Busog — Restaurant in Melbourne

Filipino fare @Busog_au

Papa's Crispy Pork Sisig (small) - crispy pork jowl and cheek toped with Busog aoili I really like sisig so was keen to see what the version here is like. Different to what I expected but served sizzling hot with crispness in the cheek and tenderness in the pork jowl. Given the richness, a squeeze of lemon is a must but the aoili detracts as acid is required not something creamy. The aoili is lovely but doesn't go with the dish. Nonetheless a tasty but rich dish.

Chicken Adobo - braised in a savoury, tangy sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns Tender pieces of chicken which has taken on the soy and vinegar flavour, a lovely dish with soft potatoes.

Bagoong (shrimp paste) Rice I really loved the fried rice. Great flavour and a nice contrast between the sisig and chicken adobo.

Halo-Halo A refreshing blend of shaved ice, evaporated milk, vanilla ice cream, ube jam, sweet palm seeds, nata de coco, jelly, macapuno, and leche flan I definitely eyed the dessert and chose this. Refreshing and layered with flavour. The leche flan is soft and light, I like the ice cream, the jelly, ube jam, coconut, and is a lovely summery tropical dessert when you get a bit of each.

The interior has a warm inviting feel and a bit playful with the colourful interior and teddy bear lined walls.

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High hopes for the new Filipino spot in town, Busog, quickly turned into a bit of a culinary adventure – and not in a good way. Sadly, while the atmosphere was promising (cool space, friendly service), the food was a bit of a letdown. The Klassik Caldereta was a far cry from what we expected. While the beef was tender and the overall taste was that of a Caldereta, it resembled a stir-fry more than a stew. The sauce was scant and oily, missing the texture from a slow cooked tomato base thickened with potatoes and vegetables. We were also surprised to find no peas or olives, despite being listed on the menu. The Bicol Express also missed the mark. While the sauce had all the flavours one would expect, the Lechon Kawali was a letdown. Though somewhat crispy on the outside, it was chewy, stuck to your teeth, almost rubbery, and the fat wasn't rendered properly. To their credit, the restaurant offered to re-make the dish after we provided feedback. While the second attempt was slightly improved, it still wasn't quite what we'd hoped for. They also kindly removed it from our bill. (Please note I didn't want to return the dish or for them to give us a credit on the bill). Overall, our first experience at Busog was mixed. We hope they can refine their dishes to match their welcoming atmosphere and friendly service. We might give them another try down the track, focusing on...

I was nothing but satisfied with this Filipino comfort food festive feast.

Having not had Filipino food before, the staff were ready to help with suggestions and the generous serving sizes are made for sharing so that everyone can try everything because in my opinion, nothing disappointed.

The Lechon KawalI was crispy yet sticky and almost caramelized with that distinctive pork crackle taste and I was surprised by the liver dipping sauce which was actually elite.

The Tapsilog housed tender beef, garlicky rice, a fried egg and a salted egg proving to be an absolutely winning combination.

Lola's Humba was quite literally an entire pork hock in a soy caramelised stew and the Halo Halo was a refreshing blend of shaved ice, evaporated milk, vanilla icecream, ube jam, sweet palm seeds, nata de coco, jelly pieces, macupano and leche flan giving it crazy textures and a mix of interesting flavours.

The place was buzzing but not for a second did the staff let us down with superior service making us feel like we were guests in the owner's own home. And the effort that has gone into the Xmas decorations and festive spirit cannot...