Went here again 1st day of re-opening from a remodel, and I was impressed…read more [Interior] They've made the kitchen open to see the action going on in the background through a translucent partition. They've also added some bench seating along the back wall. This makes the inside feel more spacious. The changes enhanced the essence of past Saramsams. [Outdoor] They've layed a solid foundation by the stage area. I'm assuming it's for some dancing while live performers are there. [Dishes] Started with some focaccia bread. Olives were embedded atop a light crust drizzled with it's own oil. The center was spongey enough to be a marshmallow's cousin. Moved on to the pepperoni pizza (I didn't order it LOL). Can't go wrong with one of the creators of pakbet pizza. Suffice to say, any pizza you order here will satiate you. Kare kare eggplant had a smokey inihaw flavor which put this over the edge. The sauce was delightfully thick. Not too peanutty. Paksiw sabao was gloriously fatty because A LOT coagulated after it cooledwe down. The broth didnt have any tripey taste. It was complemented with some sili for kick and color. Dinakdakan is a must Ylocano order and didn't disappoint--in fact, surpassed expectations. The meat was perfectly crunchy, chewy, and tender where it needed to be. I appreciate it not being doused in sauce so as to not overpower the hearty meaty flavor. I saved the shrimp alfredo best for last 'cause this was the brightest of the star smorgasbord. The spagetti was perfectly slightly al dente. The shrimp was perfectly cooked. The sauce consistency was at the intersection of runny, creamy, and thick, and the parmesan flavor was peak umami. Service was friendly and courteous--even with my demanding mother. LOL Overall, everything was beautifully presented with fresh high-quality ingredients. It was an ideal high-end dining experience. Truly culinary gestalt.

Pinakbet pizza was a hit!…read more Called the resort a little before our flight to place a phone order and they were able to accommodate even before the resto opened! Brought the pizza with us and enjoyed it at the gate while waiting to board our flight. The side of bagoong to dip in was the cherry on top!

Heads up, this is my first time here in the Phillippines in a while. I am now conscious of these…read morethings/places. Any who here is my experience as a visiting Filipino-American. AMBIANCE: Parking: There is a plaza inside that can probably fit about 7 cars. People generally walk or get dropped off here. Seating: All seating is shaded and outdoors. The tables and seats are wooden. It can probably house about 60 people. There's another spot but for the most part, it was reserved. If you're lucky, you can snatch a spot with a fan. Feels: This isn't exactly in the heart of Laoag which is pretty good since there's not much traffic. The space itself is pretty neat. I like the bamboo decor and Filipino art. There's also a nice sign that shares a brief hxstory about the restaurant. They have a bathroom that basically gets the job done and there are sinks if you need to wash your hands. The music is mixed with top 40 and Filipino music. A great place for groups and families. FOOD: Grilled Chicken (Recommend) Nomz! For a healthy bite, I say go with this. The portion is fairly reasonable and the chicken was not excessively seasoned. The chicken was well cooked and pretty juicy. I enjoyed the crisp of the skin and the subtle sweet marination of the chicken. For more flavor or good kick, they provide calamansi, pepper, and soy sauce. Buko Halo Halo (Recommend) Deeee-licious, especially the juice! The presentation was and IG worthy. I enjoyed the flakes and chocolate wafer, there was still some undissolved sugar which provided a good crunch. I am personally not fond of the jelly and beans but the milk itself was sweet and not too thick. I only wish they served it after we were halfway done eating, the ice cream wouldn't have melted as fast. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Pretty good. The servers were all young but helpful. They told us it would take 20 minutes but our orders were served quicker. TL; DR OVERALL: 4.5 Stars. A nice gem in the semi-outside area of Laoag. The price is fair, food is delicious, the feels were enjoyable. I definitely see this place as one of my go tos if I'm in the area. In addition, I recommend this place to tourists as well that wanted a taste of the Phillippines. TIPS: * Excellent place for an all-round menu * For ones that didn't get their travelling shots, this is a good space to eat.

We had to stop for lunch on our way to pugudpod. If you're tired of the abundance of jolliebees,…read morechow Kong's, kfcs, mcdo, this is the authentic spot of ilocano bbq to chill and drink a jug of ice tea and you'll definitely will be satisfied.

This place hasn't changed in decades and prefer it that way. Suffice to say, it stays true to it's…read moreretro ambiance. Quality is always good and the prices are accordingly reasonable. The service is good. They were even very patient when my senile mother had 20 questions and personal preferences.

Filipino and German Cuisine [PAGUDPUD, ILOCOS NORTE Philippines]…read more Who would've thought we'd find a restaurant on the northern shore of the main island of Luzon that specialized in Filipino and German food. Our driver brought us here to have our lunch. At the time only one party with a large group were the only diners but it got full shortly after that overflowed in the outdoor patio. We were lucky we got in when we did. Funny because my brother who was with us lives in Germany and he recognized the German dishes immediately... naturally, he craved for Filipino food and so we placed our orders for the following: Grilled Mahi-Mahi Garlic Shrimp Sinigang na Baboy (Pork Sinigang) Bagnet Pancit Bihon Calamansi Juice Coconut Shake The food was delicious and satisfying. The fish and the shrimps were consumed enjoyably, the sinigang is my comfort food, I've never had bagnet before but it is the same as lechon kawali (deep-fried pork belly) but the style of prep and cooking is different. I learned that it is actually a long process of boiling and deep frying until it is crispy. Anyway, it was so good. The beverages were refreshing. I had both Calamansi juice and the coconut shake. I don't even like coconut but the shake was yummy! Service was great! The owner, German decent, came out to ask us how everything was, chatted with us for a bit, and even took photos with us. We thanked him for the hospitality of his staff and the delicious food. The restaurant has a nice view of the mountain range. From their terrace we could see the fantastic "Bergblick" (it means mountain views in the German language). Review #3326

Highly unexpected for the area. The food aren't really a mix of Filipino and German cuisine but…read moremore of an option if you want one or the other. Quality wise it's say it's pretty good over all but that's just in comparison to what's around the area.

Food is best in the area and most all of Philippines. It's authentic with well though of and tasty…read moretwists. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu; although, the biggest stars were the world renowned Pinakbet Pizza invented by the owner, Samuel Blas. He also has another signature dish, Saramsam Pasta, that's light with hints of unique sweet, salty, and sour flavors that are a chef's kiss. I also loved the Tamarind Chicken. It has a very unique taste. It has a full bodied taste with hints of sweet and sour. The nachos were also light and airy--not too oily. The best thing about it is they don't use the sweet mayo sauce that everyone else in the area uses. It's the way nachos SHOULD be. I find it odd, unauthentic, nauseating, and off-putting whenever places uses it. Please stop! I thank Saramsam for instilling faith in culinary humanity. Service was amazing.! They were very attentive and courteous. Love how you're able to sit in our outside with all the plants. They usually have artists perform live on the weekends in the outside dining area.

Cheap, great home cooked food. I eat here everyday and never a let down. I love this place. Gets…read morebusy around lunch time then the school kids are in there lunch break due to them coming here to eat lunch. If u need simple home cooked Filipino food and drinks stop be you will love it. They also have snacks, ice cream and some house hold need just for emergency. The owners are fantastic, very friendly and they are always helping people out. Stop on by I know u will love the food just as much as I do.

Literally cockroaches by the food and after telling the staff they just squash the cockroach to…read moreclean it off right in front of your face. That doesn't clean it. Cockroaches are just running around the store. This place needs to get fumigated and I'm sure they are not doing anything about it. If I were the Cabalen franchise I would look into this specific branch and see the cleanliness of the place.

The buffet were only 2/3 of the trays with food. Staff told they would not fill again as only 2…read morehours till closing time.

Best halo halo in the area, yet they're known for their chicken which is also amazing…read more Service is very helpful and responsive. Open atmosphere. There's even a swing out front. There are some unique sinks to wash your hands.