Romulo Café at home: An authentic introduction to Filipino food in five finish-at-home courses

Filipino food often flies under the radar but thanks to chef Jeremy Villanueva and Romulo Café, curious diners now have the chance to sample a taste of the nation’s cuisine at home. As part of their meal kit range, the five-course feast features traditional regional flavours to offer a Southeast Asian culinary experience like no other.

The box came with carefully vacuum-packed and sealed bags full of the pre-prepared plates that needed to be cooked or heated through. As there were a lot of dishes, each component was labelled, which made the assembly extremely easy. Each offering also came with its own set of instructions complete with photos so that diners know how it should look once they have put it together.

To start, we had the Salmon Sinigang, which was made with a fragrant tamarind broth, fresh moringa leaves, daikon, leaf spinach, aubergine, bagoong paste and two pieces of thinly sliced fish. The broth was deliciously hot and sour and poured over the raw salmon, allowing it to gently cook and infuse.

We then tried the fresh vegetable spring roll (Lumpia Sariwa) which we assembled ourselves. The pancakes were very delicate, so a steady hand was needed when carefully filling them with the Romaine lettuce and vegetables provided. These were then finished off with the peanut and Lumpia sauces and a handful of crushed nuts. These tasted amazingly fresh and light and were a standout on the menu.

Next up was the Chicken Inasal Sisig. This plate was made up of tender diced chicken that was marinated in annatto, ginger, green chilli and lemongrass. After a quick toss through a pan this was served with crispy chicken skin and sisag sauce. The dish was hot and salty, with the chicken skin bringing through a rich and indulgent dimension.

For the main we sampled the crispy pork hock (Pata), which is hailed as an all-time Romulo restaurant favourite, served with shrimp sauce, kalamansi and a soy dipping sauce. The pork hocks were cooked in the oven on a high heat to get that crackling really crispy. And they did not disappoint as they came out sizzling and bursting with juicy flavours. This was served with a moreish garlic fried rice and stir fried bok choy, making this a delightfully hearty meal.

Dessert was a slice of the Ube (purple yam) cheesecake, which was definitely a highlight. It wasn’t too sweet, which was a big plus, and managed to perfectly balance the earthy rich notes of the yam with the sweet and creamy coconut. 

If you’re looking for an authentic introduction to Filipino food then this meal kit is ideal. Every dish has been carefully thought out and has been meticulously prepared so that finishing it off at home is a breeze.  

Alex Woods

The Filipino Fiesta 5-course Meal Kit For Two is available to order here. For further information visit Romulo Cafe’s website here.