APPETIZING FILIPINO CUISINE AT MESA

MESA FILIPINO MODERNE 
mike de guzman | filipino travelog 
If you have plans to visit the Philippines and look forward to having a memorable experience of a true but unique taste of Filipino cuisine, Mesa Filipino Moderne is one of the best restaurants to try on. I assure you that it will gratify your palate and meet your expectations.

Meal

Grilled Liempo Mesa Way 

(Classic grilled pork belly)

I like the preparation because it's flavorful and tender. Especially when the pork is grilled, some become hard to chew and overcooked, but this one is perfect.

Price: P195

Crispy Baby Squid

(Whole squid battered then deep fried served with fish crackers) 

It is crispy and even savoury when dipped into a spicy mayo sauce. This meal has the original flavor of calamari and to balance the taste, it includes some crunchy fish crackers on the side.

Price: P245

Crispy Boneless Pata

(Deep fried pork)

Pata is a famous Filipino cuisine often served on special occasions such as birthday and fiestas (festival), but Mesa Restaurant makes it available any time of the day.

What is different about this particular food is the way they prepare it. There are no bones included so it is easier to cut and munch. Although it is apparently fattening and unhealthy for some people, I never missed this chance to try on one of its best-sellers. Personally, I like this meal because it is really tender and topped with crunchy fried garlic bits and other appetizing ingredients that can't be seen in other restaurants. 

Price: P505

Tawilis with Mangga on Spoon

(Crispy tawilis with slivers of ripe mango )

I have never seen Tawilis served like this- it's unique and colorful. The taste becomes powerful when it's mixed with ripe mango and dipped into sweet and salty bagoong (sauce made of fermented fish or shrimp). Although the serving is few, but this viand should be on your list. 

Price: P145

Lechon Kawali

This restaurant never stops from innovating its exciting cuisine out of common Filipino delicacies into an enticing experience for people with high appetite for food. Who would have thought that a simple Lechon Kawali could be more tempting if wrapped with pandan rice wrapper originally-made by the restaurant's chef. Besides, the presentation is unique and the service is personalized. Once your order is cooked, one of the waiters will cut the meat into slices and wrap it with other ingredients such as thin slices of cucumber, some onion leeks, and cilantro (coriander). Some left overs will be cut and re-cooked for a few minutes. 

This particular meal comes with sauces in 3 variants: spicy pork liver, sweet chilly sauce, & Rikki's choice.

I remember the same service I had few years back, trying the famous Peking duck in a century-old restaurant located in Beijing, the capital city of China.

This special preparation of Lechon Kawali is virtually similar as the spicy roll of Malaysia. 

Other ingredients such as onion leeks, cucumber, silantro 

Pandan Crepe created by the chef

The sauce: Spicy pork liver, sweet chilly sauce, & Rikki's choice

Dessert

Taking a risk for a new kind of food is a bit hard to try especially if you don't have any idea what's gonna be like after you taste it. 

In contrast, I never regretted that I ordered this restaurant's another original best-seller, created in unimaginable way. Unlike any other desserts like 'Turon' (bananas wrapped on this way), this crispy Leche Flan is not cooked with brown sugar, instead they made a sugary syrup than be drizzled on top.

I like this preparation because it's crunchy and the sweet tangy taste of Leche Flan melts on every bite you make.

Beverage

Nothing completes these gastronomically-appetizing meals without the flavorful tropical fruit juices: green mango and coconut shake. Most Filipinos prefer riped mango shake; on the other hand, it's quite amusing that green mango shake is perfectly matched with and a lot better for meals served fried and a bit salty. 

buko (coconut) shake 

green mango shake 

Overall Review

Staffs

Basically, the staffs are very attentive and quick. They really know what they are doing particularly the waiters and waitresses. They remember your needs and demands although there are some customers present. Unlike other restaurants, staffs seldom give some information about the ingredients and the way they cook their meals; but here, people are willing to share almost everything you need.

Ambiance

The interior is very contemporary and classy. The seats are comfy and enough for group gathering. Proximity among tables and chair are wide. 

People are serenaded with OPM (instrumental) songs.

The restaurant has an individual toilet for both male and female.

I like the design of their sink because it's stylish and one-of-a-kind which you can't see in other fine-dining restaurants.

Value

To my surprise, it was not really that expensive when we got our bill. For 6 viands, 10 orders of rice, 3 orders of dessert and 8 drinks, the total was approximately P3,000.  

Branches

Greenbelt 5
SM Megamall Atrium
Tomas Morato
SM, Southmall
Robinson's Magnolia
SM Aura Premier
SM City, North Edsa