comfort food with a twist and a burst of flavors.

With a restaurant name that literally means “to catch fire” or “burst into flames,” the dishes served here are in their best hot-off-the-grill goodness like the staple Filipino Chicken Barbecue which happens to be one of the restaurant’s “must-try” items on the menu.

“At Siklab, the story doesn’t end with serving all-Filipino dishes but we present these dishes creatively, the Bistro way,” Chef Josh Boutwood says. “Both usual favorites and some unique Filipino dishes will be served with interesting twists. The taste, however, is still traditionally Filipino — but richer and more flavorful,” he further hints.

Chef Josh personally recommends the star of the menu, the Chicken Barbecue. Chicken pieces are smothered in Siklab’s marinade made of coconut soy sauce, citrus and other spices and the meat is grilled to exact temperature and tenderness. The smokey aroma and intense flavor of the chicken plus its juiciness and succulence, bite after bite, will delight even the most discerning palate.

Salads are prepared with fresh ingredients that are truly Filipino: salted eggs, green mangoes, pako, kesong puti and grated coconut. Greens are the leafy malunggay and kangkong as well as other vegetables that make up dishes like Pakbet, Pako Salad and Monggo Soup. For appetizer, Kuhol Sa Gata (local escargot drenched in coconut cream and spicy ingredients) is a winner.

For entrees, the barbequed Liempo, a slab of perfectly grilled juicy pork belly best eaten with piping hot steamed rice and condiments on the side, is a crowd favorite. The adventurous eater may order Grilled Pig’s Ears, a not-your-usual grilled fare but equally tasty and enjoyable. A healthier alternative is the Tuna Belly, a juicy and tender chunk of tuna sprinkled with chilis and garlic.

Of course, what’s Filipino cuisine without the usual highlights: Bulalo, Molo Soup and Sinigang na Baka. Perfect for any kind of weather, these flavorful stews complement the grilled items on the menu.

Meanwhile, skewered beef and pork specialties are not to be passed up if only for Siklab’s signature basting sauce. “Roasted seafood are dipped in blended soy sauce and lemongrass, while beef, pork and poultry are brushed with a tomato-based basting—all rich and homemade barbecue basting,” Chef Josh explains.

Desserts at Siklab are mostly childhood favorites prepared in a playful way. If you enjoy a slice of sweetened glutinous rice or sweetened banana in your younger years, then you will surely love Siklab’s versions of Caramelized Banana and Biko. Even the ordinary Turon 2.0 becomes fancier as it comes adorned with homemade sugar snap cones and topped with banana ice cream with banana compote.

As part of Bistro Group’s portfolio of restaurant concepts, Siklab carries the same brand of customer service, great food and friendly ambiance that the chain is known and loved for. In the local food scene, Siklab distinguishes itself as a blazing new venue where families, friends, expats, urban professionals and balikbayans can enjoy an authentic Pinoy dining experience – proof that Filipino dishes are definitely worth dining for.  For more information and reservations, please call 729-7431 and 32. 

Oh My Buddha Bar

Poshness Galore!  The facade of this resto-lounge-bar may not be so striking but when you enter the building, it’s a totally different story.  Buddha Bar  is almost like a temple as you will see a huge Buddha figure lording over the tables.   

 

 

The place feels like a scene from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” except much, much, much more glamorous.  The slow music and the peaceful ambiance on the first and second floor makes you feel like meditating or worshipping. But seriously, it is a sight that will make you stop and stare. 

With the general dimness of the place, the lights resemble floating candles in a mystical way. The comfort room area is a nice feature, resembling a museum with paintings along the corridor that tell interesting stories.

Needless to say, the interiors is amazing.  The First floor is the lounge area, the second floor is the restaurant, and the third floor, which is an outdoor terrace, is the bar.  You will definitely feel like glaming up as this place has a way of compelling you to do so.  And dressing up is part of the fun. It’s all part of the high society experience.

Their cuisine is also another attraction with a blend of flavors and textures that perk up the palate.

Weekends at the Terrace  was launched as a weekend treat where you can avail of buffet grilled items, vodka and rum with a Buddha-Bar DJ from 8pm to 11pm.  On weekdays and weekend evenings,  Shisha Nights can be enjoyed at Php 300 net per flavour with 4 mouthpiece for sharing.

For inquiries and reservations, you can call +632 8566719 or +632 8566859 or visit www.buddhabarmanila.com. Buddha Bar Manila is located at Picar Place, Kalayaan Ave., 1227 Makati.