The Kapitolyo experience: Pop Talk’s food crawl in Pasig’s food district

“Pop Talk” went on a food crawl in Barangay Kapitolyo in Pasig City. Here’s their review of three restaurants in the known foodie haven.

A known foodie-haven, Barangay Kapitolyo in Pasig City is packed with budget-friendly restaurants that can satisfy different cravings.

In a recent episode of “Pop Talk,” host Tonipet Gaba explored three Kapitolyo restos with blogger Sumi Go, student and theater actor Jose Vincent Bautista, and Kapuso actress Max Collins.

Here are the Kapitolyo food stops that they reviewed:

Three Sisters
Price range: At P35, customers can already enjoy a stick of pork barbecue

Three Sisters is a restaurant that has stood the test of time.  Restaurant owner Paul Pike saysThree Sisters was originally established by his great grandmother in 1941 as a “refreshment parlor.” Some of their specialties include pancit bihon with crunchy chicharon toppings, pork barbecue, chicken barbecue, kalderetang baka, sinigang na kanduli, and kare-kare.

The “Pop Talk” reviewers were all praises for Three Sisters’ P35 barbecue, made of lean meat with small portions of fat. Max commented: “Malambot siya so parang it’s really the meat na kinakain mo. Hindi lang puro taba.” JV added: “Yung tamis niya parang nanunuot sa loob, sa laman.”



The reviewers also loved the crunchy texture of the pancit bihon, the taste of the sinigang and the tenderness of the chicken barbecue. It’s no wonder they gave this restaurant a perfect score. Max’s final verdict: “I must say, the best barbecue I’ve ever tasted.”

Final verdict: 9 pop points

Silantro
Price range: P65 to P500 per dish



Silantro’s name was derived from the Spanish ‘cilantro,’ an herb often used in Mexican cuisine. This restaurant offers Mexican favorites like tacos, nachos, quesadillas, burritos, and chicken wings prepared the Filipino way.

“Yung food daw puro cilantro kaya ine-expect ko from the get-go, ‘Ah, baka puro cilantro din yung lasa,’” Tonipet said, describing the food in Silantro. He continued: “May distinct flavor. Lahat siya malinamnam. Yung natural na lasa just came out.”



“I haven’t seen a quesadilla... the cheese actually run out of the quesadilla,” observed Max. Sumi also loved the quesadilla and the spicy chicken wings while JV ate most of the nachos. According to him, “Wala akong tulak-kabigin sa mga pagkaing sinerve nila.”

Final verdict: 9 pop points

Bullchef
Price range: P80 to P150 per dish



Bullchef has been serving bulalo dishes in Kapitolyo for two years. In fact, its name is a contraction of the phrase “bulalo chef.” Some bulalo variations available in this restaurant include classic bulalo, the AsimBull (sinigang na bulalo), and the Bullusok (sizzling bulalo).

What did the reviewers like about Bullchef? Sumi answered: “I like yung presentation nila and how they serve the bulalo. Napaka-novel.” Max said she appreciated the tenderness of the meat: “I’m not a fan of bulalo but now I think I appreciate it more dahil sa Bullchef.”

Like his fellow reviewers, JV also thought that Bullchef’s bulalo was delicious: “Ang sarap nung soup niya. Kahit ilagay na siya sa kanin, hindi na kailangan ng mga patis. Tamang-tama yung lasa. Pop na pop.”

Final verdict: 9 pop points


–Lara Gonzales/PF, GMA News