OLIC Restaurant Offers the Best Sisig in Town!
We live in a generation where fusion cuisine and modern food preparation techniques run rampant — this kind is fused with that kind. Well, amidst the bustling cityscape of Makati, there’s a new concept restaurant where honest-to-goodness authentic Filipino cuisine meets modern techniques and fusions: OLIC Restaurant.
So, if ever you’re in search for something that your palate terribly misses, know that OLIC Restaurant won’t disappoint you!
The interiors of Olic Restaurant make use of artisan-crafted wood and furniture that bring out our country’s artistic craftsmanship. An open kitchen greets diners with the aroma of the food being prepared by their chefs. While waiting for our orders, a generous serving of peanuts was served to start our gastronomic adventure. “Olic Restaurant is a fresh new take on authentic Filipino food, fresh from our own farms to your table.” The owner’s mom who is a Kapampangan (native of Pampanga) inspired their menu. Her specialty recipe, Sisig, is currently one of the bestsellers from their menu.
I also liked how their servers, chef and cooks were very accommodating in answering our questions and recommending the right dishes for us.
While it’s almost a customary tradition to serve this as a “pre-appetizer,” what makes theirs special is the presence of dilis.
Their menu isn’t the only thing authentic in terms of being Filipino; their staff uniforms are, too.
For the appetisers, they served us Homemade Tinapa Pate with toasted crostinis. I never thought tinapa would go so well with cream cheese. We almost finished the crostinis in a snap.
OLIC’s Homemade Tinapa Pate – Php 185.00
OLIC’s homemade tinapa, herbed cream cheese, toasted crostinis
One of my favorites is their Seafood Sinigang, which will remind you of home-cooked Sunday lunch dishes. The tamarind broth’s sourness is just right to make it a hearty soup – perfect for the rainy days. A single order is packed with fresh seafood, like shrimps, mussels, and clams.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Sinigang (Tamarind Soup) – Php 365.00
Sour broth with tomato, sitaw, gabi, raddish, kangkong. Choices of Pork or Seafood
We also ordered their Pork Adobo out of curiosity because almost all of their servers recommended it to us. According to the chef, he grills the generous cuts of pork for 2 hours to make it tender and give it its smokey flavour. He then cooks it until the sauce is reduced and absorbed by the meat. It was definitely well executed for us. The meat was very flavourful even without the accustomed adobo sauce. The vegetables in balsamic vinegar, which tasted sweet, also blended very well with the savoury meat.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Pork Adobo – Php 365.00
Kapampangan pork with Balsamic picked vegetables
Another meat dish that we loved is their Lamb Kaldereta; the meat would literally fall off from the shank. The chef shares that they first thought of Kambing for this dish, but they opted for Lamb instead — which was a great decision. I fell in love with this dish’s sauce; it’s really thick and rich in flavor.
Lamb Kaldereta – Php 495.00
Braised Lamb shank in rich Filipino tomato sauce
