Sérye Post is a sequence of post devoted to one subject… and that is Sérye Café Filipino. Serye is a play on the family name of the one who started the first Filipino themed restaurant, Engracia Cruz Reyes. If you have been to Sérye the past few days or weeks, you will notice that from their old green, white and red color, their are now changing the resto into a more warm and cozy look. “We wanted Sérye to be a coffee shop that celebrates Filipino coffee, cuisine, and culture,” Alvin Reyes Lim, the company’s president, shares. “The changes on the stores’ look and feel, particularly the menu offerings were recreated to follow this theme.”
The interiors are are Spanish/ Filipino inspired and one will notice that even the music are all OPMs. The foods are served in hand-made plates and bowls, in earthy hues of brown and green, crafted by renowned local potter Lanelle Abueva.
And for the most exciting part… the FOOD. The Reyes family’s popular dishes like Chicken Barbque, Kare-Kare, and Boneless Crispy Pata are still available but the new menu also offers a wider array of light meals, coffee, tea and chocolate beverages as well as cakes, pastries and desserts.
And so we were served with Boneless Crispy Pata, Kare-Kare, Chicken And Pork Adobo and Honey Chicken.
The Boneless Crispy Pata together with its sour dip is so good but not that as sinful. It’s not your ordinary Crispy Pata that almost burst with oil. This one had the same crispiness minus the sin. And with the way it was presented, who cannot say no to Pata?
Kare-Kare was tasteful, peanuty and beefy is what it’s all about. And the beef is tender. The alamang is so good, that even if I had a low tolerance to Alamang, I ate more that what I should. (guilty!)
Now, I love how the Chicken And Pork Adobo was served. The drippings are set in a small bowl. For those who usually eat with their kids, you know how hard it is when it comes to saucy dishes. The kids kept on asking for more sauce… and you on the other hand, keep on scraping what’s left on the serving plate. With Sérye’s Chicken And Pork Abobo, that won’t be a problem anymore. And for those who love their Adobo’s dry, Sérye is here for you.
The Honey Styled Chicken, I was not able to enjoy much but the peanut sauce (I think same as Reyes’ BBQ sauce) compliments well the chicken.
We were also served with Vegetarian Kare Kare.. which deserves a separate post of their own.. But to give you a head’s up, well, it tasted like Kare Kare, minus the beef broth and the Alamang. They used different ingredient for the dip but you will be surprised that it almost match the same taste of Alamang.
Of course the meal wouldn’t be complete without DESSERTS. We tried their Mocha Manila and the Macapuno Pandan Cake. Other than that, we also take a sip on the Beverage version of Mocha Manila and their Tsokolate Eh.
Sérye Café Filipino also offers sandwiches from pandesal which can be ordered with a choice of Adobo, Ala Cubana or Kesong Puti filling. Pasta with a twist can also be found on their upcoming menu. Kesong Puti Puttanesca and Vigan Longanisa Bolognese are some classic example.
And since Sérye Café Filipino celebrates Filipino coffee and beverages, you can find traditional Filipino beverages being served there. That includes Salabat, a hot ginger tea that is surprisingly refreshing and invigorating, and Pandan Tanglad Tea and Pito-pito, popular Filipino infusions.
As far as coffee is concerned, Sérye celebrates both choice beans and the talent of Filipino master roasters. Their coffee is siphon-brewed, each cup is prepared as you order ensuring that you get a fresh cup. The best locally available coffee beans and chocolate are used to prepare their beverages that include Café con Yema Frappe, an iced-blended coffee with a distinct caramel custard taste, Café Mocha Manila, a hot combination of coffee and tablea and Tsokolate Eh and Ah, the delicious chocolate beverages popularized in the novels of Jose Rizal. (Thanks Abby for the notes)
Sérye Café Filipino is located at Eastwood, Quezon City; Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City; and Sucat, Paranaque.
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