Restaurant Love: Sentro 1771

Filipino food always have a special place in my heart and tummy. I'd often find myself craving for bulalo, sinigang or adobo. And one of the best places I know that offers good sinigang is Sentro 1771. But this Filipino restaurant offers more than just Sinigang na Corned Beef.

Hello, Sentro 1771.

It has been a while since I last visited Sentro 1771 and I was glad that the dishes I love are still available and there are a few new items worth checking out. 

We first sampled its basket of Fried Kesong Puti (PHP220 | PHP420) served with sweet chili guava and garlic dip. We were warned that this dish is addictive and that one bite is not enough. And they sure are right about that! I couldn't stop myself from grabbing more! The golden brown breaded kesong puti tickled my cheese loving self. It's pretty good as is but more enjoyable with the sweet chili sauce. I'd definitely drop by again to grab more of this to go and enjoy it while watching my favorite shows. 

Macau Chorizo and Cheese Tidbits (PHP190 | PHP380) was another dish that I could not get enough of. Each bite size spring roll stuffed with chorizo, shallots and queso de bola then dipped in vinegar was bursting with flavor. The strong flavor of cheese made it one of my top picks during lunch. 

I felt healthy munching on Shrimp Cracker Salad (PHP350 | PHP550) which is made with shrimp and jícama. Mixed with lemongrass, lime, cilantro and garlic in lime mayo, each mouthful was flavorful! It had that lovely balance of citrus, earthy and garlicky flavors that made it an instant favorite. I liked it best when I put the salad on top of kropek for that added crunch.

Another healthy and yummy dish we got to indulge in was Seafood Laing (PHP230 | PHP580). Think of your usual dried gabi leaves cooked with coconut milk made extra interesting by garlic shrimps, fried hito flakes and grilled squid. Instead of the typical soft dish, this one had diverse textures making it so much better. 

But if you want something with more bite, grab a plate of  Sentro 1771's Boneless Crispy Trotter (PHP670). This tower of deboned crispy pata is easy to love. It remained crunchy despite waiting for about half an hour (as we took a bit long in taking photos)! It was not greasy too which is a big plus for me. 

If you prefer beef over pork, there's Garlic Steak (PHP450 | PHP860). I liked that the marinated beef top blade topped with garlic butter is paired with battered water spinach which balanced the heavy protein. 

For Sentro 1771 first timers, make sure to order Rated GG (PHP200 | PHP370 | PHP550) and Sinigang na Corned Beef (PHP320 | PHP640 | PHP990), the restaurant's bestsellers. 

Just one look of Rated GG was enough to make me drool. The shiny galunggong fillet fried in garlic oil then topped with fried garlic bits was one of the dishes that was easily wiped! Just make sure to eat this with rice as it tends to be salty.

Sinigang na Corned Beef had that spot on tangy tamarind broth. An order of any size also comes with generous serving of corned beef, beef shanks and vegetables like water spinach, okra, onion and tomato. It's your no fail dish here.

I paired this feast with Bottomless Sago't Gulaman (PHP155). It's a pretty good deal! Just don't think of the sugar content. 

Speaking of sugar, we had Fried Suman & Mangoes (PHP200) and Keso Flan (PHP230) for dessert. 

The delectable plate of fried suman topped with ripe mangoes would make you think of the famous Thai dessert sans coconut milk. I loved the slight chewiness of suman and its contrast with the sweet mango slices. Make sure to share this with others as it's one heavy dessert. 

I failed to hear the name of the flan so I was surprised with its texture. It was not smooth at all. It had that slight grainy texture similar to cheesecake. True enough, it was more of cheesecake than flan. The only thing this dessert shares with flan is that it is glazed with caramel. Don't get me wrong. This dessert's pretty good. But I still prefer the classic leche flan. 

It is always a delight to dine at Sentro 1771. I can't wait to go back and have more of my new favorites. 

Sentro 1771 is located at Ground Floor, Uptown Bonifacio Mall, 9th Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.