KAFE BATWAN: New Menu for the New Year

 One of the best Filipino Restaurants that I could recommend to my friends would be SARSA. Sarsa came from the genius mind and palate of CHEF JAYPS. Negranese cooking was perfectly done to enhance the flavor of Filipino dishes and lure people in. One of SARSA's sister brand is KAFE BATWAN.
 KAFE BATWAN is located in the ROCKWELL area of MAKATI. Granted that it is Makati, I made an effort visiting KAFE BATWAN because of its incredible dishes and amazing chef.
 This time around, I was excited and thrilled that I would be able to try out the new dishes from KAFE BATWAN for the New Year.
Things started off with the MONGGO TRIO (220Php). Green, black and red monggo with fried danggit and coconut milk. Honestly, I don't like monggo. I don't eat it. But, this dish totally changed that. NO JOKE. The danggit was salty and gave a flavor contrast to the monggo. The monggo was cooked in a way that the coconut milk enriched its flavor and deliberately made it malinamnam or tasty and savory. The pork in the middle is perfect to make us non vegetarians to love the dish even more.

 Another revelation was the KAFE BATWAN LAING (250Php). Grilled coconut meat and pork rinds. This was an excellent dish. Well executed and perfect with rice. Did I mention they have a bunch of rice to partner their dishes with? If you are a rice eater such as I, please go for their GARLIC COCONUT RICE or the new DANGGIT FRIED RICE. Yeah, you'll love it here.

 A staple of any Filipino Restaurant would be the sisig. KAFE BATWAN made theirs a little extreme. THE BRAINY PORK SISIG (440Php) with siracha sauce. Believe it or not, the sauce isn't too spicy so just mix it all in. The Sisig, on the other hand, has a little bit of crunch. The product of different parts of a pig. Don't ask what they are. Just know that they are so good.

 The COCO JAM-MARINATED GRILLED LIEMPO with Batwan atchara (355Php) is something that works. Grilled Liempo could be a little salty but it worked with the coco jam. The sweetness melts into the meat and that makes it perfect.

 The best dish for me though would be the NOSE TO TAIL KARE-KARE (500Php). Served with ginamos, this dish is somewhat a deconstructed KARE-KARE. The meat were grilled to give it a little burnt taste while the peanut sauce gives a little sweetness that is balanced through the ginamos' salty flavor.
For dessert, there is only two dishes that you must get. The SIZZLING BUDBUD (250Php) and the BRAZO CREPE (280Php)

 The sizzling budbud (above) is somewhat similar to PUTO BUMBONG but on steriods. It in itself is not sweet but is sort of a sticky rice dish. With the addition of the ube butter and coco pandan coffee cream, the dish comes full circle. The other dessert to try is the BRAZO CREPE (below). It looks like a lame pacman creation but it is simple and straight forward. The rum cream sauce works and I swear by it. Delicious ending.

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KAFE BATWAN in the ROCKWELL, MAKATI area is like a reincarnation of SARSA. Same feeling but on a different flavor and level. I believe that this restaurant is more adventurous. Menu is somewhat similar to SARSA but it has a different set of best sellers and a diverse take on Negranese cooking. I can say this proudly: When I am asked by my foreign friends and balikbayan relatives, this is one of those restaurants that I point them too. Yes, I am in love with SARSA and KAFE BATWAN. 

KAFE BATWAN
122 Joya Lofts & Tower, Amorsolo Drive,
Rockwell, Makati City, Metro Manila
7am- 10:30pm

LINKS: 
KAFE BATWAN: GLOBE partners with CHEF JAYPS
SARSA: Awesome Get Together
SARSA: Damn Good Food
SARSA: Revisited

Disclaimer: Was invited to this tasting. Wrote this based on my experience. Yes, I'll go back.