Passing by Sarsa’s long queue is not a surprise to me anymore. If you think Tim Ho Wan reigns for its long queues, Sarsa will be on that list too. One of the factors to blame for Sarsa’s fame among Filipino foodies is its celebrity chef owner, Chef JP Anglo. Chef JP is known as one of Pinoy Master Chef’s judges and has been endorsed by Kris Aquino a bunch of times. Favoritism! Haha!

For me, the strong hype for this restaurant should be judged not only for its owner but for its taste.

 Before our Russell Hobbs event started, I was lucky enough to visit Sarsa Kitchen + Bar in Bonifacio Global City on a weekday afternoon. Hooray! No queue on a weekday merienda time. Ha! But when I pushed the door to enter, I was still surprised several tables were occupied, looking it was an ordinary weekend for some restaurants. One group leaves and another enters. Rest time wasn’t an option for Sarsa’s kitchen.

Derived from the famous Chinese appetizer Peking Duck Wrap/Pancake, this Pritchon Pancake came up to be almost as close and as good, especially with its Hoisin chili sauce. Unselfish meat stacked inside the wrap with its crunchy lechon skin that sticks out to the wrapper. Should we say it’s a copy cat? I think it’s a justified Filipino version.

I’ll ring the bell to proclaim Lechon Manok Pancit Canton’s worthiness. Worth the money for its size – one order could be shared with 1 to 2 friends. Worth the order for its taste satisfaction – I fell for its pinoy combination of textures like the chichacorn pieces on top. Ready your stomach game for after-lunch meals and don’t forget to include this dish as your first choice.

Sizzling Kansi whistles for rice, rice and more rice. This Ilonggo recipe stands alone for its oozing bone marrow flavor and sauce that’s a cross breed of bulalo and sinigang. But appreciating Sizzling Kansi’s will be better with plain rice on its side. Don’t miss this dish in Sarsa, ok?

An innovation of ice cream sandwich using Bacolod’s famous pasalubong, piaya. It worked, there’s no doubt about that. The only problem I encountered was the part I was cutting a piece of piaya on the bottom. It was tough to break apart and enjoy properly with ice cream.

Crispy Buko Pie with Pandan Sauce was generally not that sweet. Made to be mellow on its sweetness as it acquires its sugar from the scoop of ice cream on the side. Truly crispy, as how the name describes it, and slimy inside with its buko strips hiding in between.

The Ambiance:

Summer rays hitting Sarsa’s interiors adds drama to the room while the sun is out. Summer comes in the place while inside an air-conditioned and well-ventilated dining area. Just don’t be bothered with the noise coming from left and right. Sarsa doesn’t know how to stop customers from lining up and coming in. 😉

I read this definition from Sarsa’s facts page.

Sarsa Kitchen + Bar serves genuine Filipino and Negrense food at a very reasonable price. It’s the type of restaurant you won’t mind going back for more and spending without feeling robbed. Now I understand the hype isn’t just a hype. You’ll have your own reasons why you’ll go back to Sarsa.

Have you tried Sarsa Kitchen + Bar?

Share with me your thoughts! 🙂

Cheers,

Food	9/10
Ambiance	9/10
Service	8/10
Cost	9/10
Overall	8.75/10