Sangkap

New twists to Pinoy favorites

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

It is always nice to hunker down in the confines of one’s dining room and savor home-cooked comfort food.

Sangkap Filipino Restaurant offers just that experience with chef Raymar Reyes’ unique twists to the country’s well-loved dishes; allowing diners to have a taste of home in every nibble. The restaurant offers favorite local dishes with Chef Raymar placing the spotlight on the peculiar tastes of the different regions in the country.

“Our Chicken Inasal sa Gata was grilled first prior to being simmered in coconut milk. The entrée Pate na Adobong Manok, on the other hand, has the chicken liver soaked in milk for 4 hours before cooking it in adobo sauce of toyo, suka, and paminta (peppercorns), finishing it off with basic cream then topping it with onions cooked in balsamic vinegar,” revealed Chef Reyes.

“Our Humba is like adobo but took out the sourness of vinegar to highlight the sweetness. For this dish, we use beef ribs instead of pork that’s simmered in pineapple juice. The Tinumok, a Bicolano staple, was prepared with sautéed ground pork, shredded coconut, and tilapia fillet wrapped in gabi leaves then cooked in aligue (crab fat) and coco milk,” he added.

Imagine sinking your teeth into the flavors of Batanes, Pampanga, and Zamboanga or maybe sampling the best of Cebu, Ilocos, or Iliolo. Whether or not you’re familiar with these places, Sangkap made sure to meld comfort and adventure once they land on your palate.

“People who love the classics, and those that go for the experimental, will both enjoy our food offerings. For instance, ceviche is normally without gata (coco milk), except in Batanes and Central Visayas. For our Ivatan Kilawin, we use tangigue because it holds well with vinegar and calamansi. Then we added fresh shredded coconut for a sweet nutty and fruity aftertaste; which also lowers the tartness of vinegar,” shared Chef Raymar.

Diners are proffered comfort food reminiscent of home but which are mixed with the subtle thrill of trying something new. One of their bestsellers is the Cebu Lechon Sinigang, the perfect combination of two all-time Filipino favorites. With just the right tang of tamarind, as well as the sweet-sour taste of nearly-ripe mangoes, and the hearty crunch of lechon, that is enough to wash away the fatigue from your weary bones.

“We cook the whole slab of belly for six hours in the oven over slow fire. We rolled into the meat some tanlad (lemongrass), pandan, and chili pepper. The sauce comes with blended ripe and green mango as well as tamarind. Then we flash fry it before serving to make the skin crispier,” continued Sangkap’s chief toque.

So when you’re in the mood to travel, but the familiarity of home is too soothing to leave, bring your taste buds to Sangkap and enjoy gustatory adventure right in your very plate. “At the end of the day, Pinoys would still prefer to eat Filipino food. Sangkap is also a pet-friendly dining place so we encourage diners to bring their pets along. And for those with sweet tooth, but on the adventurous side, try our Bicol Express ice cream. It has bits of meat and just the right kick of spice that does not linger long,” intimated Harvard Uy de Baron, venture partner and marketing head.

The Menu Group (TMG), formed in 2015, is the creative team behind Sangkap and three other restaurants (Sasa, Splice, Sobremesa)all featuring  exciting cuisine concoctions to a variety of tastes. The group of young, passionate restaurateurs has successfully opened food stops in popular up-and-coming places in Ortigas and Mandaluyong.

“For sweet endings, try our Tri-Color Roll, that’s banana turon with ube, macapuno, and cheese and deep fried then served with home-made vanilla sorbetes (ice cream) and strawberry puree,” invited Chef Raymar at the close of our tete-a-tete.

Sangkap Filipino Restaurant is nicely tucked, and conveniently located, in Portico along Capt. Javier St. in Oranbo, Pasig City. You may also visit/follow SangkapPH on social media to get updates on what they’re serving.