Samba — Restaurant in Taguig

Delectable first date with Peruvian flavors

First time trying Peruvian dishes and I was so glad my first exposure to it was with Samba.We arrived at Shangri La at the Fort at around 2 PM and immediately made our way to the 8th level where the restaurant is located. It is situated next to the hotel pool and has a shaded al fresco area aside from the indoor section. Getting inside we were warmly greeted and was asked if we had prior reservation to which I said no since on the email inquiry I sent before they did not indicate that reservation was needed. They were fully booked for that day however after a brief wait we were told that they can accomodate us outside for a few hours as the table has been previously booked for 5 PM. That was absolutely fine for me as I wanted to dine al fresco and was trying to leave by 5 PM too.

The al fresco area was surprisingly well shaded and the breeze was an added bonus for that day. The setting outside was clearly made for bigger groups with long tables and comfortable lounge seating. The green and teal really pops out amid the wooden fixtures and stone elements around the restaurant. This along with the outdoor set up really made you feel like you were in a resort. The indoor area had a more gilded look but the wooden elements around made it feel warm and homey.

As expected with any Shang property the service was always warm, quick and had a little extra. Our server made suggestions on what they had available which were not on the menu. First on our table were the Arroz con mariscos (Peruvian seafood rice) and the Lomo Saltado (Stir-fried Beef tenderloin with huge chunks of tomato, onions and potato wedges). The seafood rice was seasoned absolutely well and had big chunks of fish, octopus, shrimps and calamari) It was a meal in itself and the freshly squeezed lime atop it was that perfect refresh acidic cut to the rich almost creamy seafood taste of the well flavored rice. The beef chunks medium well and were perfectly cooked. The sauce ut had was so tasty I was longing for some ordinary white rice to go with it. Next we had the Chicharron de Cangrejo. I was sonehow expecting these to be thin crab strips that was cooked with a thick batter but I was pleasantly surprised to see actual huge chunks of soft shell crabs. The were huge chunks which were perfectly crispy on the outside and unbelievably succulent inside. It also had a very strong sea taste to it but the passionfruit sweet dip balanced it all off. I just wish the served more of the dip to accommodate all the serving of crabs that we had. Dipping the crunchy soft crabs on it was a flavorful fiesta on my mouth. The dip really made the otherwise heavy fried crabs unvelievably light. To cap off our meal we had Peruvian ice cream in two flavors, passion fruit and corn. Both were served on a frozen stone ball and both were equally amazing. The passion fruit had a very sweet and fresh taste to it with some strong floral flavors from the spices on it. The corn ice cream was incredibly sweet and creamy. Im not a fan of corn and corn ice cream but I would definitely eat this one.

It was a pleasurable late lunch and Samba truly made our first foray in exploring Peruvian flavors a memorable one. If your planning to try Samba, do make sure you reserve a table ahead especially on Fridays and weekends as tables are usually fully booked even for a late lunch. For dinners they serve it in 2 batches. 1st seating is from 5PM-7:15PM and 2nd seating is from 7:30PM-10:30PM. Samba is definitely a must try if you...

Superb, most authentic, tasty Peruvian cuisine with freshest ingredients in a poolside setting in brand new Shangri La Hotel at the Fort in Taquig city, real upscale area of Manila. Lively music piped accompanied our dining experience and the server Gena was most accommodating and professional. We ordered Ceviche Limeno, Tune T-RA-D-TO, Crispy soft shell crab, Anticucho de Pulpo (chargrilled octopus with small potatoes) and Peruvian seafood rice (its version of Paella) and washed down with a couple of colorful mixed cocktails and glasses of pinot grigio. Needless to say,it was a real treat for the sights and taste buds. I am a real octopus lover, but the chargrilled octopus was my least favorite one.. Still real tasty, but the legs were Too Big and a bit mushy. Sort of too much of a good thing and I wish it was not as mushy. The Ceviche was out of the world and the chips accompanying it were crispy, fresh and ever so tasty. Tuna TRADTO was real firm and fresh (i wish it had a bit less sauce on it), but the soft shell crab hit it out of the ball park. I was hoping to try its desserts but by the time the paella arrived, we had very little room left. Speaking of the seafood rice, it must be a Peruvian recipe, very tasty, but is definitely unlike Spanish version with Valencia rice etc. I think your picture looked better than the one I got. All in all, we are very pleased with the dining experience. We should 2 more people to share the foods I ordered, too much for 2 people, but it is not the restaurant's fault. Price is very reasonable for a brand new Shangrila Hotel. Speaking of which, you can go downstairs after 8 pm and enjoy live piano, harp and jazz music with a singer rest of the night. It served reasonably priced cocktails or tea /...

It's been a week of rainy days non stop in Metro Manila, and today is not to be excluded therefore I brought an umbrella with me. The person who greeted me at the door politely kept my umbrella. I walked in without any reservation, and was offered to sit outdoor and for sure I wouldn't reject it since it's my first time to here. Guess what? I loved having lunch at the outdoor for this weather. It's very windy (this restaurant is on the 8th floor, so the wind is nice and not dusty) and can't imagine if I was offered to sit indoor with air-conditioning because I was wearing short to there.

I had a soup called Brazilian Moqueca, this is creamy soup based with coconut milk. It has prawns and grouper fish fillet, and comes with rice. So this soup alone is not considered light meal or starter for average person. I had the octopus skewer too, and prawns with grilled rice for the main course. Oh by the way, my drink is called Pakalolo and the straw is made of bamboo. It's cool, right? Overall it's really not bad to taste South American foods for the first time. If you're adventurous enough like myself, then you should give it a try too. To me, the price is reasonable and the waitress are serving well. Good experience, and please refer to the photos I've attached. See you...