Dekada, Historic Filipino Cuisine will give you a nostalgic vibe as if you are walking back in time. It features an all-Filipino line-up in its menu but what would strike you the most is that the dishes are named after persons and events that are historically significant. Furthermore,
the dishes use local ingredients that do not often make an appearance in our daily kitchen.
Dekada, Historic Filipino Cuisine: Where Flavor and History Meet
Our experience at Dekada, Historic Filipino Cuisine
We first tried Dekada four years ago at their branch in Ayala Fairview
Terraces. It was a memorable experience with all the delicious food and the
good-looking interiors of the restaurant that was designed like a comedor
(dining hall) from a Bahay na Bato in the olden days. We loved the classic
Filipino food favorites that were given mouth-watering twists.
A few months ago, we chanced upon Dekada in Glorietta and the memories of
our first visit came rushing back.
The food
We had a hard time deciding on which to get because of the many interesting
dishes that were on offer at Dekada.
Finally, we settled on Rizal (which is sizzling bulalo steak), Tinapang
Mahi-mahi na binalot sa gabi (smoked mahi-mahi, Bicol Express, Bagnet, and
siling labuyo), and Loaisa (suam na mais or corn soup with squash blossoms).
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| Rizal or sizzling bulalo |
Dekada's Rizal, of course, was named after Jose Rizal, our national hero. Sizzling bulalo steak is beef shank with gravy served on a sizzling plate. The meat was yielding to each bite and it was also flavorful.
It was so tender, you can easily cut the meat with your spoon and fork.
This one is best eaten with rice because the sauce was thick, rich, and tangy. Khris and I would go back to Dekada just for this.
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| Tinapang Mahi-Mahi na Binalot sa Gabi |
Dekada's Tinapang Mahi-mahi na binalot sa gabi, meanwhile, was a fusion of meat and seafood. It looked more like a salad when it was served, especially with the green taro leaves and young fern leaves.
However, the Bicol Express sauce was also flavorful and savory which meant that it was better eaten as a main dish with rice. The mahi-mahi was smoked just right and was flaky.
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| Loaisa or Suam na Mais |
Of the three dishes, the Loaisa (named after the Loaisa Expedition which
aimed to explore and discover the Pacific Ocean) or suam na mais was the one
I was most excited to try because I have not tasted it for decades.
In Nueva Ecija, we called it ginulay na mais and we used to cook it whenever fresh corn was available in the supermarket. However, through the years, we seem to have just completely forgotten about it.
Dekada's Suam na Mais did not disappoint, the slightly sweet and corn thick soup was very comforting and was so nice to sip on. It brought back many happy memories of my life in the province.
Our verdict
We were so glad to have had our lunch at Dekada, Historic Filipino Cuisine. The food that we ordered was impressive. In the end, it was a fest that Khris and I enjoyed. Dekada never disappoints. We walked out happy and completely satisfied.
Dekada's Branches
Dekada has two branches in the following locations. You may call them in
the indicated telephone numbers for inquiries and reservations:
Glorietta 3
Second Floor, Glorietta 3, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Telephone numbers: +63288410131 and +639175509131
Tagaytay
Royale Parc Hotel, Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Silang Junction West,
Tagaytay City
Telephone number: +639230889055
Cash and credit cards are accepted modes of payment.
Awe. I miss filipino food so bad and with this! Im loving it more. Thanks for all the information you shared.
Masarap sa Dekada.. first to trem sa may Glorieta branch nila
I love restaurants with a bit of history, makes the dining experience extra special!
It looks like the Filipino food that they serve were just okay :) Is it worth the price?
Yup, the food was good. In fact, we found them brilliant. Definitely worth the price! :) Thanks for dropping by!
We have so many good and delicious local Filipino cuisine, however Filipino cuisine wasn’t popular and rarely listed by mainstream food experts worldwide. I wonder why. Haven’t they tasted our Bicol Express and Dekada’s specialties?!
Yup, Filipino food needs to be promoted beyond the Spanish and Chinese influences. We also need to rise above the street food, exotic labels. In the end, it's all about marketing and packaging in order for it to gain ground as a mainstream and upscale cuisine. I agree with you that Bicolano dishes could be a good starting point. Thanks for dropping by!
When I heard about this resto, I thought they serve the same food as that of the other Filipino restaurants that claim to be 'homemade/ authentic' but when my friends and I decided to try their dishes, I have to agree that they deserve the name 'Dekada' as their recipes taste like that of my grandma ♥
Yup, that's what sets Dekada apart from other similar restaurants. If their tastes like that of your grandma's cooking, then Dekada's food must be that good.
I've been there twice already! I love the food and the ambiance!
The food looks really good! I want to try their sisig bulalo steak.
Yup, I highly-recommend the sizzling bulalo at Dekada. Delicious!
It's my first time to hear about Dekada. It's great that there are Filipino restaurants which preserves our traditional dishes. I wanna try their sizzling Bulalo!
Yup, try it. Dekada is highly-recommended. Thanks for dropping by!
Thanks for the review I always pass by this place and di ko masyado napapansin. Looks goodl
Yup, hindi kasi talaga pansinin pero magugustuhan mo dito sa Dekada pag natikman mo
Yup, hindi kasi talaga pansinin ang Dekada pero magugustuhan mo dito pag natikman mo.
Yup, try it. Dekada is highly-recommended. Thanks for dropping by!
Yup, I highly-recommend the sizzling bulalo. Delicious!
Same here! We love both the food and the ambiance at Dekada. Thanks for dropping by!
Yup, Filipino food needs to be promoted beyond the Spanish and Chinese influences. We also need to rise above the street food, exotic labels. In the end, it's all about marketing and packaging in order for it to gain ground as a mainstream and upscale cuisine. I agree with you that Bicolano dishes could be a good starting point. Thanks for dropping by!
Yup, that's what sets Dekada aaprt from other similar restaurants. If their tastes like that of your grandma's cooking, then Dekada's must be that good.
Yup, the food was good. In fact, we found them brilliant. Definitely worth the price! :) Thanks for dropping by!
Yup, masarap nga!
Yup, that's why Dekada is worth a try.