Jennifer B.
Yelp
Cousins planned a stop here for music, beer, laughs and everything in between. Who was I to argue, that's a pretty good combo of a good time!
Reservations are a must. As we walked in, all tables were accounted for. We were a party of six and were initially seated by the door. We asked if we could be seated somewhere else (our table wasn't really not an ideal place to be in for anyone, I must say) so we were moved to another with no issues. Needless to say, we were delighted.
I was told there was a band who do sets every hour or so but doesn't start 'til around 10pm-ish. In between would be patrons who are willing or brave enough to get up on stage and showoff their vocal skills.
But I was also after the food. We were a party of 6, so we could splurge a little bit. Cuzzo suggested a street food platter, chicharron bulaklak and deep-fried squid. We also started with water all around as well as a couple of buckets of SanMigLight.
It's very reminiscent of bars in the Philippines. Other than the prices on their food and drink offerings, it really did feel like I was back in the homeland.
CHICHARRON BULAKLAK: Not really a fan of this to begin with, but the gush of oil with each bite isn't my idea of a good appetizer. I do understand this that may be the norm for most, but that's exactly the reason why I don't like it. Flavor was delicious, though, I just can't stand what feels like a waterfall of grease swirling inside my mouth. There is flavor, sure, but... hard pass. (Cuzzos enjoyed it, so it wasn't necessarily a loss.)
DEEP FRIED SQUID: As often as cuzzos have been here, like me, it is also their first time having it. I see why every table puts in at least one order; it is almost mind-blowing. It is nothing like I've ever seen. I've seen it stuffed and grilled; I've seen it sliced, battered and deep fried, but never the likes of how they prepped it here. It's a whole different concept of leaving it whole, battered and fried and presented standing with 2 BBQ sticks. How to eat it is easy: just hold on to the part you want to eat and cut it out with scissors (kinda like a small version in the style of churrascaria.) Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and seasoned perfectly well. Highly recommending.
STREET FOOD PLATTER: Chef's choice for 12 sticks total. What we got were 3 sticks each of kikiam, fish balls, lobster balls and pork isaw. Everything was great apps, but what stood out most for me is the isaw. There was no gamey smell, cooked fantastic and most important was separating them in bite sizes. Absolutely worth it and so good we ordered a 2nd.
FOOD: 4. If only they can improve on the chicharron, it'd be closer to perfect. Also, their water tasted a little funky. We all had that "WTH?" face when we took a swig.
SERVICE: 5. The fact they accommodated us at the very beginning has to be lauded.
VALUE: 4. A little on the pricey side, but if you're willing to splurge a little bit...
PARKING: Private lot shared with others. Wasn't an issue when we arrived at 9pm on a Saturday.
OVERALL: 4.5
The band was entertaining: they were funny, there was talent and they were a delight to watch. (FYI: They take requests.)
I would return if only for the street food platter and deep-fried squid. If you're feeling a little nostalgic about the Philippines, this may just be your go-to.