Vlad Bunoan

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Sialo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763475700871Interior.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Sialo is located in the backyard of a residence in Cebu. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>CEBU CITY — Even before its inclusion in the inaugural Michelin Guide Philippines, Sialo was already a compelling culinary enigma.  </p><p>My visit, which preceded its official announcement as a Michelin-selected establishment, was admittedly driven by hushed speculation. What I discovered was not just another tasting menu, but an experience that reinterprets Cebuano culinary tradition through imagination and technical mastery.</p><p>The journey to Sialo, located quietly within a residential neighborhood in Cebu, begins with a delightful contrast. Finding the restaurant off the main roads, past what the Michelin Guide described as &quot;crumbling façades and corrugated iron roofs,&quot; heightens the sense of discovery. On a rainy night, the simple hospitality of a staff member waiting with an umbrella at the gate immediately shifts the vibe from urban grit to gourmet sanctuary.</p><p>The space itself is striking: an immaculate, greenhouse-like structure set in a backyard and centered on a fully open kitchen. Being seated at the chef’s counter — the restaurant equivalent of a front-row seat — offered a privileged view into the precision and artistry of the operation.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ3W7igkeuz/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A3727168.0000000005%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><p>The dishes are introduced either by Chef Ron Villavelez himself or a well-trained staff member. The explanations are concise and enlightening — essential, given that the entire menu is printed in Bisaya — and the pacing remains relaxed throughout the two-hour-plus experience.</p><p>The restaurant offers three tasting menus; I picked the shorter 13-course Handurawan menu for P4,300 that provides a more-than-adequate overview of the restaurant’s philosophy without taxing the diner (in contrast to the epic 29-course, 3.5- to 4-hour odyssey).</p><p>Villavelez, a self-taught cook and fashion designer by training, approaches Cebuano cuisine through a combination of traditional references, modern technique, and strict reliance on local ingredients. His dishes unfold across five “acts,” each one a chapter that moves from playful beginnings to deeper reflections on heritage — with the occasional note of pointed political wit.</p><p>And while the structure borders on thematic, the dishes themselves remain grounded, with clear flavor lines and controlled presentation.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Old tongue, new taste</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763475805947Rosas Pandan.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Rosas Pandan. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>The opening act sets the tone for the dinner, which begins with a statement piece: Rosas Pandan, a cocktail presented as a floral arrangement.</p><p>The drink of rum mixed with rose and pandan syrups is encased in a delicate gel atop a red rose, and meant to be consumed in one bite — a sweet, aromatic explosion that bypasses the glass and engages the senses directly. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763475834427Soups.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Lumsan sa Sabaw. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>After a serving of crackers made from heritage grains and paired with three types of compound butter came a trio of soups — its first real showcase of conceptual ingenuity. A papaya soup infused with whiskey, Moscato, and coconut cream surprises with its layered sweetness. <em></em><em>Dinuldog</em><em></em>, which is similar to <em>ginataang kalabasa</em>, appears as a light, curried squash foam.</p><p>The most audacious, however, is the deconstruction of <em>dinuguan at puto</em> into a savory <em>xiao long bao</em>-style soup dumpling — a daring reframing of a classic that feels both familiar and global.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763475904087Vegetables.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Timo-Timo. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>This vegetable-focused second act underscores Villavelez’s commitment to minimizing waste. The reinterpretation of <em>rellenong talong</em> is sophisticated: roasted eggplant glazed with its own skin, topped with Parmesan. A savory <em>hopia</em> filled with <em>alugbati </em>and goat’s cheese in puff pastry delivers an unexpected twist on nostalgia.</p><p>The <em>humba</em> course is a revelation in plant-based technique. Unripe jackfruit is cooked in the style of braised pork, served inside a taco shell pressed from its crushed seeds, showing a profound respect for the ingredient.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763475930225Rose Petals.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Mga Gihay sa Rosas. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>The visual centerpiece, Mga Gihay sa Rosas, is a testament to the chef’s fashion background: a delicate rose created from fermented <em>seryales</em> or native cherry, paired with homemade cheese cream, gazpacho sauce, and red wine gel. It is as gorgeous as it is technically sound — a dish that could grace the cover of an art magazine.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Surf and turf </strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763475963705Shrimp.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Tigmo sa Ukoy. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>This seafood third act draws inspiration from mountain folk visiting the coast, delivering on the promise of fresh, expertly handled local catch. <em>Ukoy</em> becomes a crispy shrimp cracker, and paired with shrimp tartare marinated in<em> dayap</em> and calamansi and presented in a cone for a crisp, vibrant bite that sings of Cebu’s tropical allure.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176354712665620251119 (4).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Pansat sa Dagat and SuTuKil. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Pansat sa Dagat features wild prawn, perfectly coated and fried, served with a bright sauce of passion fruit and mango, finished with coconut foam.</p><p>But the centerpiece is SuTuKil, the legendary Cebuano preparation of <em>sugba</em> (grilled), <em>tuwa</em> (stewed), and <em>kilaw</em> (raw) — all featuring tanigue (Pacific mackerel). The <em>kinilaw</em> is freshened with coconut milk and jicama; the <em>tinola</em> becomes a delicate foam topped with a fishbone tuille; the <em>sinugba</em> is marinated in <em>dalandan</em> and calamansi. A granita duo made from vegetable salad juice and tuba vinegar provides an icy, acidic counterpoint — a masterstroke of balance.</p><p>If the seafood was brilliant, the meat courses feel like Sialo’s core statement of technical mastery and mission. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176354718597220251119 (5).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Sinugbaboy and Ma’os na Bistek. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Sinugbaboy utilizes koji spores — the same mold used for miso and sake — to age and tenderize the pork for three days before slow-cooking sous vide and grilling. Presented like a Japanese yakiniku skewer, it is paired with homemade banana ketchup and ginger gel — a playful nod to Filipino comfort flavors.</p><p>But the most important dish may be the Ma’os na Bistek. Tackling the traditional toughness of local beef, Villavelez employs fermentation and koji aging to create a cut that achieves perfect medium-rare — a feat for local Cebuano cattle. Glazed with miso and beer, dusted with nori powder, and paired with three sauces (konbu emulsion, hay-infused Hollandaise, and wine-reduced beef jus), this dish is a monumental achievement in championing local ingredients.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Meditation on P20 rice</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763476014045Biko.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Biko Lunok. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>The final act transforms humble rice into an elegant social commentary. The outstanding Biko Lunok appears as a magnificent entremet: a layered dessert of peanut croustillant, praline, and biko-lunok base, encased in white chocolate and glazed with coconut and white chocolate. Topped with ginger sorbet and edible gold leaf, it is a sophisticated homage to the homey rice cake.</p><p>The conceptual climax is Nagpalandong Samtang Namalandong sa Lugaw (roughly translated as ‘taking shade while meditating on rice porridge’) — a sculptural diorama on a plate. <em>Lugaw</em> becomes a tartlet cooked with coconut milk and white chocolate, served with coconut chantilly, compressed watermelon, and calamansi gel. A green cotton-candy canopy and chocolate trunk frame the scene, creating an ingenious, disarming bit of edible art — the kind you may forget to photograph in the moment. I did.</p><p>Petit fours continue the theme: chocolate rice pudding, a rice ice cream sandwich, and a macaroon with <em>kalamay</em> and rice crispies — a gentle epilogue to a grand narrative.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763476048127Petit fours.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Petit Fours. <em>Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><div><strong>More than just luxury</strong></div><p>In Sialo, dining is truly more than just a meal but an experience. This is Cebuano cuisine presented as haute couture — tastefully gorgeous, impeccably crafted, and entirely unique. Its execution is cutting-edge, borrowing techniques from molecular gastronomy, yet it never feels gratuitously gimmicky.</p><p>The price point reflects the amount of research and labor underpinning the menu rather than luxury for its own sake.</p><p>With its recent recognition from the Michelin Guide, the restaurant is positioned to attract a wider audience. But more importantly, it adds a crucial new dimension to Cebu’s already rich culinary landscape, moving the conversation beyond lechon and barbecue and into contemporary fine dining.</p><div><br/></div><div><em>Sialo is located at 7A Pres. Laurel St., Villa Aurora, Cebu City.</em></div>

<p>Hailed as a Michelin-selected establishment, Sialo is redefining Cebuano cuisine. Chef Ron Villavelez’s tasting menu is a masterclass in reinterpretation, transforming classics like SuTuKil into works of edible art.</p>

Hailed as a Michelin-selected establishment, Sialo is redefining Cebuano cuisine. Chef Ron Villavelez’s tasting menu is a masterclass in reinterpretation, transforming classics like SuTuKil into works of edible art.

Cebu eats: Michelin-selected Sialo creates dishes with haute couture artistry

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Cebu eats: Michelin-selected Sialo creates dishes with haute couture artistry

Vlad Bunoan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 20, 2025 11:00 AM PHT

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