Raintree Restaurants’ SimplΓ© Lang is well-respected, and although I admit that I’m not quite as in love with Filipino cuisine as everyone else seems to be, I now understand why people are liking the dishes being served at this restaurant. SimplΓ© Lang has got me excited about trying Filipino food once again, as I saw how beautifully they were presented.
With hand-picked ingredients and appetizing colors, the featured food on the menu haven’t fully departed from the true tastes of local food fare we’re familiar with; they are just more interesting. SimplΓ© Lang in Ayala Triangle Gardens is a great place to go if you want a quick Pinoy fix.
Review of SimplΓ© Lang (Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City)
Ambiance: β β β β β
We came for dinner at 7PM. Ayala Triangle Gardens was very dark at night, but the buzzy atmosphere in SimplΓ© Lang makes this restaurant a joy to come back to. We managed to get a table quickly, and with bright lights, wooden furniture and cozy interior, we felt a bit like we just walked into a another dimension.
The dining areas are divided into the al fresco setting, the indoor first floor and the second floor. Stimulating colors everywhere tend to raise one’s appetite, promoting a positive attitude and outlook on surroundings. The printed words on the walls are well-chosen and are catchy, not going out of style soon.
Service: β β β β β
The customer service makes the restaurant reflect as family friendly. The staffs were a reflection of Filipino hospitality at best! It didn’t take long for dishes to arrive one after the other. We were seated at the second level, yet it wasn’t also hard to call the attention of servers. There’s one or two stationed on the floor attending to our requests.
Food: β β β β β
Subtly unique, the Tinapa’t Tops Salad (PhP 185.00) was as good as I expected for an appetizer. It had kamote tops, kangkong, alugbati tops, tomatoes, red onions and salted egg dressing. This salad had a variety of layered textures and different tastes with some sort of breadcrumb-y dusting of goodness thanks to the tinapa bits. It’s a neat salad tossed with fresh greens. Eating the leaves alone will make your doctor happy.
As I took a small portion of the Fresh Lumpia Rolls (PhP 95), I remembered home. The roll was basically stuffed with vegetables and was filled with muscovado sauce, garlic and sesame peanut sprinkle. If you’re into lumpia rolls, consider this a must order.
The Longaniza Tortang Talong “Pancake” (PhP 260.00) must be a trendsetter. It was made with rounds of fried eggplant, salted egg, tomatoes and onion salad. It’s easily one of the best you should have. Dump half of a slice to ketchup to get more flavor going. It sets the tone for the rest of the meal.
There was something special about the MBT (Monggo Bagnet Tinapa) (PhP 175). Aha, it was the bagnet (deep fried crispy pork with its skin on)! It worked. The stew has been cooked for hours and topped with sili (chili) leaves. What I liked about this course was its different approach with an authentic Filipino flair.
The Mixed BBQ Plate (PhP 595.00) consisted of chicken inasal (three pieces), leg quarter, pork barbecue (two pieces), and squid (two pieces). At least for my liking: Pork < Squid < Chicken Insasal. The sauce used for marination was rich, certainly sweet and tangy.
Rice, when eating tasty barbecues like these, is always necessary. Topped with chicken skin and inasal oil, Inasal Java Rice (PhP 165.00)Β is the one to go with.
Iβm not even sure why, but itβs a forgone conclusion that a Filipino restaurant like this will serve Crispy Chop Chop Pork Belly Dinakdakan (PhP 195). This oneβs fine, but it wonβt have me ordering it again. Clue: I’m no big meat-eater. π
The Seafood Bicol Express (PhP 375) for me was the hit sensation of the night. It came as a fiery, delicious bowl with shrimps, squid, clams, fish fillet and sayote (vegetable pear) shreds in coconut milk. I absolutely enjoyed every spoonful of this dish with Sisig Rice (PhP 180).
Sinigang na Crispy Bagnet sa Watermelon (PhP 395.00)βoh, this is what dreams are made of. Seriously, there’s watermelon in the sinigang soup as well as kangkong (river spinach) and labanos (radish). The fruity and sweet flavor of the watermelon juice exploded and it made sense to be combined with the sour taste of the broth as it wasn’t overpowering. The unconventional ingredients were a plus, even if they sounded ridiculous, making up for a version that’s even better than the regular sinigang. I loved it. So will you. β₯
On the other hand, the Grilled Stuffed Whole Bangus (PhP 285.00) was pretty standard and had no wow factor as the others, with green mango and tomato stuffing, and fresh calamansi. It’s a solid choice but not better than the grilled bangus in Bangus.
For desserts, we had the Halo Halo andΒ Mango Madness Crush (PhP 175.00) with fresh mangoes, ice cream, custard and puree with sago and crushed ice. These were aΒ nice change of pace from all the delectable main courses, a good solution to tropical heat as they’reΒ very icy, refreshing, and easy to eat with enough cream.
Verging on the not-so-sweet end, the Buko Pandan Pinipig Crush (PhP 150.00) was also nicely executed. It was served with coconut cream. We felt we needed our own, if only we weren’t too full. π
Price for Value: β β β β β
The irony is that even when I’ve lived in the Philippines for almost all the years of my life, there are just a handful of restaurants serving Filipino food that I’m proud about. SimplΓ© Lang at Ayala Tringle Gardens is the kind that I can recommend to friends who are visiting Metro Manila / Makati and would want to grab a bite of our food.
The drive, the delicious aroma upon entry, the queue, and then finally confronting the beautiful, massive tray of authentic Filipino food before your face is all part of the experience. Well, itβs time to put your car to good use. You need a ride toΒ SimplΓ© Lang and try the best on their menu. Food are well-priced and would be worth the trip.
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