Sangkap – Portico, Pasig

Hello everyone! After almost a week of not being able to write about our recent EATS, we finally had time to write about one of our EATSperiences last month. We were able to visit one of the newest restaurants in Portico – Pasig, Sangkap by Chef Raymar Reyes. Sangkap means “ingredient” in Filipino, as the restaurant features all sorts of dishes with ingredients that highlight the different regional flavors of the Philippines. Because of that, we tried a number of Sangkap’s bestselling dishes from the different parts of the Philippines. Dishes that are truly Filipino with a twist. Find out if it all worked out well or not as you EATSperience Sangkap through our taste buds. Here goes our much-awaited Sangkap EATSperience, enjoy!

The place had a pretty welcoming atmosphere. The paintings on the walls were really lovely too (props to our colleague, Robby Singh). It gave the place its much needed color while reminding the guests about the key ingredients of every dish that they offer. Ambiance-wise, Sangkap looks like your usual Filipino family restaurant. However, for a family restaurant, we were surprised because they didn’t have a high chair yet when we visited. So while eating, we had to take turns carrying our baby. Good thing she was in a good mood and she didn’t give us a hard time. Anyways, the food didn’t take a long time from being prepared to getting to our table. When it all arrived, we knew right away that we were in for an awesome Filipino feast!

Let’s begin our culinary tour of the Philippines with appetizers from…

Batanes

Pateros

[Mr. Eats] Out of my how many years in this world, I have only eaten kilawin for a couple of times but Sangkap’s version of this classic Filipino pampagana (appetizer) was superb! I couldn’t stop munching on it because of the perfectly cooked fish and squid in a spicy vinegar marinade. The addition of what looked like fried pita bread was a stroke of genius because it added some flair to the already tasty starter. The Sizzling Balut on the other hand, was just simply not my thing. I enjoyed the sweet and savory sauce but I was just not in the mood to eat some balut.

[Mrs. Eats] I grew up seeing my parents enjoy Kilawin, and I always had this impression that I might not like it because of how it is made. Then came this opportunity where I bravely convinced myself to try it, and I’m glad I did. Sangkap’s Ivatan Kilawin was refreshing and the vinegar was not too strong for my taste. On the other hand, I have always and will always enjoy eating the Balut (well except for the chick!). The Sizzling Balut had a sweet sauce which I really enjoyed.

Moving on to the the mains or ulam in Filipino!

Cebu

Timog Luzon

Pampanga

[Mr. Eats] This part of our Sangkap EATSperience was really really amazing! My favorite was the Ulo Hanggang Paa Kare Kare, it was probably the best I have ever had in Metro Manila. I can live on its sauce alone with a touch of Sangkap’s tasty bagoong (shrimp paste). Another standout was the Pancit Palabok! I knew I was full before I tried it but I instantly forgot about it because of how flavorful Sangkap’s version of the classic Pinoy merienda was. The Cebu Lechon Sinigang was a revelation on its own. The enormous slice of lechon belly was big enough to feed the whole table. Its reduced sinigang tasted like it was homemade which was a great thing.

Bacolod

Malabon

[Mrs. Eats] My favorites among all the mains that they served us was the Cebu Lechon Sinigang and the Ulo Hanggang Paa Kare Kare. The Cebu Lechon Sinigang was like hitting 2 birds with 1 stone. 2 of my classic favorites combined. The Cebu Lechon was tender and the skin remained really crispy, plus the Sinigang was thick and it had a right amount of sourness which I really liked. This made me eat lots of rice to go with it. As for the Ulo Hanggang Paa Kare Kare, it was sweet and thick and the bagoong (shrimp paste) complemented the sweetness of it. Again, another “ulam” that made me eat it with lots of rice!

Last but not the least… DESSERT!

[Mr. Eats] Sangkap’s ice cream selection may only be a few but its filled with so much character. The Bicol Express flavor was probably the most unique ice cream that I have ever had. It was surprisingly good. Super creamy with a little kick in the end. I also loved the Champorado and Palitaw. The Champorado was really chocolaty while the Palitaw really tasted like the famous Pinoy snack it was patterned after. I literally closed my eyes to test if it can fool my senses and it did.

[Mrs. Eats] Thumbs up to these Pinoy-flavored ice cream creations by Sangkap. Unique and interesting ideas that really got my attention. Among the 4 flavors that we have tried, my favorite was the Champorado. Again, 2 of my favorites combined. It really had a strong and creamy tablea flavor. And another one that I would recommend diners to try is the Palitaw ice cream. The only difference between this ice cream and the real kakanin, is that it is cold. Taste wise, its like you really are eating the real kakanin. Awesome job Sangkap!

It was such a delight trying out Sangkap for the first time! As you just read, we pretty much loved almost everything that we tried. We were really happy to see all sorts of Filipino dishes from different regions and provinces of the Philippines. We believe that Sangkap can be a great way to EATSperience the Philippines’ diverse food culture without leaving Metro Manila. We also loved how they tried to feature as many dishes from all over the Philippines as possible to promote dishes that are not so popular yet still very delicious in their own right. That’s it for this edition of EATSplorations! Till next time!

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Sangkap

Portico by Alveo, Captain Javier Street, Oranbo, Pasig City

+63917 887 4278

Facebook / Instagram

Opening Hours:

11am to 2pm and 5pm to 10pm (Sun-Thu)

11am to 2pm and 5pm to 12mn (Fri-Sat)

Budget: 1000-1500 php for two