Archipelago

I am seeing reviews that are highly dissapointing with some people who has… I don’t know their backgtound in food expectations. It is a high end restaurant for filipinos and if you are going to think it will be like other filipino restaurant of course it will be totally different. Their concept is just like those high end restaurant Anamandara or Slanted door. you can go in a regular vietnamese restaurant but ambience and all is not there and the creativeness in cooking. so I should say, this is an Asian fusion (filipino) dishes and I am proud of what they come up with and bring some pride to our dishes to whatever nationality!!!
If you are looking for a regualr filipno meal with family style, casual ambience… this may not be your type! This is purely elegance and superb cooking of asian fusion filipino style…

Trendy, dark & sexy interior w/​GOBS of booth seating! Even booths for TWO!
Service and selection are still shaky. Um they have been open since ¹¹⁄₀₇. Pick up the pace picante people! The hostess was super sweet. Our server was a bit awkward, did not have menu knowledge and she kept having to run to the kitchen to see if they were out of items on the menu. The Asian guy is super nice, explained to us the type of rolls on the table, yam and sourdough. he even offered us more!
They are closed on Monday, so don’t dine on Tuesdays, because none of the food is prepped, half of the menu is not available. Grr.
They purée fresh fruit for their drinks, for now they still only serve, soju cocktails, sangria, wine & beer-​still inthe process of acquiring a liquor license. Order the pineapple basil drink, it’s like a mild mojito. Delicious!
Cuisine:
–Pulled pork lumpia-​excellent, great for meat lovers, it wasn’t too greasy either.
–Angus Beef, beef was cooked to my liking, but fruit sauce on the side? Ick.
–Chicken Adobo, flavor wasn’t there, but cooked nicely, the coconut jasmine rice was super fragrant. Plantains and chicken? Interesting.
–Snapper, decent, needed more seasoning and again, there was a presence of fruit, grilled pineapple.
I really don’t understand what area of the Earth they are trying to derive their food from, I don’t think they are really sure either. To me, it’s like Filippino with a healthy twist. I love fruit, but it’s WAY too much fruit in the savory dishes.
We opted out of dessert b/​c we were told that three of the best desserts weren’t available. Our server told us that the menu has not been updated, we scoped out the date: 8÷7÷08.
Total: $ 120 for 3 people including tip & tax
Gold star: They comped one of the drinks, b/​c of a lot of the first choice drinks were unavailable.

For a fusion place, we expected a more interesting dining experience and were disappointed.
We entered the restaurant and noted the friendly hostess and modern yet intimate atmosphere. We ordered a couple of drinks that weren’t too bad. Then the disappointments started. Our waiter was not very knowledgeable about the food and had to get help explaining dishes to us. Service was slow in general. There was also obvious preferential/​ageist treatment as a table of 6 older people who arrived after us had three people waiting on them and were served food before us. Now, I’ll usually wave off bumps in service if they make my mouth and tummy happy, but lukewarm, bland, overcooked food doesn’t do anything for me. Rather than fusion, it felt more like the type of «Asian» food you’d get in some small town in middle of nowhere.