Bonifacio

[3.5 stars rounded up]
It wasn’t too long ago when I read of Filipino chefs taking a spin on traditional Filipino foods in efforts to showcase the true richness in Filipino cuisine to the rest of the world. (For those interested, I added the link for you to read:
)
Yet, there is one thing that I usually avoid in general… and that’s gourmet food… especially with one of my all-​time favorite cuisines (and pretty much the staple diet that satisfies my inner soul). Some may ask why and ask that I elaborate on it. My answer: I’m a traditional cuisine guy… and there’s a reason I tend to camp hawker centres and street food stalls. Gourmet food… is like a tax lawyer trying to justify a high invoice for some paperwork that I could have done myself albeit some complexity and extra time. Oh, not to mention, for those who follow my reviews, I’m a LOT harsher (ala strict) when reviewing gourmet spots compared to my beloved mom-​pop-​I-​lub-​u-​4ever-​spots-​that-​I-​forgive-​some-​errors-​on-​for-​being-​dirt-​cheap.
So 4 stars is… pretty much… you’re great, I’m probably coming back again, and I’ll bring friends. (5 stars for a gourmet spot would mean… well, I’ll eat here as often as I can and spread the word until ears are cracking and people are making a run for it… but I’ve yet to find one that really blows my mind off the freaking planet especially for Filipino food).
Anyways, before I forget, THANK YOU smectacularlyawesome Debbie T. for setting this luncheon up (and for Marcus L. and Valerie L. for being there). Like always, a great time with food MUST involve great company.
FOOD:
1. Pork Sisig (Menu# PS1) — not crispy, no pig brains, can’t taste liver, can’t…can’t…OH, WAIT, gourmet spin-​off! This spin on the traditional dish is definitely a milder version of the original BUT easily inches to the BEST sisig I’ve had in Singapore. Not to mention, it’s price is VERY similar to most spots (such as Filipino stalls at food courts) that sells it. It tasted great before and after the lime juice was squeezed on.
2. Bagnet Kare-​Kare (Menu# MC7) — close to being a deconstructed modified version of the traditional version, I’d say the heavier peanut sauce (instead of a watery sloppy mess of awesomeness), the use of deep fried pork belly (instead of ox-​tail), and having the veggies on the side… brought out the uniqueness of this dish. Kare-​kare will always be one of those favorites for good reason and having «thick-​arse-​bacon» in it… just spices things up differently.
3. Daing na Bangus (Menu# MC18) — another Filipino staple dish is the deep fried milkfish that is cut differently from most fishes served in other cuisines. Instead of being cut at the belly, this fish is cut from the spine to preserve the oh-​my-​awesomeness-​fatty-​stomach that this fish is known for. (Btw, it was completely de-boned…which is expected of a gourmet spot… and if you don’t know this fish… let’s just say, it’s one of those alien fish with a crazy amount of EXTRA bones that drive most people — who never had it before — nuts…). This was easily the favorite of the group. (The only spin on this dish is the green mango salsa on the side… lol).
4. Pinakbet (Menu# VG2) — geez, would a meal be complete without one of the favorite vegetable dishes? I hesitated ordering this initially as I wasn’t sure how the group would react to bagoong (Filipino shrimp paste). However, both Debbie and Marcus assured me that they are not only adventurous but are sure that they’ve had the Singaporean version of shrimp paste in the past and enjoyed it. Oh well, order it I did… and was greeted with a spin-​off that was not only palatable but lovely on the taste-​buds.
5. Chicken and Pork Adobo (Menu #MC11) — this is the only disappointment in the meal. Seriously, I found that the MOST POPULAR dish was butchered by this spin-​off attempt. I’m sorry… I won’t let this one slide… and I won’t EVER recommend ANYONE to try this. Come on… not only was it BLAND, but it is also a serious deviation from the original flavors and awesomeness that Adobo is famous for.
6. Garlic Rice Platter — well… it is what it is… but I included it in my review to REMIND anyone that this is something that you should always try if you are to have Filipino cuisine. Without this popular method of making rice, well, Filipino food just won’t be the same.
VERDICT:
I’ll be back… but only with people who want to have Filipino food. I’m going to remain that traditional cuisine person that will always stick to the mom-​pop stall or ORIGINAL flavors that I’ve always, always… ALWAYS loved!
SERVICE:
It’s great. What else do you expect from a gourmet spot? lol
Unilocal 100: ⁷⁄₁₀₀

Filipino food is not usually on our radar for a culinary night out, but this cosy restaurant in Chinatown serves up excellent modern Filipino fare that will counter your preconceptions of the nation’s gastronomic offerings.
The familiar pork sisig and deep-​fried pork belly are on the menu, but that is not all they offer. Whilst most of their main courses are certainly worth a shot and being adventurous about, steer clear of the milk fish dishes as these tend to be on the dry side.
I recommend starting the meal with kilawin, a refreshing concoction of calamansi, chilli and raw fish. End the evening with mango jubilee, the perfect marriage between vanilla ice cream and mango balls caramelised with rum.
Reservations are not usually necessary, but do call ahead to find out if there will be a live music session on your intended dates, particularly if you are looking forward to having a quiet, intimate dinner where conversation is possible. The music is great, and when we visited the singer that graced the occasion looked like an Asian Fabio, but no one will be able to hear you gush about the bagnet kare-​kare.