Kubiertos

When eating out, my philosophy (for lack of a better term) is always to go to a place where I will not find dishes that I can easily cook or make at home. Strike any ordinary Filipino or Chinese restaurant. And this is why I frequent mostly Italian, Japanese or American restaurants.

But I found Classic Cuisine, C2 (get it? C2?), entirely different than what I was expecting from a usual Filipino restaurant. The offerings were the same as any other place, there was sinigang, kare kare, tilapia, crispy pata and of course the ever present adobo which carries their signature in its name. Choosing to veer away from the usual, we ordered the Crispy Ribs Sinigang (Beef) and Sisig Rice. My friend added some calamari in some sweet sauce since she was really a picky eater and might not like the sinigang.

Crispy Ribs Sinigang Php 350.00

I have always been intrigued by how beef can remain tender even when deep fried into a crispy state. The first time I ate crispy beef was when my husband and I dared to try Gerry’s Grill again. We couldn’t help but talk in awe of how tender and juicy the beef stayed even if the outside appeared dry and crisp. This was no different. It was pure beef bliss. Eating it with rice and slurping on the sour soup it comes with, becomes the perfect comfort lunch.

Now fried rice has come in all kinds of different forms and combinations. Chinese variations include rice mixed with several vegetables, or sometimes fish or even squid. On the other hand, I have seen rice mixed with crab fat, or sometimes mixed with salty shrimp paste, or just cooked with garlic. This is the first time I have come across rice mixed with a famous Filipino dish that results in a complete meal altogether.

Sisig is a dish made with pig’s cheeks, nose and ears, that is boiled tender then stir fried in high heat and flavored with soy sauce until it achieves the desired crisp or crunch. It is often served on a hot plate and topped with a raw egg or mixed with some green chilies and topped with crispy pork skin (a.ka. Chicharon). It is best eaten with ice cold San Miguel beer and shared with a group of your closest buds but fine too if eaten with steaming hot white rice.

Sisig Rice Php 170.00

It was the sisig rice that blew us away. It was so good and flavorful that we almost didn’t need anything else. It was soo good that we had to order another bowl even if there were only three of us there. Which is why we could no longer fit dessert into our lunch that day. Maybe next time as I have also heard very good feedback on the dessert offerings on their menu.

As a whole, C2 is the one Filipino restaurant I wouldn’t mind going back to. I do hope though that they just have all of the dining area outside so that diners have room to breathe while eating. We had unfortunately chosen a table that was inside the restaurant situated in front of the cooking area so you can imagine the heat that we had to endure. Unless they amp up their air conditioner, it will continue to be uncomfortable to anyone who chooses to sit there.

C2 Classic Cuisine
The Ledge, 6/Lvl. Shangri-La Mall
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Tel. No.: 636-1510