Kabila Filipino Bistro: Pinoy na Pinoy!

Our very own Filipino food is going places. I’ve been reading a number of articles about Filipino chefs serving Filipino dishes in restaurants abroad. This only means that people of all nations are dying not only to try our food but to have the convenience of getting these whenever they want to even though they are not here in the Philippines. But where else can we get the most authentic Pinoy taste but here at home.

My team had the chance to visit Kabila Filipino Bistro located at the Ayala Museum Complex, just next to Museum Café. We got to explore the Philippines through different dishes from the parts of the archipelago.

First things first, we were served with refreshing drinks namely, Pineapple + Ripe Mango Shake (175php), Lychee Dalandan Iced Tea (125php), Fresh Four Seasons Fruit Drink (165php). All of these gave us that tropical feels because of the fresh fruits incorporated in the drinks. Just one sip made me miss the beach!

For their appetizers, we had Melted Butter + Quesong Puti + Pandesal Crisps (275php) which not only smelled so good but tasted superb as well. The mix of melted butter and quesong puti was just perfect to complement their own Pinoy version of crostini – pandesal crisps.

Another appetizer is the Fresh Fruit & Bagoong (195php). I never thought mixing singkamas (turnip), green mango, pomelo, guava, salted egg, and bagoong (shrimp paste) can taste extremely delicious.

The last but definitely not the least starter we had was their Crispy Catfish, Burong Hipon + Mustasa (375php). This is my personal favourite. I even had the serving plate in front of me the whole time because I couldn’t stop munching on this dish. It is like a Pinoy version of Korean Lettuce wrap. To make it really Pinoy, they made use of mustasa for the wrap. For the fillings, there are crispy catfish, burong hipon (fermented shrimp), green mango, onions, tomatoes, calamansi, and balayan vinaigrette on the plate. Besides its outstanding taste, it was also fun making your own wrap.

Moving on to their main dishes, first, we had Grilled Pork Belly & Pig’s Ear Dinakdakan (275php). It’s somehow different to the Ilocano version of Dinakdakan but Kabila was successful in elevating this dish.

We also tried Kabila’s Pork Bagnet (420php) which was so scrumptious. Its crispiness made us feel like it’s too sinful yet so irresistible.

To balance out the pork dishes, we were served with Grilled Gindara (275php). I am not familiar with this fish but it tasted so fresh and its special sauce complemented it well.

For our dessert, we devoured their Ultimate Avocado Crush (250php) which is perfect for the hot weather. It has avocado pudding, avocado ice cream, queso, sago, and pomelo shreds.

If you’re craving for our local flavours, you should visit Kabila. All their dishes are good for sharing. What’s also admirable about Kabila is that all their ingredients are locally sourced. Although Kabila is known as a place for business meetings, I would recommend it for families because their dishes will surely give you that homey feels.

OPERATING HOURS: 8:00 am to 12:00 mn daily

LOCATION: Ayala Museum Complex, Makati Avenue corner Dela Rosa St., Makati City

Contact Nos.: +632-757-3000, +632-757-6000 or +632-758-1268

Facebook: www.facebook.com/raintreekabila 

Twitter: @raintreekabila

Photo credits: John Edward Amar