Solaire Resort's Waterside Restobar Showcases Filipino Culinary Heritage with its Salu-Salo Feast

 

Waterside Restobar at Solaire Resort and Casino

Solaire Resort & Casino recently treated guests to a culinary journey through the Philippines with a sneak peek of its upcoming Salu-Salo menu at Waterside Restobar. The event showcased a delightful selection of both contemporary classic Filipino dishes and six forgotten dishes meticulously curated by renowned Chef Alfred Santiago.

My husband Michael Jason Ramos and the author, Purple Plum Fairy

Waterside Resto Bar takes a proud look at provincial flavors and showcases some popular regional recipes with a touch of decadent flair. It does a stellar job at elevating local household recipes to level up into world-class. 

The special tasting dinner hosted by Solaire was not only a treat for our taste buds, but also a feast for the eyes. Waterside Restobar incorporates the best recipes throughout different regions in the country.

This feast brings everyone together to explore unique dishes from various Philippine regions, offering a sophisticated take on traditional Filipino dining—The Solaire Way. Indulge in a wide selection of contemporary creations by Waterside’s Chef de Cuisine Alfred Santiago available for dinner every Saturday starting on September 21.

Feel the spirit of Filipino culture as you dine and enjoy vibrant entertainment featuring traditional Filipino music and dance performances, adding an authentic touch to your experience. An array of vibrant dishes is set-up like a “boodle fight” where everyone can feast and enjoy the night together. Be welcomed by a refreshing aperitif like guava-passion fruit infused lambanog or a citrus-guava mocktail. Pair it with unique Filipino appetizers like embutido stuffed inasal wings, glazed banana liempo lumpia, pusit isaw or squid skewers, hibe ukoy bao or dried shrimp fritter steamed bun, and kilawin isda sa ube at ampalaya or vinegar cured bitter gourd and fish.

Savor on your favorite Filipino main dishes or “ulam” (in English means viand) including inihaw na pampano or grilled fish, suwam na mais or Filipino fresh corn soup, tinola halaan sa kawayan or clam soup, crispy pata or crispy pork leg, and chicken adobo sa gata or chicken in coconut milk. Discover the authentic taste of the Ilonggo’s Lauya—a flavorful soup with very tender pata, unripe langka or jackfruit, and vegetables. Try the Tiyula Itum from Davao, which is black soup with beef and goat pieces, and burnt coconut meat. This dish is usually served during Muslim weddings or is called “food for royalty”. 

Their dishes go through an evolution. Some of the dishes they've given a tweak and find new ways to do it. They've given diners a different dining experience in terms of flavors, the combination of flavors that's out of the ordinary. As a foodie, I love that the dishes they serve here aren't overwhelming or intimidating. It's more about the comfort of flavors. Once you taste them, you get familiar with its flavors and tastes right away. Unexpected but not totally unfamiliar--these could also be said about the presentation of dishes. Diners can take a closer and intimate taste of Filipino food. 

The forgotten dishes featured in the Salu-Salo menu included:

• Lauya (Iloilo origin soup): A hearty and comforting pata soup with a rich broth and tender meat. The taste is similar to classic Beef Nilaga but it has more ginger in terms of taste. 

Lauya

• Tiyula Itum from Davao: A savory and slightly sweet stew signature black soup made with pork, coconut milk, and spices. It looks similar to Dinuguan but this one has coconut milk. Tiyula itum is a Filipino braised beef or goat soup or stew dish originating from the Tausug people. The dish is characteristically black due to the unique use of charred coconut meat.

Tiyula Itum

• Pancit Puso from Cavite: A unique rice noodle dish wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.

Pancit Puso from Cavite

• Nilatik na Kalabasa from Iloilo: A sweet and creamy dessert made with squash and coconut milk.

Nilatik na kalabasa

• Pagulong and Pasayan from Sorsogon (shrimp-based): Two distinct shrimp dishes showcasing different cooking methods.

Pagulong at pasayan

• Kinilaw na Langka from Cebu: A refreshing and tangy dish made with raw jackfruit and vinegar.

Kinilaw na Langka

In addition to the forgotten dishes, guests were also treated to a variety of other delectable Filipino dishes, such as:

• Glazed Banana Liempo: Sweet and savory pork belly glazed with banana.

Glazed Banana Liempo

• Burong Hipon: Fermented shrimp with a tangy and slightly spicy flavor.

Burong Hipon

• Kilawing Isda sa ube at ampalaya using King Fish: A refreshing ceviche made with king fish, purple yam, and bitter melon.

Kilawing Isda

• Tinolang Halaan: A flavorful soup made with clams and vegetables.

Tinolang Halaan

• Halabos na Hipon at Alimasag: Steamed shrimp and crab.

Halabos na hipon at alimasag

• Lechon: The quintessential Filipino roast pig.

Lechon is the star of every Filipino gathering

• Crispy Pata: Deep-fried pork knuckles.

Crispy Pata

Adobong manok sa gata

Grilled pork, squid and pompano fish

Pinipig lollipop 

Leche Flan

A medley of native desserts to cap off our meal

Salo-Salo sa Waterside

PHP 2700+

Appetizers – pampagana

Buro “surf &turf” (fermented red rice with pork mask) 

Embutido stuffed inasal wings 

Glazed banana liempo lumpia (spring roll) 

Pusit isaw (squid skewers) 

Hibe ukoy bao (dried shrimp fritter steamed bun) 

Kilawin isda sa ube at ampalaya (vinegar cured bitter gourd and fish) 

Main dishes – ulam

Inihaw na pompano calamansi brown butter 

Suwam na mais 

Tinola halaan sa kawayan 

Inihaw na Pusit

Crispy pata 

Inihaw na liempo 

Chicken adobo sa gata  

Longganisa stuffed lechon manok 

Lauya-Iloilo

Tiyula Itum-Davao

Vegetable – Gulay 

Tortang talong

Pagulong at Pasayan- Sorsogon

Nilatik nga kalabasa-Iloilo

Rice and noodles 

Pancit puso- Cavite

Plain rice

Garlic rice 

Condiments – all set on the table

Atchara (pickled papaya)

Banana ketchup spiced

Pinakurat (spiced vinegar)

Toyo (soy sauce)

Chicken oil

Patis (fish sauce)

Bagoong (shrimp paste)

Sukang paombong (palm sugar) 

Ensaladang talong

Kinilaw na langka-Cebu

Ensaladang mangga

Desserts- panghimagas

Pinipig lollipop 

Buko pandan

Minatamis na saging con yelo

Tupig

Leche flan 

Fresh fruits

The Salu-Salo menu at Waterside Restobar celebrates Filipino cuisine, showcasing classic and forgotten dishes. Chef Alfred Santiago's passion and expertise shine through in every dish, creating a truly memorable dining experience.

Enjoy delicious Filipino desserts like the Buko pandan, a cold dessert made of jelly cubes, coconut, and sweetened cream infused with pandan flavor, minatanis na saving con yelo, or banana with caramel sauce, leche flan or creme caramel, and pinipig lollipop.

It’s always a feast at Solaire Resort Entertainment City, and Salu-salo sa Waterside is the perfect setting for a memorable dining experience.  For inquiries and reservations, dial (+632) 8888 8888 or visit solaireresort.com.