Chef LAUDICO's CASA FILIPINO

Saw this establishment by accident around a month back and out of curiosity (because of the numerous cars parked in front) we decided to give it a try. Of course seeing the name of Chef Laudico (who I heard is a local celebrity chef of some sorts) does add to the excitement...... For the record, I have yet to try any of his other restaurants (mostly located in the makati or taguig area)



I forgot to ask whether their buffet spreads periodically changes or that we will be getting the same food on subsequent visits. Anyway, here are a few of the dishes that we got.


Pork Skewers, Sisig Basket, Tofu Skewers


The pork had all the fatty stuff and very little lean meat, Sisig basket had no crunch at all and very little flavor, its cold already and doesn't taste fresh. The tofu skewers are just fried tofu in a BBQ stick, I asked the server if there are any dipping sauces for the tofu and he pointed out to a small bowl of catsup and a small bowl of mayonnaise. (I find this quite unimaginative)


Adobo Maki, Shrimp Maki



Both types of sushi rolls have very little flavor and the sushi rice is very dry.


Tuna Kilawin Spoons


The tuna is not marinated at all, so you are getting raw fish. I'm not sure what they put in the sauce, but it lacked any significant flavor.


Creamy Pumpkin Soup


Not bad ...... But not the best.


Pork Sinigang



Sourness is ok but the broth was a bit too thick (which is not to my liking)


Karnevorous Pizza


Wasn't expecting a pizza dish to be included in the spread.... But just for the sake of trying, I tried out a slice and it turned out to be not bad. The crust is semi thin and quite crispy, lots of cheese but not really stuffed with meat. (I'm sure true blue carnivours will be disappointed)


Grilled Vegetables in Pesto and Cheese


There is none of the charred smokey flavor. (I'm starting to wonder if they actually grilled the veggies) And I didn't taste anything that would resemble pesto or cheese.


Lumpia Cones



Its just your basic fried lumpia shaped into a cone. The vinegar dipping sauce had a bitter aftertaste. (something which is not to my liking)


Longganara


Casa Filipinos take on the spaghetti carbonara, except that they supposedly used longganisa as the protein. In fairness, the cream sauce wasn't heavy and the pasta still had a nice firm bite. But I was wondering where is the flavor of the longganisa.


Tuyonesca



Another Italian dish given a Filipino twist. Main issues here are the Soggy pasta noodles and no taste whatsoever of tuyo (dried salted fish)


Beef Kaldereta / Steamed Fish Fillet



The Kaldereta was m favorite dish for the day, the beef was tender and the sauce was quite flavorful. I guess the very minor issue is that I wished it were more spicy.

As for the Fish ...... I'd give it 50-50 as some parts were cooked nicely while others were a little under.


Roast Beef / Roast Chicken



The lady responsible for carving the meats asked me what part of the chicken I wanted and I requested for the breast part. I guess I should have just opted for the dark meat because the portions I got were dry.

The roast beef was ok, but I guess the issue for me is that the lady responsible for carving the meat is totally clueless on how to do it. What we got was a massacred piece of cow which made it look so unappetizing.


Seafood Beringhe



In short, it's their version of the paella.... It's not all that bad, but I was kinda looking for that melt in your mouth experience. Unfortunately, I didn't get any of that.


Balamban Liempo



A lot of fats and very little lean meat..... too bad as its quite flavorful.


Halo Halo Shooter, Brazo de Mercedes, Suman Pana Cotta





For dessert, (as suggested by several mtc members) I tried the halo halo, which is basically a miniaturized version of this popular Filipino dessert. Serving it in a shot glass looks cute, but taste wise, it's not bad but nothing that really stands out. same thing goes for the Brazo, it's cute, but nothing that really wowed me.



I however, liked the suman pan a cotta, while I wouldn't say it's the best, it's my favorite from among the three desserts I got.


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Casa Filipino is located at: #26 Scout Torillo corner Scout Fernandez, Sacred Heart, Quezon City

Directions: From the Timog-Tomas Morato Rotunda, take Timog Ave. heading into the direction of East Avenue. Just at the first intersection, take a right and at the 3rd block you should be able to see its signage to your left.