To the uninitiated, Filipino cuisine is adobo (meat marinated in vinegar and soy sauce) or lechon (roasted pork). At Kubo, Chef Kurt Sombero — former sous chef at Burnt Ends and head chef at Meatsmith — is determined to change this with adapted and elevated cuisine according to many influences of The Philippines, which has more than 7,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. His dishes take their inspiration not only from surrounding neighbours such as Japan, Taiwan and China, but also from the Spanish, a leftover from the days Spain colonised the Philippines.
Born in the Philippines, Chef Kurt Sombero has a bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management at De La Salle University’s College of Saint Benilde
At Kubo, the chef’s menu comprises a variety of Filipino cuisines where the classics such as lechon, sisig, kare-kare and adobo are updated. At the same time, new dishes use foie gras, uni, truffles and rare spices. All these are cooked in an open kitchen over a custom-built wood-fired stove.
The pugon, from the Spanish fogon, is the hearth that is traditionally used to cook family meals in the Philippines
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On visiting Kubo, you will be greeted by the pugon, from the Spanish fogon — the hearth traditionally used for cooking family meals. Here, the custom-designed and custom-built version is a wood-burning oven, cookstove, grill and smoker all in one. Ask to be seated at the bar counter as it offers you a vantage point to watch the chef interact with his team and how he controls the open fire.
Look around, and you will understand why Kubo is named after the iconic thatched huts that dot the Philippine countryside. The open layout transports you to the Philippine countryside with bamboo, nipa (a type of palm found in the Philippines) and other native materials.
Also, kitchenwares and decorations handcrafted by Philippine indigenous tribes, including the Mangyans from Mindoro, Warays from Samar and T’boli from Cotabato, are used in parts of the establishment. Even the steak knife is fashioned after the balisong, the fan or butterfly knife from Batangas, which many Filipino men brandish with pride.
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Inasal Mid-Wing with annato glaze and pickled green papaya
A word of advice: do come hungry as the extensive menu offers a well-balanced mix of various cuisines that make choosing a few quite challenging. Try Inasal (Spanish for “grill”) Mid-Wing ($14) with annatto glaze and pickled green papaya . This dish offers very tender chicken that you eat with a special dipping sauce and a side dish of pickled papaya to cut the richness of the grilled meat. The best way to eat this is by using your hand; the glaze makes this a more-ish snack.
The House-Aged Duck ($38/$65) with pineapple jus and timut peppers has to be our favourite, with the duck cooked to blush-perfect tenderness. The duck is cured and aged in-house and marinated with timut peppers, a savoury rather than spicy condiment that works well with the duck.
Sisig with foie gras and salted egg
We also enjoyed the Sisig ($25) with foie gras and salted egg. Sisig is a typical Filipino fare that is usually made with chicken liver, but here the chef has used foie gras instead, resulting in a whole new level of deliciousness. Do use the flatbread to mop up the house-special vinaigrette sauce, which is similar to Chinese XO sauce.
Crab Fat Risotto And Tobiko
Another dish worth mentioning is the Crab Fat Risotto And Tobiko ($20); one of the chef’s specialties is how crab fat is extracted. The fat is turned into the broth and cooked with the risotto and a generous amount of crab meat, and the gentle saltiness of the tobiko complements this dish perfectly.
End your meal with a Halo-Halo ($12), which is purple yam sorbet, coconut, and meringue; this is a popular Filipino sweet treat. It is served in a coconut shell and has a mix (halo halo is Tagalog for “mix”) of yam sorbet that is not too sweet, and the rice crispies' crunchiness and coconut jam add a different dimension to the flavour.
Kubo
Unit 01-12 The Pier at Robertson
80 Mohamed Sultan Rd,
Singapore 239013
Tel.: +65 9645 8436
www.kubo.com.sg
