Words by Gayle Dy
Photos by Lorraine Giron
Let’s face it: Everybody loves Filipino food. Nothing says comfort food more than a hearty old bowl of sinigang, or adobo paired with a big scoop of rice on the side! But if you’re looking for something a little more fresh in the world of Filipino cuisine, then look no farther, for this restaurant in Vertis North tweaks and even combines some of your favorite dishes together! The result? An amazing blend of modern and traditional-style cooking that paves the way for a pleasant gastronomical experience and delight.
Sangkap, or ‘ingredients’ in Tagalog, is the latest up-and-coming Filipino restaurant that pays homage to the country by serving dishes inspired by different flavors of the archipelago’s many regions. If you’re staying at home this summer, then don’t worry, for Sangkap brings the different flavors of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to us!
Now opening its third branch in Vertis North, Sangkap is sure to give you an unforgettable experience with its meticulously-crafted menu, which highlights 4 key ingredients, namely, kamatis, mangga, niyog, and sili. At first, I was quite surprised by their choices of key ingredients, as the aforementioned are all basic elements in the Filipino kitchen. But after having tasted their menu, I was completely blown away. It was just phenomenal what these little guys could do to enhance these dishes.
The restaurant’s 4 main sangkaps: Luis Kamatis, Mina Mangga, Sili Cely, and Koko da Buko.
According to Chef Reymar Reyes, who created the menu, “We conceived Sangkap as a celebration of cultural heritage with a modern twist on well-loved Filipino dishes across the country. The dishes that Pinoys grew up loving provide a satiating filling in their stomachs and a satisfying feeling in their hearts—where the familiarity resonates the warm experience from partaking home-cooked meals that are usually eaten together with your loved ones. This is what we serve our customers at Sangkap.”
To start off your meal, you must try the Batanes-inspired kilawin in gata. Better known as Filipino ceviche, this local seafood favorite will surely blow you away with its perfect balance of spiciness and sour made sweeter with its creamy gata.
Another appetizer worth your time would be the Okay Salad drenched in mango dressing, making for a nice blend of savory and sweet.
Now, for the main course, the Sangkap fried rice is unmissable. Bursting with flavors of smoked tinapa and hints of mango, it is basically euphoric once you have it with some of Chef Reymar’s star dishes.
The Sangkap fried rice pairs well with any dish.
These include the old-time favorite beef mechado, whose meat is tender and sarsa, just beautiful, as well as the delicious chicken inasal sa gata, which is sweet, smoky, and creamy and inspired by the flavors of Bacolod and Bicol. The dish is so smooth that it almost feels like it could melt in your mouth.
The tender and delicious beef mechado is an old-time favorite.
Chicken inasal sa gata, a modernized twist on the classic favorite.
But the biggest star of the meal was no doubt the Cebu Lechon Sinigang. Boasting over 20 herbs, the dish is a modern take on the classic sinigang combined with a sweet mango broth before being topped with the crispy Cebu lechon. The broth has the perfect blend of sourness and just a touch of sweetness that will inevitably end with you slurping blissfully. In fact, if you were to ask me, I’d say that this dish is the Philippines in a bowl.
Look at how beautiful that is!
Other worthy mentions include the seafood menudo, another tweaked dish that is full of fresh clams and tahong for those seafood lovers.
Now, if you’re up for the challenge, here are the sili dishes you must try.
See all the chili peppers in there? The gising-gising is sure to wake you up with its crazy spiciness, but if you want something a little bit more on the mild side, then the salted egg fried chicken is for you. Its spiciness is more leveled, perfect for sharing with the family.
Finally, for dessert, what better way to end the meal than with the colorful Salo-Halo? Creamy and delicious, it’s filled with all the usual toppings such as ube, gulaman, langka, nata de coco, and saging. It’s a big serving too, so make sure to share!
Meanwhile, the tri-colored spring rolls with vanilla ice cream also leaves a beautiful and lasting impression. Infused with ube and strawberry syrup on the side, this dessert is heaven à la mode.
All in all, Sangkap is definitely a must-eat for everyone out there. Its wide and unique array of modernized iconic Filipino dishes teach us that there is a lot more room for innovation and growth in our cuisine. Lastly, it connects us to the other regions of the nation by giving us a taste of their culture and thereby bridging the gap between us, even for just a meal. For that, I’d proudly say that Sangkap is one of the best Filipino restaurants in the metro.
To make your encounter in Sangkap extra memorable, they have unique promotions that will surely
make you visit. They have Pinoy Streetfood Festival every Wednesday (which serves complimentary street food platter), 15% off on Dishes of Featured Sangkap of the Week on Thursdays, and Sagot namin si Lolo at Lola tuwing Sabado (meals for grandparents are free every Saturday).
Finally, since Sangkap caters to families, they have Anak at Apo Meals and value for money Salo Salo for groups of 4 (Php 1,500), 8 (Php 1,950) and 10 (Php 2,400). The sets are curated to have different sangkaps and best-selling items in them. It also comes with complimentary drinks.
Sangkap
Sangkap Portico
Address: Portico, Captain Javier Street, Oranbo, 1605 Pasig, Philippines. Contact us at 0917-5003187 / 6365618.
11AM – 2PM and 5PM – 10PM Sunday to Thursday
11AM – 2PM and 5PM – 11PM Friday to Saturday
Vista Mall Taguig
Address: Camella Taguig Rd, Taguig. Contact us at 0917-5003187 / 5327750.
10AM – 9PM Sunday to Thursday
10AM – 11PM Friday and Saturday
Ayala Malls Vertis North
Address: Second Floor Vertis North, Triangle Exchange, North Ave, Quezon City. Contact us at 0917-5003187 / 6254620.
11AM – 10PM Monday to Friday
10AM – 10PM Saturday to Sunday
