Filipino Desserts @ Bonifacio

Turon: banana and jackfruit wrapped in springroll wrapper

Palitaw: small, flat, sweet rice cake topped with sesame seeds, coconut shavings and grated cheese

Saba Con Yelo: sweetened banana slices topped with shaved ice and milk

On Friday night, we ended up at Bonifacio, the latest/newest Filipino restaurant in Singapore, for some authentic Filipino-style desserts. I ordered their saba con yelo or hielo and the group shared orders of palitaw and turon.

I was disappointed with their saba con yelo because the bananas were tough to chew. It might have been frozen before served. Some of my friends also ordered their mais con yelo, which is basically the same dish but with corn substituting the bananas. The complaint was it wasn't sweet enough but the servers were nice enough to give us some sweet syrup to well, sweeten the taste.

Despite the thumbs-down for the saba con yelo, their turon and palitaw were delicious. One order of the turon consisted of 5 (small!) servings. The size of the turon was not what you'd usually expect. It was as small as regular spring rolls. Turon back home is usually one entire or whole banana and slices of jackfruit inside the spring roll wrapper. Despite the miniature turon, the taste did not disappoint.

The highlight of the night for me was their palitaw. It was freshly made with a generous serving. One order consisted of 3 pieces of palitaw the size of a cup saucer. One piece is good enough for one person because it is very filling. The grated cheese and sesame seeds blended perfectly. I would go back just for this dessert.

Other than the desserts I mentioned above, Bonifacio also serves: leche flan, sans rival, halo-halo, buko pandan and more I cannot recall right now.

I will definitely go back to Bonifacio and this time not only for desserts but for their main dishes as well.

Bonifacio Modern Filipino Cuisine
35 Kreta Ayer
Singapore 089000
(opposite Kreta Ayer Community Centre)
T: (65) 6222 6676
www.bonifaciogroup.com


Operating Hours:
Lunch 11am to 3pm - Dinner 6pm to 10pm (last order)
Open Tuesdays to Sundays - Close on Mondays

Puto Bumbong @ Cafe Laguna

Cafe Laguna probably has one of the best puto bumbong dishes in Cebu. What's "puto bumbong"? According to PinoyRecipe.net:

Puto Bumbong, Traditionally made from a special variety of heirloom sticky or glutinous rice called Pirurutong which has a distinctly purple color, soaked in salted water and dried overnight and then poured into bumbong or bamboo tubes and then steamed until done or steam rises out of the bamboo tubes. It is served topped with butter or margarine and shredded coconut mixed with sugar.

I've always had this thing about purple-colored foods but puto bumbong is definitely an exception. I always try to have some whenever I go home to Cebu. If you happen to pass by Cafe Laguna (Ayala Cebu and SM North Wing Cebu), you should go in and order it!