On the “keeper” list in Makati, Sultan Mediterranean Grill features delightful Mediterranean plates that are set down in tasty digs accompanied with drinks. This restaurant was established back in January 2010 but closed down after a while. With its reopening last January 2015, renovation and redesign were done, making its interior pass the eye test with flying colors. Bustling crowds are expected especially during weekdays when people from corporate offices nearby come for lunch.
Sultan Grill will be opening a new branch in Wilson Street on November 15, 2015. So far, its well-conceived menu full of scrumptious specialties and the growing number of patrons in the neighborhood are enough to justify expansions.
Review of Sultan Mediterranean Grill (Salcedo Village, Makati City)
Ambiance: ★★★★☆
With clean and crisp interior, Sultan Grill fits into a rectangular space with many large tables across the dining room. Black sofas beautifully offset the colorful accents and decors which likewise provide a stately elegance to the blue and white adjacent walls. Lights give in ample brightness over the tables and help make a lighthearted atmosphere, but chandeliers with distinctive industrial appearance can further create a modern and interesting appeal.
Service: ★★★★★
Engaging staffers served us with glorious cuisine and explained the ingredients of each dish when asked. A restuarant’s service team is one of the crucial elements in its operations, and I’m happy to report that Sultan Grill’s staffs well-trained, well-versed on the menu, and friendly. I mostly appreciate their warm welcome and modesty.
Food: ★★★★☆
Falafel is one of the signature starters of Mediterranean cuisine—and with good reason. Sultan Grill’s version of Falafel on top of Hummus (PhP 250) did not disappoint. It’s an obvious choice for vegetarians. Made and processed with very finely chopped chickpeas, falafel is a great substitute for meatballs or sausage. Texture was coherent, and the crust was pleasantly crisp and not a bit greasy. Hummus added another dimension to the taste and it’s definitely worth a try.
The Vitamin Boost Salad (PhP 250) had a citrus kick, thanks to the orange-cranberry dressing. This plus the heartiness of nuts and greens, this baby can give enough sustenance to get you through a whole day. If you’re on a detox or diet plan, this is good dish you can even share with a buddy over any meal.
If you’re not a fan of starters, feel free to go directly to the main course. Braised Lamb Shanks (PhP 550) is something you don’t screw around with. Sure, it’s easily one of the most expensive items on the menu, but with the juiciness of the lamb shanks and the multitude of flavors from the Mediterannean, it’s a must order for domestic bliss. Served with rice, the lamb shanks were braised for three hours and what resulted were deeply substantive and savory taste and texture.
Consisting of well-seasoned hunks of lamb, beef, chicken, and seafood, the Kebab Platter (PhP 580) is a good pick if you want to try just about every kebab available in Sultan Grill. This platter can comfortable feed four or more people. While variety is a plus, I did not think that the beef and lamb were tender enough. Rather, the meats veered toward dry without the spicy richness it could have offered for extra satisfaction.
The Lobia Rice (PhP 95) was made with rice, string beans, and chicken with a twist of Mediterranean taste. It’s one of those food where you can let your eyes be your best guide. The orange color alone hinted that it’s appetizing. 🙂 This bowl of rice went truly well with the Kebab Platter.
Moussaka (PhP 250) – A uniquely Greek traditional dish of layered minced beef, eggplant and cheeses, baked like Italian Lasagna. Each bite was completed with rich taste of the ground beef and the sauce. Texture was far from being too chewy, mushy, and crappy.
The Chicken Curry (PhP 210) was another one that good amount of depth and character. It reminded me most of the Indian curry because of the smell. The curry was cooked with a combination of herbs and spices and coconut milk that provided a nice thick sauce. What slightly turned me off though was that the potatoes were still too hard to cut through.
Banana Yogurt Shake (PhP 100) was the perfect drink to sip in between bites. I love that the banana flavor was evident, and the yogurt shake was thick, rich, and yummy.
Price for Value: ★★★★☆
Mediterranean food can still be intimidating since there are not a lot of restaurants in the metro that widely serves this cuisine unlike Japanese, Chinese, Italian, American, and of course, Filipino local bites. I like that Sultan Mediterranean Grill in Makati keeps the mood light and casual and their staffs recommend the best dishes to try. Prices are average and has good value considering the portions served and the quality of food served.
Operating hours: 11:00AM – 10:00PM Daily
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
OH MY!!! The food looks affordable and delicious and I think i might just go here when I crave for these kind of dishes. The lamb shanks looks amazingggg… I will skip the salad though… hihihi you know me.. See you soon dear and enjoy VIETNAM!!! 😀 😀 😀
Yup, definitely order the lamb shanks. 🙂 It’s a house specialty that’s best to satisfy your craving. We have just arrived in Manila and we had a great time in both Vietnam and Cambodia. See you later!
This looks like such a fabulous restaurant. The falafel on top of hummus looks absolutely delicious. I’ve tried making homemade falafel before, but it never tastes as good as when I get it at a restaurant like this! I’d also love to try that salad!
Usually I don’t like getting salad in restaurants. This Vitamin Boost Salad though is an exception. The flavors and textures packs a punch in all the right ways! 🙂
Oh my goodness! Everything looks really delicious. I especially think I would enjoy that salad! I like that there are so many different types of foods you can try, something for everyone to enjoy!
Yup, the salad is one of the items on the menu that’s on the healthier end. It would not hurt to give it a try. 🙂
My husband and I love Mediterranean cuisine! My favorite dishes are Lemon Soup and Kabob. Too bad, our best mediterranean restaurant is about 1 hour away 🙁 too far away
Most of the restaurants that serve decent Mediterranean meals are also an hour away drive from our place, too. If it’s worth the trip, then I will definitely spare time to get there. 🙂
I love falafel on humus and chicken curry. They’re some of my favorite Mediterranean dishes. I should try making them at home. I haven’t had them in so long. Since my son is allergic to eggs, we can’t really go to restaurants anymore.
Love,
Julie
Ohh, that’s too bad. So many delicious food are cooked with eggs. 🙁 It’s nice that you’ve learned how to make great and edible food at home.
The restaurant looks super modern! I’m not too familiar with Mediterranean food but after seeing these pictures I definitely need to find one near me! Everything looks amazingly delicious!
We don’t have a lot of Mediterranean restaurants in the city. If you plan to give this cuisine a try one day, Sultan Medi is the place to go. 🙂
That rice looks like what we would call spanish rice or red rice in the states very beautiful dishes. I am on a salad binge now so I am here for everything salad
If you’re not in the move for meat, the Vitamin Boost Salad is the move. 🙂
The pictures from the camera on the phone looks amazing! I love trying out new phones it can be fun to find the different features on them. The features sound amazing on the phone for using every day.
I think this is one of the last events when I used my Samsung NX300. Now I’m happy to take pictures with Fujifilm XT10. 🙂 The photos come out with more crisp and good contrast without me having to take lots of time editing.
gosh that Braised Lamb Shanks looks divine. The place looks cozy too. I hope I will be able to visit them soon.
The braised lamb shank is the house specialty and it must be for good reason. Get it on your table. 🙂
Yummmmmm I love Mediterranean food. Especially when it’s got all the faves, like falafel. Looks like a decent place to check out 🙂
Crystal
Sulta Medi is the kind of restaurant you walk out of happy, wanting to tell all your friends about it. 🙂
The interior looks amazing! And that food looks to die for! I’m craving some curry now. Haha. And I really want to try that vitamin boost salad, it looks delicious!
Yeah. I’d definitely give it another try when we go back to Sultan soon. 🙂