Foodsnoop: Let’s get Calle Real

Filipino cuisine, which draws inspiration from its Spanish colonial roots, is a fusion of East meets West. Lifestyle writers Sherlyn Goh and Loy Kheng Wee discover the bold flavours behind this homely cuisine.

CALLE REAL RESTAURANT
6 Changi Business Park Avenue 1 #01-37, UE BizHub East Singapore 486017

Monday: 11am – 2pm
Tuesday to Saturday: 11am – 9pm Closed on Sundays

With ample natural light and brightly coloured walls, Calle Real Restaurant’s welcoming ambience instantly makes one feel at home. The restaurant serves a la carte Filipino dishes that are best paired with steamed rice.

Filipino cuisine is known for balancing different flavour profiles. With minimal use of herbs and spices, the food usually has individual sweet, salty and sour flavours that combine to create distinctive dishes. At Calle Real Restaurant, the crew were eager to share with us how each dish was prepared, and how each is typically enjoyed in the Philippines.

LECHON DE CARAJAY ($14.80)

PHOTO: NICHOLAS YEO

This Filipino version of sio bak has a rind of crispy skin, a thin layer of fat, and well-seasoned, tender meat.

Unlike the Singaporean version where chunks of pork are roasted, this Filipino rendition is baked first, then deep-fried.

Eaten on its own, the pork was bland but did not leave a greasy aftertaste.

The dish went well with its creamy dipping sauce — a sweet sauce made of pork liver specially imported from the Philippines.

RELLENONG BANGUS ($18.80)

PHOTO: NICHOLAS YEO

The flesh of the milkfish is first extracted then minced before adding green peas and raisins to the mix. It is marinated with vinegar, then stir-fried before it is stuffed back into the fried fish skin.

The result is a good mix of texture — with crunchy fish skin wrapping and tender fish meat mixture.

A dish unique to Filipino cuisine, the Rellenong Bangus is a must-try because it is so difficult to find in Singapore.

SIZZLING PORK SISIG ($12.80)

PHOTO: NICHOLAS YEO

The sweet and savoury blend of minced pork, chilli and spring onion was served on a piping hot skillet with a raw egg sitting atop. After setting the plate on the table, our server broke the egg with her hands and mixed it in with a spoon, coating each morsel of meat with runny yolk, before finishing with a squeeze of lime.

On its own, the minced pork was a little salty but eaten with the sweet raisins and a hint of lime, our tastebuds were left dancing.

According to Chef Lascano, after receiving feedback that Singaporeans are not fond of strong sour tastes, the pork was marinated with pineapple juice instead of vinegar.

TRUE TO HIS ROOTS
Mr Joefre Lascano, 38

PHOTO: NICHOLAS YEO

For four months, Chef Lascano boarded flights to the Philippines every Friday, then caught the red-eye flight back to Singapore the following Monday to helm the kitchen of JoLogs at Lucky Plaza.

Chef Lascano had been enrolled in culinary classes at the University of Philippines by his then employer and went to great lengths to juggle his work and his studies.

His dedication to his craft never left him, even as he took on a demanding role as head chef at Calle Real Restaurant, where he oversees the menu and personally prepares his customers’ orders.

Ten years ago, Chef Lascano moved to Singapore at the age of 28, in search of greener pastures and has worked in the food & beverage industry here since then.

He said: “I’ve always dreamt of working abroad. I love cooking and I’ve always been interested in Filipino food.”

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Nanyang Chronicle on April 4, 2016, with the headline ‘Let’s get Calle Real’. Print Edition