MENU: SENTRO

Corned Beef Sinigang
Originally uploaded by margauxlicious.

Last Sunday's Menu wasn't so much a review as it was recommendations for balikbayans, as required by the theme's issue on overseas foreign workers. Nevertheless, at least I got to visit one of my favorite Filipino restaurants again after a looong time.

Sentro was one of the first restaurants that opened in Greenbelt 3. From the time that it opened, it made a name for itself. It became the gathering place for that Sunday family brunch or for dinner before drinks on a Saturday night or for dinner before a movie on a Friday night.

But as restaurant after restaurant opened first in Greenbelt 3 then in Serendra (where Portico is creating its own waves and raves), not to mention the many other booming spots outside of Makati and the by-word-of-mouth finds, such as In Yo, it was easy to say "Oh I'll visit Sentro another time."

It took work to bring me back and I am just so happy that it did.

The Corned Beef Sinigang had never slipped my memory but the fact that it was TAMARIND sinigang did. Of all the sinigangs, binayabas (guava-based) is my favorite, but sinampalulkan (tamarind-based) comes a close second. Sentro makes a mean sinampalukan.

What I found especially worth noting here which, in the flurry of meeting the deadline because the issue went to press early (that looong weekend) and the information overload of the piece, I forgot to mention in last Sunday's menu, is that the restaurant understands that each person has his own preference for his sinigang. So the cook takes the time out to have a waiter bring a sampler of the broth brought to you first, to test its level of sour, the way it's often done with wine, before serving the pot. The result is that you have your own personalized sinigang, served not just in a bowl, but over a little candle, fondue-like, to make sure that it stays heated throughout the meal. I wish every Filipino restaurant treated their sinigang this way because really, we Filipinos don't drink much wine, but we sure know our sinigang! It's a country of sinigang connoisseurs.

I also very much appreciated the service. Looking for a socket for my laptop, I transferred tables twice with the very kind assistance of two servers. My guests arriving half an hour after me, they very happily obliged to bring my orders, which had arrived promptly, back into the kitchen first, to keep them heated during my wait. When asked about specifics of various dishes, the waiters knew their Filipino food.

The restaurant was clean, relaxed, with a very laid-back vibe and with very good Filipino food. This restaurant is definitely one of the reasons to frequent Greenbelt 2 again!

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MENU
Nothing tastes like home

By Margaux Salcedo
Inquirer
Last updated 06:08am (Mla time) 11/11/2007

MANILA, Philippines --


10 November 2007
Napa Valley
California

Dear Inaanak (godchild),

Thank you very much for your letter. I am also very excited to see all of you after 20 years in California! Thank you also for offering to take me out to all these wonderful restaurants. But really, I don't want to go anywhere fancy! If I wanted fine dining, I could have that anytime here. Thomas Keller's French Laundry, one of the five best rated restaurants in the world, is just a drive away. What I want are the flavors of my younger years that I have not had the pleasure of tasting since I left the Philippines.

So when I land, I want you take me first thing to the Aristocrat on Roxas Boulevard. Is it still there? I used to go there with my friends back when it was still Dewey Boulevard. Your mom loved their chicken barbecue so much she was craving it the whole time she was pregnant with Goldee. There is nothing quite like it here!

Then I want to have some really fresh fish from Dampa. Your Tita Atchie made me green with envy when she told me about your early morning trip to this fish market. I want to choose my own tilapia from the market vendor and have them cook it for me right there! I can't wait to eat with my hands.

I may have a day or two free to go out of town but I don't want to go too far. Your Tito Bill has told me about Viaje del Sol, a tour where you can visit several restaurants and attractions from Laguna to Quezon. There is a restaurant in Laguna called Kusina Salud that is part of the tour that I am very curious to try. It is managed by Nina Tesoro, daughter of couturier Patis Tesoro, and the chef is Nina's husband, Paul Poblador.Your Tita Nicky tells me he creates very unique dishes with unique names like Adobong Antigo ni Patis and Sizzling Vegetable Gising Gising. I hear he also makes a mean Lamb Kaldereta. I really want to try those and to see the interiors of this converted ancestral home.

Then I just want one dinner out at a reasonably priced restaurant where we can take the whole family before I leave. Again, I don't want anything too fancy. And if you can find a place with good sinigang, that would be the best!

Before I go home I also want to shop for items I can't find here: really good sampaloc, pastillas, coco jam, ensaymada and tsokolate.

If we can do any of these food trips I will be very happy, happier than if you took me to a P2000 per plate French restaurant!

Love,
Ninang Dette
11 November 2007
Manila, Philippines

Dear Ninang,

Done!

For that family dinner, we must have it at Sentro to complete your Filipino food fix. It is a clean, simply designed restaurant in Greenbelt 3. (Greenbelt is now very different from the Greenbelt you know! There are four different malls, and another one in the works, and these connect to other Makati malls and department stores like Glorietta, SM and Landmark. Don't worry about the recent Glorietta tragedy in the news. Goes without saying that it was really tragic but all Gloriettas have been in full operation since the day after the blasts.)

Anyway, you will absolutely love Sentro's Kesong Puti Salad, which has both fresh and fried kesong puti on fresh tomatoes and lettuce. For your sinigang fix, they offer a unique Corned Beef Sinigang which uses corned beef short ribs! I call it corned beef sinampalukan because it is cooked in a tamarind broth (my favorite!)

For your shopping we can go to the Salcedo Market, although this is just open on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. We can have brunch there. You can choose from the many selections of fish flown in from the provinces and grilled before you or enjoy some Cebu lechon or even have lechong baka (cow)! There are also some really good puddings available like Tita Ope's, that also sells ensaymada, or Tita Moning's. And exotic fresh fruits like Bangkok lanzones or Chinese pears from a very amiable fruit vendor named Rene.

Or we can go to Market! Market! in Taguig. (Fort Bonifacio has a whole new personality now and is now called Bonifacio Global City.) A section there called the Fiesta Market has kiosks that sell everything a pregnant woman can imagine craving! They have sampaloc, dried fruits, fresh fruits, bottled jams from Davao, Bulacan, Cebu and other provinces, different kinds of vinegar, and even bottled Nana Meng Tsokolate that you can bring bring back to the States!

Once we're done shopping we can just cross over to Serendra, another new hot spot, and have some of that ensaymada you've been craving at Mary Grace Cafe. Mary Grace is known for her really soft ensaymadas. We can have classic or modernized versions, as in, with an apple cinnamon or different cheese toppings. We can pair these with the cafe's homemade hot chocolate too!

I can't wait to see you. We'll have a blast! Be prepared to gain 10 pounds!

Love,
Your Inaanak

Aristocrat. San Andres corner Roxas Boulevard. www.aristocrat.com.ph.

Dampa. There are now many �dampa� or wet market locations, including Macapagal Boulevard, Farmer�s Market and Libis. But the original Dampa is in Sucat, Paranaque City.

Viaje del Sol. Brochures available at Kape Isla in Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Kusina Salud. 285 Bgy. Sta. Cruz (Putol), San Pablo, Laguna. (02) 699-5036 or 0921 722 6985. kusinasalud@yahoo.com.

Sentro. Level 2 Greenbelt 3 Ayala Center Makati. 757-3940 or 0917-866-0449.

Salcedo Market. Leviste Street (beside Velasquez Park and Makati Sports Club), Salcedo Village, Makati.

Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. www.ayalamalls.com.ph.

Nana Meng Tsokolate. 0920-902-3216. nana.meng@gmail.com.

Mary Grace Cafe. Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.