Kalapow specializes in a dynamic fusion of Asian culinary traditions and modern grill techniques designed for consistent flavor delivery. The menu emphasizes robust preparation methods, focusing on high-heat searing that imparts a characteristic charred profile to various meats and vegetables. Signature offerings include complex, aromatic broths that function as the backbone for diverse soup selections, showcasing an intricate balance of traditional seasonings and fresh ingredients. The interior layout prioritizes functional efficiency and streamlined service, supporting the rapid preparation of stir-fried dishes and hearth-grilled proteins. Guests encounter a straightforward approach to contemporary Asian cuisine where the heat of the wok and the precision of the grill define the overall experience. Every dish reflects a commitment to structural simplicity and authentic flavor profiles through disciplined cooking processes that prioritize the integrity of raw components.
Kalapaw offers a wide variety of authentic and comforting Filipino dishes that many patrons find delicious, generous in portion, and highly reminiscent of home. While the restaurant is frequently praised for its vibrant atmosphere, welcoming staff, and overall quality, experiences regarding service can be inconsistent. Some visitors encounter long wait times for both dine-in and takeout orders, and a few guests have expressed frustration with communication issues and procedural difficulties during checkout. Despite these concerns, the establishment remains a popular destination in the West Island, known for standout menu items like the kamayan platter, halo-halo, and various classic comfort foods, making it a recommended spot for those seeking a genuine Filipino dining experience.
This eatery serves several unique, authentic platters, including the delicious & crispy lechon kawali, adobo chicken, & crispy pata. Regrettably, many traditional kamayan platters for two have been removed from the menu. We usually finished our meals with the dessert Halo-Halo. However, the service was slow & slacky. On our latest visit, a Sunday at 8:35 PM, the server refused to serve us the Halo-Halo, stating we were the last customers & they wanted to close.
Came here with my family for the first time. The interior was rather modern & clean. We were quickly sat & it didn't take long for our orders to be taken.
Our meals came out quickly. We shared the Lumpiang Shanghai, which each roll being delicious & crispy. We also shared the following meals: Adobo, Lechon Kawali, Sizzling Sisig & Palabok. For dessert, we had the Halo-Halo, the Calamansi Leche Flan & the Buko Pandan. It was my family's first time tasting this cuisine & everything was well-liked.
The service could have been more attentive. When we finished our water, our waitress took away the empty bottles but never came back with them. We had to remind her to bring us more water. However, this wasn't a big issue.
Overall, it was a lovely & great experience for a family dinner. Great culinary experience for my family as well. Would recommend!
This is a true hidden gem in Montreal! We went to this restaurant for the first time & we were deeply impressed by the incredible cuisine! The environment was great & the tables were spacious. We were warmly welcomed. One of the problems was that the wait time might be a little long. However, the food was well worth it. The taste was incredible & not a single item on the menu disappointed us! The desserts are a must-try. We hope to return to this restaurant in the future to discover the marvels of Filipino cuisine.
May 20, 2024
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Wait time: 2 hours. O star. The longest I have to sit in a restaurant waiting for my food in my entire life. They focus more on takeouts that they completely ignore the clients inside. Main course: 2 stars. We were served spoiled chicken inasal. The worst chicken I've ever had. Another record. Kare-kare was good on the first bite but couldn't finish it at the end - just way too much fat. Dessert: 3 stars. Haluhalu tastes so ordinary for the price. Meh. Won't be back for sure.
Great Filipino cuisine on the West Island. We had the Lumpiang Shanghai pork rolls to start, which were perfectly deep fried & tasty. We ordered two meals & shared the huge portions family-style. We shared the Sizzling Sisig (a hot sizzling plate of tender tasty chopped pork) & the Kare-Kare (fall-apart oxtail in a rich peanut sauce). We also devoured the must-have delicious garlic fried rice. For dessert, we had the huge Halo-Halo & a Calamansi Leche Flan. The menu is more than typical, & the portions are shareable & delicious. A definite must-try for foodies.
This was my first time trying Filipino cuisine, & I was delighted. The prices are reasonable, the serving size was good. I had a main meal along with a dessert, which were both delicious. One thing I could mention is that some people may find the food a bit salty (maybe it was just the meal I chose), but I like salty food. I guess one could ask to not have it as salty, but I really enjoyed it as it was. I also had some sort of fried banana dessert which also came with some ice cream, which was so good as well.
Food was very good in general. The palabok, pork Barbeque skewers, atsara & kinilaw were great.I was a bit disappointed with the sisig. Inasal was ok. All the desserts on point. Everything else were tasty. The atmosphere was nice except for the smoke from kitchen always coming out; ventilation is not good. My clothes smelled like smoke after the meal. Chairs were comfortable. The service was good except that they don't provide service spoons; it is annoying to ask each time. They should provide Serving spoons automatically for each large sharing dish. Parking was great, spacious & free.
There's usually a lot of tables. I would say this place is a bit of western-filipino food fusion. Some dishes are westernized, & yet, it doesn't lose its filipino food taste to it (which is really hard to do). I've brought both filipino & non-filipino friends here, & they all love it. Their food could take a bit of time to cook/prepare (within 15-40 minutes, depending on order) because they are prepared/grilled as you order, but it tastes freshly made! I love their BBQs & kamayan foods if you like variety. They are good for 2-3 people, depending on how hungry you are! Their desserts are also good. I love the turon, peach mango spring rolls, & ube spring rolls. Oh, their halo-halo is pretty good too especially in the hot summer days! I wish they had luminated signage, though. It was a bit hard for me to find the first time around, especially when all its neighbors are well luminated. I also thought they were closed because it was dark, so be sure to check the door. Here's a collection of our photos/videos from our visits:
We made reservation for 6:30 on a Monday. We ordered a few dishes for 7 adults & 2 children to share & it was enough to be full without over eating. Out of all the dishes ordered, our least favorite one was the sizzling pork sisig & the chicken wings...it felt like there was lack of flavor, maybe it is an off day. My personal favorites were: the pork skewers; so flavorful & the grill taste was simply divine! Followed in order of preferences: the salmon seviche with taro chips, the spaghetti filipino sauce, the adobo pork, the lumpia, pancit noodles. For desserts, we ordered the 3 different kind of deep fried rolls & halo halo. My personal favorite was the ube, then peach mango, then the jackfruit plantain.
The service was disappointing. We were served utentils for everyone, 4 napkins, & no plates. Even when the food came, we still didn't have plates to eat. We had to request/remind our original waiter. We had to remind them we didn't get our drink either. Water was filled only once (2 bottles filled all 9 glasses) so it was only as we finished our meal that we were broght more water. Another employee ended up helping our tables for the dessert round as we ordered almost all of them to share. This time around, this employee was on point.
The service took a while, but we were in good company so it helped.
I would recommend paying attention to the basics & do them well, & it would make this place a must place to eat for Filipino food.
