Sérye Café Filipino, a casual-dining family restaurant (formerly Sérye Restaurant and Cafe), has a new look and is currently updating their menu with a wider line-up of delectable Filipino dishes. From all-time favorite comfort foods to light merienda (snack) fares, siphon-brewed coffee, tea and chocolate beverages, and sinful desserts, Sérye's specialties will surely satiate your cravings for authentic Filipino cuisine and more.
I received an invitation a week ago to have an intimate lunch at
Sérye with fellow bloggers
. I quickly obliged since I knew the family who runs the restaurant from way back.
I must admit, I am not a big fan of Filipino cuisine, though I have a short list of favorites. Fortunately for me, my faves are their best-sellers and these were all waiting to be devoured when I arrived (I was running late, so thank you for waiting ladies, and gent!). After a quick round of food shots, we were all ready to attack, much to the delight of our very hungry bellies!
Okay I have to stop right here and let you enjoy the food (shots) ;-)
Kare-Kare: Tender, chewy ox tail, with grilled eggplant and crisp greens in all-natural and flavorful peanut sauce. The sauce has a rich yet smooth consistency and sublime taste of peanuts that I was looking for in a kare-kare sauce. And don't forget the bagoong (fermented shrimp paste)!
 |
| @ P335.00 : Kare-Kare (ox tail in peanut-based sauce) |
What's missing though was my favorite part -- ox tripe. Alvin Lim, owner of Sérye, explained that since it is quite difficult to source consistently good quality ox tripe, they decided to omit this from the recipe and simply stick with the beef's tail, shank and veggies. I still give this 5 stars even without the tripe!
Chicken-Pork Adobo: The most popular comfort food in this country was given an extra kick with whole roasted garlic -- very aromatic! The addition of boiled quail eggs was inspired by Chinese-style
adobo which usually includes hard boiled eggs. An extra serving of adobo sauce was a very thoughtful touch to this so-called national dish.
 |
| @ P250.00 : Chicken-Pork Adobo (stew) |
After savoring the
kare-kare, this
adobo was completely overshadowed and I regret not having a little more of this to better appreciate it.
Boneless Crispy Pata: Just saying the name of this dish already spells a winner. The meat was well done and the skin was perfectly crisp. You can imagine this was eaten with much gusto! It was definitely a feast for the senses. Heart-attack alert! :)))
My favorite part has always been the crunchy-chewy knuckles. I think the ladies still had a hangover from this one!
 |
@ P115.00 per 100 gms. : Boneless Crispy Pata (pork leg)
|
Honey-Style Fried Chicken: This classic chicken dish paid homage to an old family recipe and was added a twist of flavor from "
secret herbs and spices". I was able to taste subtle flavors of the Chinese 5-spice, and still kept me guessing. A safe dish for the whole family, especially with the kids. Matched with
Sérye's Java sauce and served with
kropek (like fish crackers)
.
 |
| @ P495.00 : Honey-Style Fried Chicken |
I thought the price is steep for a fried chicken, but it was in jumbo size that can easily serve 8 people. Solved.
Now this next one came out as a surprise after we joked about our rising cholesterol levels after all the meat we had.
Vegetarian Kare-Kare: Same delectable
kare-kare flavors with tofu squares and loads of vegetables. Even the "
bagoong" was reinvented and made use of salted black bean paste! You have to try this to believe me. It's as yummy as it's beefy brother, but guilt-free!
 |
| @ P250.00 : Vegetarian Kare-Kare |
Aside from the changes in the menu offerings, the cafe's make-over reflects Filipino-Spanish inspired interiors, with colorful murals and ethnic-style furniture. Food is even served in customized, hand-crafted earthenware by renowned local potter Lanelle Abueva-Fernando.
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| Customized Abueva-Fernando plate, woven chair, callado-inspired lighting fixtures |
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| Warm and cozy ambiance for a relaxing dining experience |
Sérye is a wonderful place to enjoy good food with friends and family. It's also open for private parties and social functions offering various menu packages that will cater to your specific needs and budget. The whole bi-level restaurant can seat up to 80 for indoor dining.
Dining in a restaurant rich with traditional family recipes and new exciting dishes, you are bound to find something that's worth coming back to. Thanks to our generous host, my initial dining experience at Sérye Café Filipino proved nostalgic and completely satisfying.
Care for coffee and desserts?
Coming up... :-) The sweets are here on my
Random Cravings.
Sérye Café Filipino
Eastwood Citywalk - Libis, Quezon City
Tel.: (632) 911-2334
Quezon Memorial Circle - Elliptical Circle, Quezon City
Tel.: (632) 924-3411
Santana Grove - Sucat, Paranaque
Tel.: (632) 825-4691
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