LOCAVORE Kapitolyo Pasig: Love at First Bite

Locavore Kitchen x Drinks Kapitolyo Review 

Serving the best Filipino dishes with a twist!

    

     There are a few things that I value in life- my love for my family and friends, my devotion to my rescued dogs and cats, and good food. Among these three, food is subjective since I have to consider taste, how it was prepared, price, presentation among others. Food without a doubt is one of human’s very basic need in order to live and having discovered the best tasting dishes is one of the perks in living a good life. Great thing that there are places that offer good food, but would it such a blessing to find exceptionally great dishes just around the corner, always ready to entice and engage our palate?

     LOCAVORE restaurant in Barrio Kapitolyo Pasig is a relatively new foodie hideaway (and more..) that sets the bar high when it comes to Filipino best tasting dishes. Established just last year, locavore pasig has been a well-loved restaurant by manila foodies who are constantly drawn to the consistent good quality of the dishes served there. It was a blessing I could consider, being able to indulge in a sumptuous feast of finest Filipino dishes exceptionally executed by Chef Mikel Zaguirre.

     Locavore’s part owner and in-house Chef Mikel is a perfect epitome of a creative food designer who infused twists on the usual common Filipino favorite dishes. This best kapitolyo pasig restaurant is very keen in utilizing locally sourced ingredients including native vegetables & fruits, dips & sauces, and local spices & herbs. By the way, Locavore is an actual word that means “one who eats foods grown locally whenever possible” as defined by Merriam-Webster, with this in mind, this upbeat casual dining restaurant breathes and lives by its name by promoting local farming through Filipino dishes with a twist. What twist?

Locavore unassuming menu on a wooden clipboard

Simple table setting on hardwood high tables (outside seating)

Brewed coffee to perk me up...sugar and milk on shot glass

 

LOCAVORE Barrio Kapitolyo Distinct Ambiance

     Locavore restaurant’s ambiance evokes the traditional native Filipino design with bamboo ceilings and straightforward hardwood tables and bare flooring. The restaurant’s set-up is enticing for casual dinners and dates, celebratory feasts and bonding moments with friends. Lighting is perfectly designed using naturally drawn light during daytime and industrial hanging lamps from the high bamboo ceiling which makes the place even more inviting for casual eating and chillaxing.

Indoor seating in an industrial inspired brightly lit interior

Cozy upholstered yellow long coach

Impressive bamboo high ceiling and window treatments

Locavore's house specialty written in chalk on cemented wall

LOCAVORE take on our Favorite Filipino Dishes

     Chef Mikel is such a genius when it comes to reinventing classic Filipino favorites. With an open kitchen concept where snobbish and finicky eaters can peep into and see how food is prepared and cooked, this has changed the playing field for the usual Filipino restaurants making Locavore as a new standard in casual dining experience. Chef is really hands-on, making sure that each batch of ordered dishes are perfectly executed you could see how engaged Chef Mikel is, being busy talking to guests and supervising the kitchen.

   If you consider Filipino cuisine your comfort food, then better get ready to explore the unexpected taste from all Locavore dishes. Each dish is uniquely prepared with twists here and there exciting the palate with every bite. Discover locavore pasig food and get ready to be blown away….

Singkamas, Manga at Bagoong Php180. (Bagoong/Patis-Asukal/Chili Smoked Rock Salt)

Street Food Platter Php200.
(Fishball/Squidball/Kikiam/Kwek-kwek/Manong's Sauce/Sweet Chili/Hot Vinegar)

Lechon & Oyster Sisig Php400. (Oysters are sourced fresh from Kalibo Aklan)

Boneles Lechon Belly Php550.
(Ala Cebu Lechon/Pinakurat/Bagoong Dipping  Sauce/Pickled Red Onion and Cucumber)

Roasted Garlic Brown Rice Php80. single serve

Sizzling Sinigang Php530.
(Beef Short Ribs/Sauteed French Beans/Sampaloc Gravy/Garlic Confit)

Toratang Talaba Php300.
(Kalibo Oyster/Mushroom/Togue/Spring Onion/Japanese Mayo Dip/Arugula Salad)

Ginatang Kalabasa Php390.
(Kalabasa/Gata/French Beans/Locavore Porkchop/Shrimp)

Dinuguang Lechon Php550.
(Lechon Belly/Dinuguan Sauce/Bokchoy/Garlic Confit/Cherry Tomato)

Kare-Kare Chicken Wings Php290.

Mac's Boneless Fried Chicken Php240. House Special Glazed Boneless Chicken

Sugpo Con Mayonesa Php650.
(Jumbo Black Tiger Prawns/Aligue/Garlic/Butter/Japanese Mayonnaise)

     Locavore's drinks and original desserts:

House Blend Iced Tea (refreshingly light)

Watermelon Shake- Freshly made

Bicho Bicho Php160.
(Whipped Cream/Coco Jam/Tablea Sauce/Banana)

Torta Manga Php240.
(Mangga/Meringue/Tablea/Dulce de Leche)

Turon Con Leche Php240.
(Puff Pastry/Leche Flan/Salted Egg Dulce de Gatas)

      If the images of Locavore dishes looked tempting being actually in this unique gastropub is a totally new whole experience. Not only you will enjoy Locavore’s gastronomical delights, they also have the best brews and drinks from promoting local beer, imported liquors to creative cocktails with a Filipino twist- this place is a total package. 

Sierra Madre (local beer) Php240.

      Then after dinner, you can simply chill and stay a couple or more hours to unwind with live entertainment, dance to the groove with guest DJs, trivia nights for the brainies with various special offerings of discounts. And for those who love karaoke, Tuesdays are acoustic open-mic evenings. For the daring patrons the "7 shots- 7 Seconds" challenge is definitely a must try and etched your name on their glass window pane along with the top contenders.

Glass window pane looking through the indoor area.  Note: names written in neon pen are the ones who took the 7 shots-7 seconds challenge

 This guy took the 7 Shots 7 Seconds Locavore challenge but finished at around 8.13 seconds.

     What more can you ask for, when Locavore Kitchen + Drinks in Brixton Pasig has taken the usual dining experience into a high level. Not only engaging the palate, satisfying our tummies, quenching our thirst for awesome beers and cocktails, and uplifting our mood with nights filled with laughter and music- Locavore is truly a place that you want to be every now and then.

More photos:

Happy people enjoying the open-mic acoustic night

Fellow foodie blogger Alice Mate belting a song

Nicole Anderson- spotted

Yours truly at the entrance of Locavore

     Locavore Kapitolyo in Pasig in a short time had managed to carve its name among one of the top restaurants to visit around Metro Manila. With a straight forward design concept, plethora of fun happenings and offerings on a daily basis, reasonable prices, impeccable service, fun loving crowd and impressive line of Filipino dishes- Locavore has indeed successfully crossed over from a new restaurant into an epic place of fun and great food! See you all there.

For more information and updates on LOCAVORE restaurant in Pasig visit their official website or their Facebook page. You could also check their Instagram for inspiring images- @locavore.ph