La Mesa Grill may sound Tex-Mex, but this new restaurant that opened recently at the Mall of Asia is as Pinoy as, well, inihaw.

While the metropolis teems with Filipino restaurants, a number have fancified their recipes and served them with pretentious flourish. Not La Mesa Grill. It aims to bring authentic Filipino ulam to those who want their food good and malasa. Just like lutong bahay, but better.

The idea for La Mesa Grill has been smoldering for some time in the back burner of owners Senator Kiko Pangilinan (yes, Sharon Cuneta’s husband), Mike Sicat and restaurateur Enrico U. Dee. The idea finally materialized this year.

“This was created to fill in a demand,” said Dee “There’s always a clamor to bring balikbayans to good Filipino restaurants, bring a foreign guest to a good Filipino restaurant, and the question is always, where to bring them?”

Interactive dining

Designed like a bahay kubo or nipa hut, La Mesa Grill’s interiors were designed by top architects and showcases Ifugao chairs. Guests can also dine al fresco if they wish, offering a parallel feast of Manila Bay’s majestic view.

The delight of grilling your own food at the dining table is something new to Filipino restaurants, though a mainstay of Korean, Japanese and Chinese restaurants. La Mesa Grill (geddit?) is the first Pinoy restaurant to adopt the concept. For authenticity, charcoal is used for the inihaw, proven to add more flavor to the grilled dishes. A bamboo exhaust is also provided, another first by La Mesa Grill.

The Authentic and the Tweaked

Then there’s the food. La Mesa serves its lechon or whole roast pig with a twist. Called Crispchon, the crispy lechon is served the traditional way with a serving of rice. Or like Peking duck, Crispchon is wrapped in pandan crepe and garnished with wansoy, cucumber and leeks. La Mesa Grill also offers six different dips or sauces: garlic, wansoy-infused, Rikki’s choice, spicy pork liver, curry mustard or sweet chili.

A bestseller, Crispchon goes for P2,900 for a medium-sized pig, suitable for the whole family or a bunch of friends. It’s also available in 500, 250, 167 (or 1/6 kilo) grams at P1450, P780 and P480, respectively.

Plus the menu is wide and varied. Appetizers or Mga Pampagana include Tahong with cheese (P130),Halaan Ala Pobre (P130),Scallops in Garlic Butter (P150), Tokwa’t Baboy (P100), Tinapa Roll (P90), Peanuts (P55),Kropeck (P50), Hito Flakes with Mangga Salad (P150), Gambas (P190), Mangga with Bagoong (P75), Crispy Tenga (P130), Mixed Seafood Ala Gambas (P170), Sisig (P150), Sisig Mayo (P160), Sisig with egg (P160), Crispy Pusit Sisig (P150), Tofu Sisig (P150), Lumpiang Sisig (P125), Mangga Salad (P95), Calamares (P125), Pinsec Prito (P95), Sizzling Litid (P140), Crispy tawilis with mangga (P100) and the Sari-saring Pampanga (a platter of crispy tawilis, tinapa roll, calamares, pinsec, kropeck, crispy tenga and peanuts) for only P190.

La Mesa’s Sisig sticks to original Kapampangan recipe, which uses strictly chicken liver. Tinapa Roll, Hito Flakes with Mangga Salad, and Crispy Tawilis are some of La Mesa’s experimental appetizers. As are Pinatayong Manok, Sizzling Blue Marlin Belly, Steamed with Latik (choice of Apahap or Tilapia) and the festive Sama-samang Inihaw Platter and Sama-samang Yaman Dagat.

Classic Pinoy favorites (Mga Paborito) are Kare-kare, Beef Kaldereta, Bulalo,Grilled Blue Marlin, Stuffed Squid, Lengua Estofado among others. Plus, there are more than 20 varieties of barbecue.

Seafood lovers will delight at Lutong Asin Dagat (Rock Salt Cooking) and Kinulob sa Asin Dagat (Encased in Rock Salt). Then there are desserts galore.

To complete the Filipino dining experience, La Mesa Grill pipes in original Filipino music – from MYMP to Sharon Cuneta.

La Mesa Grill at the SM Mall of Asia is open everyday, with extended hours.