By Robert Goodwin
Another pleasant surprise on the increasingly vibrant Barkly St strip in West Footscray is Filipino restaurant Chibog. The restaurant describes the food as homestyle Filipino with a ‘chefy’ twist and certainly delivers on this.
From scrumptious garlic chicken wings to a generous seafood curry with meaty king prawns in a fragrant coconut sauce – the menu will not disappoint. My friend and I also devoured a crunchy salad with wombok, green apple and jalapeno, which was a deliciously unique alternative to the coleslaw-typed salads that seem to dominate menus at the moment.
Chibog’s menu also features two versions of the classic Filipino street food sisig, a more typical pork one and the mushroom and tofu one that my vegetarian friend and I ordered. The richness and depth of flavour in this dish was incredible. I cannot wait to try the pork version when I eat here again. Even the garlic rice we ordered had an interesting, slightly crunchy texture to it. The chefs certainly do get all the little details right.
The friendly staff happily share their knowledge of a cuisine many Melburnians may not be overly familiar with. The restaurant has an impressive-looking cocktail menu too. I tried the Calamansi Smash, calamansi being the Filipino version of traditional lemonade, with a nice hit of vodka. It was refreshing to say the least. There are also mocktails and plenty of wine and beer choices. Well worth a visit and come with an appetite.
Chibog
(03) 9078 4472
www.chibog.com.au
Shop 1, 553 Barkly Street, West Footscray
