Sa Kanto: Street Food Classics by Il Ponticello

Filipino street foods are gustatory delights which are not only close to my stomach, but also close to my heart. Back when I was in grade school, my friends and I would flock fish ball, barbecue and green mango vendors. Growing up, I would always stop by at our neighborhood isaw seller and get myself a few sticks. Until now, I can't just say no to my good ol' Pinoy street foods. However, I am very aware that cleanliness is the main concern with such delicacies, if only there's a restaurant offering such treats.

And yes, Sa Kanto by Il Ponticello just fits the bill. It's a new hangout spot at The Podium offering Filipino street food classics with a twist.

My date and I, along with my blogger friends, had the chance to dine at Sa Kanto for an Eat's a Date lunch. In all honesty, I didn't have any expectations of how the food will taste like, more so on how the place will look like. So upon entering Sa Kanto's typical double glass door, I was quite surprised to be greeted by an earth-toned space embellished with a large vase, grand antique-style mirrors, some floor and wall lamps, and a stone arch with black gate grills.

The place exudes a vintage garden vibe, while beyond the gates where we were seated was a simple and more casual dining area with a couch, framed photos and paintings, and a deer head replica mounted on the wall. They also have a bar area and a second floor dining space yet to be opened.

After appreciating the interiors of Sa Kanto, it was finally time to sample their food offerings. First served on our table of five was one of Sa Kanto's best-sellers -- Dynamite (P250), a plate of 6 chili fingers stuffed with beef and cheese and fried 'til crisp.

Although I don't have high tolerance for spicy dishes, I really enjoyed the Dynamite. The flavors of the beef and cheese filling really went well with the crispy breaded chili. The spiciness also wouldn't kick in as soon as the first bite. It'll take about a few more munching before one would feel the heat.

We were also served with Ensaladang Ampalaya (P145), a salad mix of ampalaya, tomatoes and onion slices. Although I'm not a full-blown carnivore, there are a lot of vegetables that I don't eat -- ampalaya included. But with Sa Kanto's promise of a non-bitter ampalaya dish, I took the challenge and had myself a couple of spoonfuls. I have to agree that this ampalaya salad is not as bitter as how I remember ampalaya should taste like. However, although the acidity of this dish tries to battle out the bitterness, I can still note an unpleasant aftertaste.

We got to try another starter, Gambas Chorizo (P330) -- a spicy mix of prawns, Spanish chorizo, chili and garlic. I'm not a big fan of spicy prawn dishes, so I really didn't have myself plunge into the appetizer. I just had a few forkfuls and found the dish lacking in flavor albeit the evident kick.

Since Sa Kanto has only been in the business for less than 4 months, its menu selection has not yet been fully finalized. The management plans to include new street food classics, and our group was fortunate enough to be the first few to give these possible new additions a try. We got to sample Sa Kanto's breaded version of Isaw which are barbecued chicken intestines in skewers. Although Sa Kanto's Isaw passed my taste buds, I still prefer the unbreaded ones easily found on streets as the former lacked the smoky flavor of this well-loved Filipino street food.

Sa Kanto by Il Ponticello also plans to include Fish Balls on their menu. Served with two kinds of sauces -- a hot and spicy one, and a sweet one, Sa Kanto's Fish Balls was nothing interesting. It tasted quite the same as the ones we can find both on the streets and in grocery stores.

After the light start, it was finally time to take on the main entrees. We were first served with Sa Kanto's Pork Binagoongan (P325), a pork belly dish cooked in bagoong (shrimp paste) and served on a bed of crispy eggplant. Being a big fan of everything and anything with bagoong, I found myself really liking this particular viand. The pork was tender and the bagoong sauce really sipped into the whole dish. The breaded eggplant slices were also a nice touch to add more texture to the entree.

We were then served with Crispy Tadyang (P445), a fried beef ribs dish which Sa Kanto claims to be so tender, it would fall off the bone. Although I was initially quite skeptical, they were actually right. The beef was really cooked until tender, and the flavor was nice and rich.

We also got to sample Sa Kanto's version of one of my most favorite Filipino dishes -- Kare-Kare (P380), a roasted beef oxtail and tripe stew with assorted vegetables cooked in peanut sauce, and served with bagoong. Being nitpicky with Kare-Kare, it was quite a surprise that I never had to criticize Sa Kanto's version. Theirs had the rich peanut flavor that most Kare-Kare in town lack, along with tender meat and offal, I was sold.

For vegetables, we were served with Sa Kanto's Spicy Eggplant (P180) -- an eggplant dish sauteed in olive oil, garlic and chili. Although I'm quite a picky vegetable eater, eggplant is something I'd take on any time of the day. Although I still prefer my eggplant sweet, Sa Kanto's spicy version was quite good.

We also got to try a fish entree from Sa Kanto, their Adobong Hito (P340) which is a fried butterflied catfish with white adobo sauce. When this plate was first served on our table, we were unsure what kind of fish viand this was as it really looked odd. However, upon having a few bites, I grew to like it. The fish had a crisp skin and tender meat, drenched with a sour white sauce that I really dig.

One the owners of Sa Kanto by Il Ponticello was kind enough to ask us if we want anything else to try. Curious why this particular dish carries the restaurant's name, we ordered it -- Kanto-Style Fried Chicken (P310). Although the presentation was quite nice and the chicken skin was fried to a crisp, the inside was a little dry and bland.

After all the dishes we sampled, it was high time for some meal enders -- desserts. We were first served with a Pinoy favorite but with a twist, Turon with Langka Sauce (P120). I was a frequent eater of turon back in my grade school days, and Sa Kanto's version was quite good. I've never had my turon with langka sauce though, but this combo is something I really dig.

We were also served with this beautiful Leche Flan (P150) which was very soft and rich. I really like Sa Kanto's take on this sweet treat. However, I prefer my leche flan a little lighter in taste.

THE VERDICT

Sa Kanto by Il Ponticello offers Filipino favorites with a twist. I may not rave about their dishes, but I can definitely assure you that they serve good-tasting food in a cozy hangout spot. The owners, manager, and their staff were friendly and very courteous as well, making sure your Filipino dining experience will be a lovely one. And if you would like to try this restaurant, why not head to Ensogo's Sa Kanto by Il Ponticello deal and save yourself 50% on their food and drinks?

Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 3.5/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Sa Kanto by Il Ponticello, The Podium
G/F The Podium, ADB Ave., Ortigas Center
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 477-9045
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