Abè: Where Good Friends Dine on Great Pinoy Food
When I was asked to feature the best Filipino restaurants to help guide
tourists, the only name that sprang to mind was Abè. Of course this does not
mean that there are no other good Filipino restaurants but I realized it’s the
only one that surprised my Pinoy taste bud---in a wonderful way.
Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN
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As a Filipino, I already know how adobo or kare-kare should taste so
if it does meet my expectations, heavens don’t open up for me which is why
other Filipino restaurants usually make no impression. And if it deviates from the traditions, it’s
thumbs down for me. But in Abè, they have somehow managed to make delicious
Pinoy food better. A friend attributed it to being Kapampangan (from Pampanga)
where people really know how to cook.
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Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
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Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
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Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
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Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
According to its website, Abè (ah-beh) is a restaurant
“dedicated to Larry Cruz’s father, the late
artist-writer, gourmet and bon vivant, E. Aguilar ‘Abe’ Cruz.” Its interiors serve as a tribute to a bygone era
with its photo murals, paintings, and sketches. Sometimes, to add to the
ambience, they play regional music but they didn’t when I was there for this
review. Instead, it was kind of noisy for a fine dining restaurant. To be fair,
the noise was coming from a large group seemingly celebrating a birthday with
most wearing a Chinese birthday red color. They were not rowdy but it would have helped if they kept the tone down.
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Free Appetizer: Prawn Crackers Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
There was no time to be impatient as our order---all of
the items---came out together just a few minutes later.
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Paid appetizer: Sinute Baby Pusit (small squid sauteed in olive oil and seasoning) Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
Its sinute baby
pusit is probably the best dish on their menu. I always order it each visit
and never get tired of it. I order it at other restaurants but they are not at
par with Abè’s.
Although it’s an appetizer, I eat it as a viand and
sometimes it’s the only thing I eat with my rice, letting my friends enjoy the
rest. Each baby squid is flavorful and although it is swimming in oil, it does
not leave one’s lips greasy or with an after-taste.
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Laing with Tinapa (taro leaves cooked in coconut milk with smoked fish) Copyright photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
Laing with Tinapa
(Taro leaves cooked in coconut milk with smoked fish)
I usually stay away from laing as I am not fond of vegetables but I don’t know what
possessed me to order it. Turns out it was a good decision. Most laing are salty and seeing that it is
cooked with smoked fish, I expected it to be dehydrated afterwards but it wasn’t
salty at all and I soon forgot that it had smoked fish. It was rich and creamy.
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Crispy Tadyang (deep-fried marinated beef ribs)Copyright photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
I felt the ribs were a bit too dry that I had to eat it with
laing sauce. Unfortunately, the ribs
weren’t that crispy. To be fair, it wasn’t rubbery either but I’ve had better crispy ribs
elsewhere. This explains why it was the only dish that had leftovers for us to
bring home. I think it would become even drier after we microwave it. I wish I
had ordered the lamb adobo instead.
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Guisadong Hipon (sauteed shrimps with sliced kamias and shrimp paste) Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
I love shrimps and because the picture on the menu
beckoned me, I ordered it but ended up disappointed. It almost had no flavor in
spite of it having the sourly kamias (bilimbi
fruit) and shrimp paste. The shrimps somehow reminded me of those frozen
ones that I buy at supermarkets. Abè had another shrimp dish which I wished I
had ordered instead.
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Copyright photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
If ever there is a reason for Pinoys to love Abè, it is their free-flowing rice. I wish I was still
in high school where I could eat anything without gaining any weight. I would
have probably consumed three servings of rice as opposed to---sigh---a half
serving. Their rice was steaming hot which makes it perfect.
Although I enjoyed Abè, I have to call attention to
the problem of the peripheral vision of some of their servers. I had to wave
frantically a few times even though they were in front of me. One was even on
the phone while at the bar. Another was literally a breath away and yet he
didn’t see me giving him the signed bill. His colleague who was to his right
came up instead to receive it. But they are all very polite and accommodating
once you have their attention.
I also didn’t like that a staffer came up to our table
offering Abè’s
credit card program. Although she was polite, I find it intrusive. Perhaps they
could just provide the brochure at the table or present it together with the
bill instead of engaging in sales talk with their guests.
Over-all, I love Abè and would continue to return to try its other
dishes. It is one of those restaurants that one can be proud to bring their
friends (Pinoys and otherwise) for a
good Filipino meal in a classy setting.
For Abè branches and business hours, click here. Menu prices range from P250-500.
Really enjoyed this blog article. Really looking forward to read more. Will read on...
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