For Father’s Day this year, we booked our lunch at Salu Filipino Restaurant in Sct. Torillo corner Sct. Fernandez streets, Quezon City. We read many great online reviews about their food and we’re excited to experience and learn why it’s known as one of the best Filipino restaurants. Owned by celebrity couple Romnick Sarmenta and Harleen Bautista, Salu serves authentic Pinoy dishes. Their extensive menu features specialties from Luzon, Visayas, to Mindanao, from Benguet down to Zamboanga. Longtime fans insist “you can’t go wrong.”
Review of Salu Filipino Restaurant (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)
Ambiance:
The ambiance was neither quiet nor stuffy. Salu is a great family restaurant for having a relaxing breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The theme looks warm and inviting and feels just right, even when packed with people. Paintings and decors on the walls set the tone for the dining room. It is a good place where you can bring your grandparents for a nostalgic feel. As for the space, it’s opulent. I was surprised to see a whole new area extending toward the other side of the room from where we were seated.
Food:
Every bite is a revelation here in Salu Restaurant where delectable regional Filipino dishes are different from the ordinary. We ordered some of their best offerings and were pretty satisfied with flavor-packed food. Their menu is not intimidating, as it’s filled with photos and creative descriptions. Note: Get ready for some modern twists; the adventurous will be rewarded. 😉
If you’re nuts for comfort food and the combination of bagoong (shrimp paste), lechon, and kare-kare (peanut butter sauce) sounds enjoyable to you, then Binagoongang Lechon Kare-Kare (PhP 495) must be on your table. It’s a sinful, heavy dish with a rich mix of ingredients and divergent flavors that are truly Pinoy.
Next, we had Sinigang na Isda sa Strawberry (PhP 545), one of the most eccentric entrees on Salu’s menu. The strawberries managed to balance the sourness of sinigang with its somewhat sweet, tangy, and refreshing contrast. It is a combo I couldn’t imagine liking before. Go get intrigued!
Loaded with toppings, Salu’s Palabok (PhP 255) was okay but one I wasn’t too crazy about. I prefer greasier pancit palabok that’s smothered with thicker, golden shrimp sauce.
Salu’s Pinas-Crispy Pata (PhP 850) was perfectly crunchy, matched with Poqui Poqui (veggies popular in the North of the Philippines). The salty exterior paired well with the tender and moist meat. It’s great with vinegar to cut through the fat just enough to make eating fried pork a dangerously simple task.
Pinatuyong Manok sa Mangga (PhP 375 half, PhP 675 whole) is a kid-friendly option on the menu, and it’s very good. There’s nothing revolutionary about this chicken, but there also doesn’t need to be.
For desserts, we tried one slice each of their Taho Cheese Cake and Yema Cake. Both were highly satisfying. The sweetness and firm-but-yielding texture were spot on, and you could certainly taste the quality of the ingredients used, which was a cut above the norm for sure. Order with confidence!
Price for Value:
Salu Filipino Restaurant is a lovely place to return to again and again. It’s a nice spot for a laid-back family gathering or any celebration. Prices are on the menu are moderate given the value. The tastes of food are impressive, full of bold and enticing flavors all served on gorgeous plates for sharing. The relaxed but attentive service oversees the meal, leaving us diners with a novel experience that’s expensive but worth it.
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
I love the facade of the building with all the beautiful plants. The inside looks cheerful and the play area for the kids is so cute. Those desserts are calling my name! What a fun restaurant!
The restaurant looks well thought out and decorated inside and out. Nice you are able to visit and enjoy their food. Moderate pricing is always family friendly.
What a lovely place! The atmosphere is charming (I love the modern take on the world’s continents!) and the food looks incredible!
Love the look of this enchanting restaurant. I really love trying new foods in my life. The decor is so beautiful.
I love trying new food! I love exploring all sorts of different restaurants with any kind of international flair. This food looks outstanding!
This is exactly what I’ve looking for. Such a perfect place to celebrate my incoming birthday!
Just hand me that cheesecake and call it a day. It looks delicious!
The food looks yummy, and I enjoyed seeing the decorations and the children’s area. I wish we had a restaurant like that in my hometown as we haven’t tried this type of food and it would be a new adventure for us.
I’ve never had that type of food, but it looks yummy. I love the decor of the restaurant; so clean, simple and welcoming.
That food looks amazing! I think that every restaurant needs to have a kids space like that!
Now this looks like a delicious place to go and get some food – the decor is beautiful and the food looks so yummy!
What a beautiful space! Everything looks really great and I love the kids area.
oh, my! I miss filipino dishes….love the classy ambiance. Thanks for sharing!
This restaurant is so inviting and their dishes, I am sure, are delicious. I love the idea that they have kid friendly dishes!
I love the authenticity of the food. That is pretty important to me!
I would love to try this place out. I have not had enough Filipino cuisine in my life!
Wow, the food looks amazing. I have never been to the Philippines and trying to schedule some time for vacation. The food looks amazing and I guess I need to try it all when I went there.
Wow this food looks super delicious. What a delicious restaurant I need to check out!
This place looks so amazing! I love it! I would love to visit here one day!
hello po san po applayan ng salu resto