Tablo: Yes, It’s Worth The Long Queue

Survival Tips for Tablo:

1.      Pack a lot of patience.

2.      Queue up EARLY

3.      Start browsing through the menu so that you can place your orders immediately upon being seated.

I’ve dined in Tablo multiple times already – and yes, despite its long wait times, I’ve never been disappointed by its delicious and reasonably-priced fare. Do come as a group as most of its dishes come at enormous servings sizes and do take note of the survival tips listed above!

Upon being seated, plates of complimentary kropek would immediately be placed on your table for you to nibble on. Well-seasoned and freshly-fried, they are a delight to munch on when paired with their spiced white vinegar.

CARAMEL ROOTBEER FLOAT (P220)

Tablo also has a pretty extensive drink list – from coffee to tea, and shakes to alcoholic beverages – a personal favorite would be the Lychee Slush (P220), but the Caramel Rootbeer Float will immediately cool you down especially after waiting in the queue outside under the noontime heat.

ICED HAND-POURED SINGLE ORIGIN (P180)

Their iced coffee comes at huge portions (20 oz) – which makes it easy to split with another person (I personally struggled finishing mine). Choosing from its single origin selection can get quite interesting but they also do have traditional espresso-based coffee such as Cappuccino and Latte and dessert coffees such as the Ube Latte and Dulce de Leche.

CRISPY FRIED SQUID SUMMER SALAD (Discontinued)

One thing I do notice is that they do update their menu quite often – one menu casualty I was pretty bummed finding out about would be their Crispy Fried Squid Summer Salad – which boasted of large sizes of perfectly fried golden brown squid rings as the main toppings on their fresh garden salad. Ratio of squid to salad was amazing that you’d find enough rings to munch on on their own. Hope they bring this back on the menu (since they still have a calamari option on their appetizer list)!

GRILLED PERI PERI PORK CHOPS (P490/P690)

Always a crowd-pleaser, their Grilled Pork Chops consistently delivers. You can opt for their peri-peri version or the herb butter version (both are good, but I prefer the peri-peri one just for that extra level of flavor); and it comes in either one piece or two pieces. Don’t be fooled by its price point though – a one-piece serving size is already enough for sharing! Apart from the generous size of the always succulently-cooked chops, an order also comes with cajun rice and a handful of sides such as buttered vegetables, roasted potatoes and a side salad. They do serve the chops with some sauce – but honestly, it’s already pretty tasty in its lonesome.

HERB BUTTER SHRIMP PLATTER (P940)

One of the few seafood dishes in Tablo would be the Herb Butter Shrimp Platter – I didn't get so excited about this dish – but everything about it was executed well (it’s just that it pales in comparison with the other dishes we’ve tried). Shrimps are plump and came with a pleasant smoky charred flavor from the grill. The platter comes with a handful of sides such as French beans, buttered corn, baguette slices and a side salad. The chimichurri sauce helps tie everything in.

CREAMY BEEF SALPICADO (P580)

A personal favorite is the Creamy Beef Salpicado which boasts of succulent slices of tender beef clothed in an incredibly flavorful garlic-pepper gravy sauce. It’s a tad bit too salty on its own which means you’d have to pair each bite with some rice (which I’m definitely not complaining about)! It’s also paired with some French beans and roasted potatoes – equally perfect vessels to scoop up their tasty sauce.

Tablo Kitchen x Café

14A Scout Borromeo St., South Triangle Diliman, QC

Dates of Visit: November 22, 2022 and April 16, 2023 with Lily Chua and Jared Chua