Sep 25

Sep 25 Comfort Mexican Food at Silantro

METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES. And I am finally back in Kapitolyo! It had been so long now since I last dined here and I had been missing this gem of a street in Pasig already. I do not want to think about its proximity to my workplace since it is so damn near it and it reminds me of the reasons why I could not go there as constantly as I wanted to. You know how work can get the best of us right and there are times that you inevitably spend the remainder of your night working and contemplating because you want to finish and achieve something. Anyway, enough with the ranting and on with the nice restaurant I tried recently there!

Silantro may stand along E. Capitol Drive but finding it is no easy task as it is located almost at the end of the infamous street and far from where the action is. Nonetheless, this does not hinder the fans and diners to go back time and time again to this unassuming restaurant to taste once more their favorite dishes or to try the other fares. You will be a witness to the huge following of the place when you pass by the establishment. If you are new in Kapitolyo though, all you need to do is find the restaurant that has a huge veranda with a big crowd and that's it. You will know from those that you have already arrived in Silantro.

It was a rainy Sunday when we came to this simple establishment and the combined force of the weekend and the heavy rain had not done anything at all to alleviate the number of people flocking the place. The establishment was still packed! Overpacked if you want me to be more specific. We were fourth in line but this did not deter us from trying out the place. I have heard and read so much already about Silantro to not give it a chance to prove itself. The waiting has not been so boring. If it has been anything at all, it made me build up the excitement I was feeling for the dishes. I just could not wait!

We started with some appetizers and we chose to have the Nachos (Php 160). I have eaten a whole lot of Nachos already throughout my life but this one stood out for me from all the rest! The nice mix of the beef, cheese, guacamole and the freshest vegetables had it for me. The slight spiciness gave also a stronger character to the otherwise typical appetizer. And let us not forget the tortilla chips used which did not turn saggy and remained crispy even after being drenched by the amazing sauces. Of course, it would not be a Silantro dish if there was no Cilantro leaves on it so the Nachos was sprinkled with some of those greens on top. Looking for more spiciness or more creaminess? The Chili Sauce and the Guacamole will do the job!

It was ingrained in me that a Mexican meal would never be complete without the good old tacos. That is why I ordered one for myself! Want yours packed with 1 type of meat? 2? 3? Well, the Lucha Tacos (1 meat - Php 75 / 2 meats - Php 95 / 3 meat - Php 110) lets you have at most 3 kinds of meat packed in either a soft one or a hard taco. And I could not help but to go for the maximum because there was a lot to choose from! Chicken, pork, beef, lamb, ox tripe, lengua? How can you resist? If I can only put them all, I would definitely do it. Since I was limited to three I went for the lamb, ox tripe and lengua. An extraordinary but yummy combination! Just roll this baby up as tightly and neatly as possible and just shove it to your expectant mouth!

YOU CAN NEVER BE WRONG WITH ANYTHING GRILLED

That's right! You will never go wrong with anything grilled. So if you are hesitant to try the other dishes, going for the tried and tested is the next most natural thing to do . Anything grilled will never let you down, I tell you and there are more grilled dishes here in the menu than you can possibly think of.

For fish lovers, you can opt to get either the Grilled Mahi-Mahi or Grilled Marlin (Php 220). We, on the other hand, got the Grilled Marlin! So tender, the meat melted in my mouth.

The Grilled Pork Chop (Php 210) and the Silantro's Pork Ribs (Php 220) were cooked to please. Smokey and juicy, each bite would render you breathless and wanting for more. If only those lamb chops were available, I would have ordered and devoured it down to its bones! But since I am a believer of the adage "Everything happens for a reason", I knew right then and there that it happened because Silantro wants me back soon.