Three Sisters': Budget-Friendly Filipino Restaurant in Kapitolyo

Even if I was on the set of GMA News TV's POP Talk when we went to Three Sisters' Restaurant, I still brought my food blogger self and shot food photos to my heart's content. So as promised, here's my review of Three Sisters' Restaurant, a time-tested Filipino food house which was the first stop in our POP Talk Kapitolyo food trip.

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Located along the East Capitol Drive in Brgy. Kapitolyo, Three Sisters' Restaurant is probably, if not, the oldest brand of restaurant in the area. Established back in 1941, this homey panciteria-style food house went by the name Three Sisters' Refreshment Parlor and was serving in a different location in Pasig. However, even after over 70 years of existence, Three Sisters' Restaurant has still been serving hearty Filipino dishes from the founder, Lola Rosa's original recipes. And with such a long and colorful history leaving this food destination an important institution in the area, my fellow reviewers and I were surely excited to try out the time-tested Three Sisters' Restaurant's offerings.

The four pork BBQ musketeers at Three Sisters' Restaurant

✓ Pork Barbecue (P35 per stick); 2-Stick Pork BBQ with Java Rice (P90)

The restaurant has been known for their best-selling Pork Barbecue which was even included in Spot.ph's list of best Pinoy pork barbecue in Manila, so there was no way we're skipping this item. And even before we got a bite off this meaty treat, I was already impressed by its size. It was more than twice the size of regular pork barbecue! As for the taste, it was indeed worthy of its status as the meat was very tender and very succulent. It was also very flavorful with a mix of smoky and sweet tocino-like glaze.

Quarter Chicken Leg (P90); Quarter Chicken Leg with Java Rice (P120)

Aside from the pork barbecue, another favorite in the restaurant is its Quarter Chicken Leg which is also barbecued. And although I'm not so much of a chicken barbecue fan, I really liked pairing this hefty item with the java rice. It was cooked perfectly -- smoky and flavorful on the outside, yet tender and moist on the inside. It was also served with an accompanying sweet and savory sauce which I seriously can't get enough of! I also tried putting some of the sauce onto my pork barbecue, and it was a total flavor explosion.

✓ Pancit Bihon Single Order (P80); Bilao (For 4-5 P280; For 6-8 P420; For 10-12 P560; For 14-16 P700; For 18-20 P840; For 22-24 P1,050; For 26-28 P1,260)

As much as I love the pork barbecue, I have to admit that this Pancit Bihon is my most favorite item out of everything we had. And you know why? It's because I generally don't like bihon, yet Three Sisters' managed to had me digging in! Unlike most pancit bihon I've had in the past, this serving wasn't dull. Instead, it was very tasty and had a good amount of toppings including chicharon! To be frank, I'm not a big fan of eating chicharon either, but having it infused in this noodle dish added an exciting dimension in both taste and texture. So to non-bihon eaters, let Three Sisters' bihon change your mind.

✓ Sinigang na Kanduli sa Miso (about P150 to P180?)

A trip to a Filipino restaurant wouldn't be complete without sinigang, so to add more comfort to our already-comfortable stay was the Sinigang na Kanduli sa Miso. As someone who loves sinigang, Three Sisters' version gladly met my expectation. It was tangy, hearty and was just the right blend of sinigang sa miso. Another thing I like was the choice of fish as the kanduli (salmon catfish) made the whole dish more enjoyable.

Kare-Kare (P120)

We also got to try the Kare-Kare which is another Filipino restaurant staple. Served with not just bagoong, but also another sauce which I shamefully failed to try (I thought it was for the barbecue.. I found out it's for the Kare-Kare pala when we were already finished eating. Fail, I know!). Anyway, I liked this serving of kare-kare taste-wise. It was light on the palate yet tastes flavorful when infused with the bagoong. It also had good amount of meat, veggies and tripe for its price. It would also go really well with just plain rice.

Maanghang Kalderetang Baka (P170) and Gulaman at Sago (P25)

The last viand we had was the Maanghang Kalderetang Baka which is said to be another best-seller. It was quite spicy and had beef that was really tender. However, for some reason, I found the meat a little gamey-tasting. It was quite enjoyable paired with my java rice though. We then had a glass of Gulaman at Sago to end our meal. And while I found it very refreshing, especially since it was a hot and humid day, it lacked the sweetness I was expecting. Maybe if this was a little sweeter, it would've been perfect.

THE VERDICT

Our trip to Three Sisters' Restaurant has made me realize that people living and working in and near Kapitolyo are really lucky. Aside from having an area full of restaurants boasting various cuisines, they also have a time-tested Filipino restaurant serving comforting and tasty home-cooked Pinoy favorites for very affordable prices. If only I were living in the area, for sure I'd be ordering from Three Sisters' Restaurant during those lazy days. And yes, I'd be ordering the pork barbecue, bihon and sinigang for sure!

Taste - 3/5
Ambiance - 3.5/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 5/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Three Sisters' Restaurant, Kapitolyo
8 East Capitol Dr., Brgy. Kapitolyo,
Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 631-4431
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