I asked myself that question hours before the restaurant opened its doors for the first time in Iloilo. And after a very satisfying dinner, I have more than the answer to share.
The concept of Lamesa Grill came from one of its owners, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. The mega senator wanted to integrate the concept of grilling food right at the customers table such as those found in most Korean and Japanese restaurants. The original branch at the SM Mall of Asia was an instant hit among the big city foodies when it opened around four years ago. As the franchise grew, it ceased offering the “lamesa grills” and became a more standard restaurant.
FIRST TIMEWith the menu being used for the first time, invited guests during last Sunday’s soft opening at SM City Southpoint, took moments to scan over and scrutinize items before giving out orders to the food servers, doing their jobs also for the first time. A variety of items can be found - some familiar, some “alien” and some intriguing of sorts.
Like the “Pampagana” or appetizers. Staples like Tokwa’t Baboy and Ensaladang Mangga to regional specialties like Sinuglaw and the popular Sisig are among the choices. Interesting finds are Hito Flakes, Baby Calamari and Tinapa Roll. Our Pork Sisig (PhP 170) was made extra crunchy with the addition of chicharon on top of the meaty concoction.
Options for the soup include Sinigang (your choice from pork, beef or seafood), Bulalo, and our very own Pancit Molo among others. But it was another Ilonggo specialty that made our table, Chicken Binacol (PhP 215). It was chunks of chicken in a soup slightly sweetened by the addition of coconut water and strips of buko.
ON THE GRILLThe “Ihaw-Ihaw” comes in ready-to-eat unlike the original concept of Lamesa Grill. Those in the know would probably missed the on-the-table grilling experience but at least they’re spared from smelling like grilled liempo, tuna belly, hito or sugpo after eating. Meat and seafood plus their different parts like lengua, pakpak, tadyang and tiyan complete the selection. If one can’t decide which to get then the combo platters are the best options. Like our Seafood Combo Platter (PhP445); it has hala-an, sugpo, tahong, squid, blue marlin and bangus bellies all in one plate drizzled with savoury sauce.
The seafood option had the familiar ways of cooking (adobo, ginata-an, fried and sizzling) fish, prawns and squid. Interesting was the mix-and-match of fish and cooking specialties. Choose from tilapia, managat, apahap, maya-maya and lapu-lapu then have it either Pan-fried with Latik, Steamed with dayap and sili, Pinaputok or Kinulob sa Asin Dagat. The latter brings in the “Gatorade” principle that salt keeps the moisture in, as I read in one blog. But playing safe, the Chili Garlic Prawns (PhP 320) we got had the right mix of flavours - complementing and not overwhelming.
We had a hard time deciding for a meat order since everything seemed delicious like Pinatuyong Adobong Baboy, Crispy Kambing and Pritong Sinampalukang Manok among others. In the end we got the Crispy Tadyang ng Baka (PhP215), the hip part of the cow, seasoned and fried to crunchy perfection!
HIGHLIGHTS
And then there’s Pinatayong Manok (PhP 365). I’ve heard of “pinaupo” but “pinatayo?” When it came, we weren’t surprised to see a crisp fried chicken but to see it hanging on its back was totally unexpected.
But yes, it really did stand but not on its own feet thus the debate on the correct term to be used began. I didn’t quite participated in it for I enjoyed the “crisp outside, juicy inside” piece of chicken leg I had - really delicious no matter what it is called!
“Ang Aming Bida” as the menu proudly announces is the Crispchon. A spin off from pritchon, an order would highlight any visit to the restaurant. A food server slices the deep fried pork into serving pieces and assembles it like a lumpia. Each order (from a sixth, a quarter, half then whole ranging from PhP799 to PhP3,999) comes with pandan crepes, wansuy, cucumber and leeks with three sauces of choice. Choose among spicy pork liver, sweet chili, wansuy-infused, garlic, curry mustard and Rikki’s choice. This is literally a gastronomic showpiece but I personally prefer eating lechon the old fashioned way. Good thing the remaining Crispchon was refried with chili garlic and I enjoyed every last morsel on the serving plate!
The vegetable selection comes with the familiar – Bicol Express and Pinakbet to the interesting like Sigarilyas sa Gata (a best seller) and Pilipit na Sitaw. And noodles in the form of pasta (with chorizo, caldereta or adobo) and pancit like palabok, bam-i, and canton. But it won’t be a typical Filipino meal if rice is absent. Select from their fried rice options with toppings and flavours like Laing with Adobo Flakes (PhP 135), bagoong, tinapa, seafood and sisig.
For dessert, choose from the usual finds like leche flan, turon and sago’t gulaman among others to delicacies like Guinumis to reinventions like Palitaw with ChocNut.Now that’s almost the whole menu! But this alone couldn’t satisfy, why not visit Lamesa Grill Iloilo at SM City Southpoint. For reservations, contact them through 333-3327 or 0917-LAMESA-G.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Many thanks to Mr. Roy Betita, owner/franchisee of Lamesa Grill Iloilo for inviting The News Today and some members of the Iloilo Bloggers Inc. during the opening last April 10, 2011
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This article was published on The News Today last April 15, 2011 under my column FLAVORS