The word “salo” /sá-lo/ has become a staple in the Filipino vocabulary due largely to our love of food, so much so that our countrymen have earned a notoriety for having – not three – but seven meals a day. The term lends itself to different contexts with food at the heart of it all. “Salo,” which means to “assemble” or “gather,” is predicated on the idea that there is food to be partaken of by guests. Interestingly, when said or written twice (“salo-salo”), the word translates to a “feast” or “banquet.”
It’s no coincidence that Salo also happens to be the name of Kabayan Hotel’s new restaurant. When the hotel opened its new building along EDSA-Pasay early this year, it set out to cater even better to its bevy of guests through its own unique brand of Filipino hospitality. This included providing a gastronomic experience that’s genuinely homegrown and worthy of public acclaim.
Upon entering the restaurant through its craftily designed doors, diners are greeted by a delightful marriage of Filipino furniture and ambient modernities. The restaurant’s tables and chairs are made of solid wood while its ceiling is adorned with the Salo logo accents that resemble the wheel spokes of a kalesa (horse-drawn carriage) or a traditional pamaypay (handmade fan).
Lakbay Magazine sat down with Kabayan Hotel’s General Manager, Raymund Aves, to learn more about Salo and their latest offerings shaking up the Filipino dining scene.
L: What was the inspiration behind Salo?
R: As the name suggests, we wanted a venue where people can “commune” while indulging in scrumptious Filipino food. The restaurant’s name is an invitation to come together and partake of their favorite Filipino dishes. A number of our guests here in Kabayan are returning OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and balikbayan who all crave that home-cooked goodness that reminds them of their grandma’s signature recipe or their family’s favorite meal.
L: Why should people try out Salo Restaurant?
R: The food in Salo is deliciously authentic. It doesn’t deceive your palate with fabricated tastes or nondescript flavors. What you see is what you get: sour and savory sinigang, sweet and tender tocino, you name it. At Salo, it tastes the way it should. It’s essentially lutong-bahay thoughtfully prepared with lots of TLC.
We also have daily merienda buffets available from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM and dinner buffets every Friday and Saturday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM to satisfy bigger appetites without breaking the bank. Our merienda buffet is priced at only Php279 while dinner buffet is Php499 per person.
L: Fantastic! And we heard Salo also offers boodle spreads! Is this true?
R: That’s right. We pride ourselves as being one of the hotel restaurants, if not the only hotel restaurant, that offers boodle spreads daily. We call it Kamayan sa Kabayan. Our guests can choose from four different combos all priced at Php2,200 per set. Diners can avail of Kamayan sa Kabayan boodle spreads from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM until December 31, 2023.
L: What are some choice dishes you would recommend people to try when they dine at Salo?
R: We’ve been getting raves from diners for our Kare-Kare (beef stew in savory peanut sauce), Pinakbet (vegetable with shrimp paste and meat toppings), and Adobo (pork and chicken marinated in vinegar and soy sauce). Aside from our bestsellers, we’ve added new dishes such as Binagoongan Rice (fried rice with shrimp paste topped with pork bits, fried eggplant and mango relish), Kinilaw na Tanigue (fresh Spanish mackerel marinated in lemon juice with chilies, onion, ginger and peppercorn), and Sinigang na Lechon sa Pakwan (pork in tangy tamarind broth with watermelon) to our menu to offer diners more choices.
L: Can people book Salo for functions and special occasions?
R: Of course. The restaurant can accommodate a total of 100 diners and is available for various types of guest functions and events. For bigger groups, we can offer our Salo Function Hall at the second floor of the hotel which can fit up to 150 pax (seated).
For inquiries and reservations, please contact Salo Restaurant through Kabayan Hotel’s trunkline at (+632) 8702-2700 or (+63) 917-7022700. You can also visit www.kabayanhotel.com.ph to get more information about Salo Restaurant.
