Salsa Fusion Restaurant — Restaurant in Malay

Came here by chance after being told it would be a 2 hour wait at The Pig and Palm at around 7pm on a Monday night, while this venue had maybe only 3 to 4 tables filled with guests. This restaurant is a bit weird to get to. It’s right past Astoria at station 1. There’s 3 signs posted on a wall on the street that aren’t very visible. Then you have to walk down an alley (towards the beach) and go up to the 5th floor of the building at the end of the alley to get there, but once you’re there, be ready for a unique blend of food and flavors.

Everything we tried was amazing. The cuisine is very “culinary forward”. The flavors are familiar but exciting. The blend of Filipino and Spanish cuisine is executed well. The experience felt as if I was the judge on a cooking network and the main theme was to make a Spanish dish and the chef just so happens to be a Filipino chef that takes the flavors and foods of the Philippines, the fresh seafood of Boracay and combines it with Spanish, Italian, and French dishes and techniques. The combinations worked perfectly for all the dishes we tried.

“Fusion food” sounds like a trendy buzz word that restaurants abuse to sell food, but in this case the chef executes it by bringing the dramatic Spanish flavors combined with fresh local seafood to prepare simple dishes using European cooking methods to really elevate and create Filipino inspired dishes.

Instead of describing the dishes in depth, I will give a few descriptive words so you can see if it matches your cravings and tastes.

Croquette (was complimentary) - Fried, crispy, meaty, savory, rich and heavy.

Porchetta Bagnet - Fried, half crunchy half soft and juicy, meaty, savory, rich and heavy. Try it with white rice.

Bulalo de Ravioles - Savory, light, soup. Bright in flavor but the use of grilled/charred vegetables make it nice and rich in depth. Soup is Prepared hot (some places serve soup here and sometimes it’s not always hot). Broth is poured table side. Dumplings are thick and meaty, texture is firm yet soft, similar to biting into shu mai dimsum.

Paella de Mariscos - Crunchy scorched bits of rice with softer, more wet or mushy rice. Bright in flavor. Seafood abundant. Zingy, zesty, savory.

Pasta Negra - Probably my favorite of the night. Fresh hand made noodles. Perfectly al dente. Bright in flavor yet savory zesty and complex. Seafood flavor is forward. Sauce is in the middle between thin and thick. More thin than gravy but thicker than broth soup.

Crispy KangKong - light, crispy, savory. Similar to a seaweed cracker/chip. Served with an aioli that is rich and zesty.

Salted egg and Ube Sponge Cake - A nice twist on Bibinka. Rich and sweet but not excessive. Almost chocolatey without any added chocolate. If you’ve never had Bibingka, try it. “Boiled” egg and cake doesn’t seem like a good combo but it works nicely. The slight savoryness of the egg really balances the sweetness of the cake.

This restaurant was a very nice change of pace versus the typical seafood restaurants in Boracay that serve their seafood with sweet, glazed sauces. After trying a few handful of restaurants in the week that I’ve been in Boracay, this place stood out the most amongst the foodie that I am. I typically don’t review restaurants but from one foodie to another, this place is a must try to escape from the typical food on this island. Check it out before it becomes too crowded as I’m sure more people will start to come here in the...

My sisters and I were walk-in customers yet we were accommodated. It was a full house because of reservations. Initially our table was at the roof deck area where there is no cover. But when it started to rain we were seated inside even though we had no reservations. Thanks to Mel, Dave, Alpha and Giselle for that. We ordered Pollo y empanada, Paella de Mariscos, Porchetta Bagnet and Brewed coffee for my sister. We all loved the empanada and bagnet. Since we were full after that the paella was not eaten entirely. We just picked the prawns, squid, clams and mussels. My sister didn't really like the brewed coffee because it was under roasted. But generally the experience was one of satiety and satisfaction. Also the service was very fast. Kudos to Mel & co.

Update: My sisters and I had dinner again in this restaurant today (May 4, 2025). I would say that the experience of very good service didn't change. Thanks to Dave, Alpha, Arman and Loren whose services were fast and efficient. I changed my rating of 4 stars to 5 stars for food and atmosphere because this time the food was notably very delicious and it wasn't raining so we were seated on the roof deck. We ordered green salad, fried kangkong, pasta negra, porchetta bagnet and for dessert champorrado. They all tasted delightful and enjoyable because they were balanced and just right to the palate. Their porchetta bagnet used to taste salty, this time very delicious and tasty. The pasta negra in the words of my sister who cooks and has a very sensitive palate, was cottony and melted in her mouth because the squid was cooked right and wasn't gummy. The seafoods ingredients were really fresh because I and my other sister didn't react to the shrimps and mussels which we are allergic to. To top it all, the champorrado was not only delicious but was an art itself w the way it was presented. The sweetness of the tablea chocolate was perfect. All in all our experience was that of satisfaction and enjoyment. We hope the quality service, food and ambiance/atmosphere will be maintained so that as customers, we will always go back to have a WOW experience w dining in this restaurant. 💯😋 Kudos to...

We visited Salsa Fusion two days in a row when we last visited Boracay on 2023 because we really liked the food and we came back again this time. To find it every bit as delicious as the last time we visited, which sadly can’t be said about every restaurant. The staffs were super friendly especially Mel, introduced the menu and food options and answering our questions clearly, allowing us to better understand the options.

We ordered drinks and several dishes and while waiting for the food, we were surprised when the table was presented with a sample taster of croquettes, which were delicious. The main dishes took some time to prepare, but when they arrived we were seriously impressed. The attention to detail in the sauces, paired with the combinations of sweet and savory elements, along with the fantastic detail shown in the presentation made us all comment and take photos. While presentation was really impressive, the taste took it to a new level. Porchetta bagnet, our all time favorite, 12hr slow-cooked crispy lechon pork belly was just other worldly amazing, flavorful, tender, and juicy inside with crispy skin. Pulpo Inasal (marinated grilled octopus) was so tender and well marinated, it’s the most tender grilled octopus we had during our 8 days trip.. Ceviche was fresh and yummy Pumpkin soup served inside freshly baked bread was one of the best we’ve had in Asia and we demolished the whole dish in record time. They have a smaller version of Porchetta bagnet with Kare kare sauce which would be perfect for 1 person.

The restaurant is situated down a small alley opposite Pig Out Bistro and located in Serene Hotel. Signage is still easy to miss and really needs to be addressed by the owner, but believe me it’s worth looking for because the experience was one of the best we have had over many years of visiting Boracay. Good portion and pricing is value for money. Very highly recommend visiting. We will most definitely come back again to dine at this...