Silog

I read about this Filipino Restaurant on an email I got from la.Eater.com. I was very interested to check it out since it was nearby. It's a small restaurant on a strip mall in Torrance. The name Silog is from the prefix of the word sinangag, SI  (garlic fried rice) and the suffix of itlog (egg) LOG. Each table has a simple and cute succulent plant and a salt & pepper shaker in shape of an egg.

We ordered the Lumpia for appetizer. Fried pork egg rolls with a sweet and sour sauce. I was impressed with the skin as it was thinner than normal and very crispy. Though delicious, I would have preferred it with shrimps in it. Sandi has not gotten over her mango cravings since we got back from the Philippines, so she ordered the mango juice. She was a bit disappointed as it didn't taste like the fresh ones she had in Manila. I ordered the Calamansi juice and also was not impressed though the size was humongous. It was too sweet and needed more calamansi. I have to mention that our server tried hard to please me by adding more calamansi to the drink. Drinks are not their specialty; but we were there for the food so first things first.

For our entree, Sandi had the Tapa (thin cut ribeye steak marinated in garlic and lime) with the Sinangag (garlic fried rice) and this was served with perfectly cooked soft boiled egg which oozed onto the garlic fried rice. I had the Sisig (braised pork belly and shoulder topped with chicharon and garlic creme aioli). We split both entrees. The tapa was very good but my Sisig was super delicious.

As we came to the conclusion of our dinner, our eager to please and charming server came to ask if we wanted dessert. I was overly excited to order the Turon a La Mode (fried banana) served with Jackfruit or Mango Ice cream. I read about it and my taste buds were ready, willing and able. She came back shortly after we ordered it and gave us the bad news. The bananas were not ready; they were too soft. We were both so busog (full) that we could hardly move so maybe this was God's way of telling us to "cool it". There's always a next time. She could tell we were not too happy so soon after the delivery of the not so good news, Chef Lemuel came out to personally apologize. We were the only ones at the time since we were there when it opened. We chatted a bit as he shared his history of his former job and love for cooking. We eventually absolved him of his sins.

We will definitely be back to try the other specialties and more important, to try the Turon. Silog has been open since February 2016, let's hope he continues the good cooking. Silog is located at 1555 Sepulveda Blvd. in Torrance, California.