Crisostomo

November 9, 2012. Friday.

There was an accident along C-5 on this day, so we were stuck in traffic for more than an hour. Mind you, that was just from Quirino Medical Center to Eastwood. As that was the case, we were really hungry for dinner. We were already debating on where to eat and what to eat while in the car. Crisostomo popped up a few times during our conversation, but we were apprehensive that the dishes would be too much for us to share. In the end, the glutton in us won out and we settled at Crisostomo for late dinner.

Crisostomo serves cuisine that can be best described by their tagline, "Turn of the century Filipino dining." Behind the playful names based off on Pinoy history and culture are dishes that are well prepared and well thought off. The bulk of the menu is based on traditional Filipino dishes, coupled with some that are fresh takes on classics as well.

We were really hungry but it still took us some time to order food. Almost all the items on the menu looked really good. We wanted to have a bit of everything! The following are what we ended up having.

Sisig Linares. 250php.

This is just pork sisig. Kim really didn't like it since it was off the crunchy variety. I thought it was okay, and the picture might not show it but it was really plenty for two to share and quite filling too.



Sinigang ni Kapitan. 450php.

Kim likes shrimp so we had to order a dish that had shrimp in it. And since we also wanted something to warm our stomachs, we ordered their version of sinigang na hipon. The sinigang had 7 (or was it 6?) pieces of shrimp in it, and it was just enough for both of us to divide. The soup was hot and sour, and it tasted really good for our hungry tummies. I also loved the fact that the veggies in it were not soggy like it had stewed in the soup for a long time. The ones in the dish still had a good snap to it.
 


Calamba. 350php.

The moment I saw this on the menu, I knew we had to order this. Calamba is tortang alimango with crab fat sauce. I like to have egg almost all of the time when I eat. And to have that coupled with crab meat and fat? Food bliss. The crab meat was really soft and complemented the texture of the scrambled egg, and the crab fat on top of it provided a nice rich, salty flavor to it. I really loved this one, but Kim only took about two spoonfuls of it since she said she just tastes the egg.

Halo- Halo ni Crisostomo. 95php.

We were both already full by the time the waiter offered us desserts, but I saw the Halo- Halo and I quickly ordered one for myself. No matter how much I prod her, Kim just wouldn't even dare try to one spoonful (she really does not eat Halo- Halo in general). The Halo- Halo was really packed with all the different sahog, but I quickly found out that ordering one was just a case of takaw tingin. I was just too full to finish it.

Crisostomo isn't fine dining, but it does count as an upscale establishment. Expect the prices of most of the dishes to be on the higher end of the spectrum. But despite the pricepoint, you won't feel shortchanged with this establishment. The service is great-- fast and efficient, and so is the place and its ambiance. We'll be coming back here again to try the other Filipino dishes they have.




Crisostomo
2/F Eastwood Mall, E. Rodriguez Jr Ave
Bagumbayan, Quezon City
(02) 710-1693
http://www.crisostomo.ph/