Grilla Filipino Cuisine Serves Food With A Twist

I was so delighted to attend another food tasting event last week when I get surprised that the typical Filipino cuisine can do better. Grilla is a casual Filipino family restaurant that caters both locals and tourists. They invited me to try their food as they opened another store in SM MOA by the Bay.

Today, Grilla have gained its reputation as institutional establishments in it own environment. To give you some background, Grilla prides itself to be as pioneering the first of many creations such as Buckets of Beer and the Grilla Feast which is the barbecues served in bilaos, that is good for sharing with friends and families.

This year, Grilla is celebrating its 19 wonderful years. They serve local dishes like Crispy Pata, Kare-kare and Adobo. They carry most of the all-time favorites Filipino foods, they also features various regional Filipino specialties like Dinardaraan, Ilocos Bagnet, Lechong Liempoala Cebu, Beef Kansi, Beef Kamto at Litid Sinanglao, Sinampalukang inihaw na Manok and Inadobong Tilapia sa Gata at Sili. Their main goal is to be renowned as the default go to place because of its wide selection of authentic dishes from all over the country.

My apology to the organizer because at time, I was kinda late at the event yet I was able to try some of the food that they serve. I tried the Tokwa't Manok. Actually, it's a healthy version of the famous Tokwa't Baboy. They switched the Pork Liempo to Grilled Chicken Inasal and fried chunks of tofu in a mildly spiced sweet-soy-vinegar sauce.

Then, the Crispy Fish Trio in crispy fried strips of Tilapia, Hito and Bangus served with vinegar dip while the Beef Kansi which is the famous Bacolod dish that is more likely like a sinigang and bulalo together with a sour soup made with Kamias, and the Grill-A-Palayok which is a original Grilla recipe with seafoods, beef, and pork belly cooked over the very hot stones in a palayok. It was served with ginger and lemongrass, and three condiments such as Sinamak, Nilasing na Mangga and Soy-Vinegar Dip.

Of course the food tasting will not end without the desserts which I been waiting for. They serve us the Halo-halo Spring Rolls, it's a deep fried rolls of red mongo, beans, sweetened banana and  Kamote with ube ice cream and a sprinkled of toasted pinipig.  and not but not the least the Grilla Dessert Sampler who has leche plan, palitaw smothered in coconut sauce and Suman-Manga at Macapuno topped with Vanilla Ice Cream.

My personal favorites are the Tokwa't Manok and Grill-A-Palayok. The sweet-soy-vinegar sauce of Tokwa't Manok gives additional taste of the dish while the Grill-A-Palayok brings out the natural flavor of the sea foods and the meats in Kamias soup. When it comes to dessert the Halo-halo Spring Rolls rocks for me. I love the combination of ube ice cream and pinipig in a deep fried basic halo-halo ingredients wrapped to become a special dessert.

One thing I like in their restaurant is that they have a combination of native and traditional interiors. The rattan chandelier caught my attention and makes me feel at home as well as the ambiance. Waiters are nice and the owners is so generous and kind. 

Grilla has more to offer when it comes to Filipino cuisine and the same with the numerous fascinating destinations in the Philippine foods. I hope that you will also try them all and discover your own personal favorites. Visit Grilla's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/grillasmbythebay and follow them on Instagram at @GrillaFilipino Cuisine. Mall of Asia Complex, Seaside Boulevard telephone number is (02) 805-2995.