Patio Filipino
1770 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066
(650) 872-9888
www.patiofilipino.com
My overall experience with Filipino restaurants has been mixed. I’ve been to “turo-turo” restaurants where you had to pick out your choice of food ala Panda Express style, to more traditional home styled restaurants. One day I was craving for some Filipino food. I could always head home to Monterey to experience a real home cooked meal, but I wanted to explore what the Bay Area had to offer. Patio Filipino remained on my list of spots to dine at. I took my craving as an excuse to check them out.
When we stepped inside Patio Filipino, I was impressed with how the restaurant was set up. My first impression was that it seemed fancier than your average Filipino restaurant. It’s a spot that I would love to showcase to my friends and family if they want to experience Filipino cuisine. After being seated, we took a look at the menu and noticed the wide selection of dishes. They had plenty of classic Filipino dishes.
Here is a rundown of what we had:
Lumpia, your standard meat filled eggroll that includes a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. A perfect classic Filipino appetizer to start off your meal.
Sizzling Sisig, my favorite of the night. Pieces of chopped pork mixed with egg, onions, and jalapeño peppers – served on a sizzling platter. This dish was full of flavor. I have had Sigsig at other places, but Patio Filipino’s had to be the best I’ve ever had.
Pinakbet, pork served with squash, green beans, okra, and eggplant. This dish is sautéed in shrimp paste. Growing up I avoided eating this dish because of the shrimp paste or bagoong. Now that I’m a little older, I can appreciate it. I love the combination of vegetables in this dish.
Bistek Tagalog, pieces of sirloin steak and onions marinated with soy sauce and lemon juice. Does this sound like an odd combination to you? Well, prepared to be surprised at how the two complement each other. I was happy to see this classic dish on the menu.
Adobo Rice, rice with adobo sauce and shredded chicken. Adobo is soy sauce and vinegar mixed with your choice of meat. Pork or chicken are usually chosen. This dish is also a staple of Filipino cuisine.
We couldn’t end the night without trying some of their desserts. We had one order of the Leche Flan. It was very sweet and creamy. Slices of strawberry and a blueberry topped this dish. I was surprised to see the fruit because I had never seen that done with Leche Flan before.
The Buko con Seta was the other dessert we ordered. We first got a glimpse of it when the table next to us had two orders. I thought to myself, this dessert must be good. The presentation with this dessert was unique. You have a young coconut shell with coconut jello inside. You could scrape off real pieces of coconut out of the shell, which was a great touch. Throw in a scoop of ube, which is Tagalog for purple yam, ice cream, and you have yourself a great end to a meal with this dessert.
One quick reminder if you are planning to dine here. Everything is served family style. This will allow you to share with others and it gives you an opportunity to sample different dishes.
It’s a spot for dates because…
You will be surrounded by a warm and comfortable family like atmosphere. Combine this with one of the Bay Area’s best Filipino restaurants and you’ll experience a wonderful meal.
