Baliwag is a staple in Filipino celebrations, whether it's fiestas or birthday parties, mainly because of their affordable and delicious Lechon Liempo and Lechon Manok. While there are hundreds of Baliwag Lechon Manok outlets around the country, a lot of Filipinos don't know they also have a number of sit-down restaurants, Baliwag Grill and Restaurant, in Metro Manila that offers a lot more Filipino favorites.
Here's what you can expect from Baliwag Grill and Restaurant...
The ambiance is what you'd expect from a restaurant like Baliwag, it's an open-air outdoor concept with no air-conditioning. The seats were comfortable enough and it does not stoop to carinderia level yet, but just don't expect a polished look a you would from restaurant's such as Sarsa or Serye.
Baliwag Grill and Restaurant is just another simple and unassuming restaurant.
Baliwag's Lechon Liempo (Php 190) has to be one of the best Lechon Liempo I've ever tasted in my life. Most Filipinos don't value how good it is because it's so readily available around the country whenever you're craving for a delicious, juicy pork liempo, which only means Baliwag set the bar pretty high here.
It's beautifully marinated with Baliwag's special marinade and roasted to juicy perfection. The skin crackles beautifully in every bite, enough so that the person sitting next to you could probably hear you enjoying every bite.
If you're looking for juicy, beautifully roasted Lechon Manok (Php 285) then you can't count out Baliwag's Lechon Manok from your go-to option. The chicken is seasoned nicely and is roasted beautifully so that it's still juicy throughout. It's definitely one delicious piece of chicken.
Baliwag's original recipe is so good and that's one of the reasons why they have numerous Lechon Manok outlets around the country making their best-selling Lechon Manok and Lechon Liempo available to so many Filipinos. It's only fitting that they serve it here.
The Pork Sisig (Php 180) was a surprise - I didn't expect it to be so crispy and so delicious. It was crunchy and flavorful throughout, definitely a tasty dish to pair with some steaming hot rice and Baliwag's Lechon Liempo. It's also slathered with Baliwag's special gravy on top for an extra kick of flavor. It makes for the perfect pulutan to pair with a cold bottle of beer at night. Yum!
I guess this shows that Baliwag has a few delicious Filipino favorites in their menu as well, not just their Chicken and Liempo.
Baliwag's Kare-Kare (Php 290) was tasty, but it wasn't anything close to the best Kare-Kare in the Philippines. It's definitely flavorful and pairs nicely with Baliwag's bagoong. The tripe was tender and the vegetables certainly gave the dish some freshness.
Overall it is a good Kare-Kare that I would gobble up but it won't necessarily be one I would crave for. It was a bit watery and isn't as rich or nutty as Serye's, but it makes for a good complement to a delicious Filipino feast at Baliwag.
The Pancit Bihon (Php 315) was loaded with delicious pork, shrimps and vegetables, topped with fried garlic for added flavor. I'm not a huge fan of pancit so for me it was so-so but the other foodies I was with loved it! It's definitely flavorful with a nice citrus kick of calamansi.
Every celebration isn't complete without a plate of pancit, so it makes for a nice complement to the bangs of flavor from Baliwag favorites like the lechon manok, liempo, and sisig.
Food Quality: 4.0
Service Quality: -
Ambiance: 3.0
Overall Quality: 3.5
Overall Quality: 3.5
If the ambiance was a bit more polished and had air-conditioning I could easily rate Baliwag as a 4.0. However, you go to Baliwag for their delicious, affordable Filipino eats more than the ambiance. For that alone, Baliwag Grill and Restaurant certainly delivers.
Other than the popular Liempo and Lechon Manok, try out Baliwag's version of other popular Filipino favorites such as the Pork Sisig and Kare-Kare. Trust me, you won't leave disappointed.
Further reading you might like:
- The Island Cove's Fishing Village Is the Perfect Spot for Your One-Stop Cavite Food Trip
- Sarsa Kitchen + Bar: Have a Taste of Elevated Ilonggo Cuisine
- Serye Restaurant & Cafe: Filipino Cuisine as It Should Be
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Cheers,
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