Located just moment's away from Brixton underground station on the restaurant-packed Coldharbour Lane, Sarap BAon (pronounced Sa-rap Ba-on) is a trendy restaurant serving classic Filipino fare. Taking its inspiration from the food halls and street food of the Phillipines, the restaurant aims to offer accessible dishes which can be cooked and served quickly. Sarap BAon's laid back atmosphere and affordable menu make it a great option for quick dinners with friends, but you can equally while away the hours here eating and drinking.
The small and cosy restaurant looks incredibly understated from the outside with its simple, black painted facade and space for an outdoor table or two during the summer. Meanwhile the inside of Sarao BAon has an ultra-contemporary feel to it; an open kitchen decorated with shiny black tiles looks out over the stripped wood tables and there is also the option to sit up at a window counter.
Chef and owner Budgie Montoya's food menu is comprised of a mixture of Filipino small plates known as pulatan, and larger dishes all of which can be shared. Pulatan options of the menu include lumppia sariwa (mushroom, tofu and carrot spring rolls) and BBQ pork skewers which have been marinated in soy sauce, 7up, banana ketchup and calamansi.
Larger dishes on offer include rice bowls such as fried chicken sinigang (a sour Filipino soup), and beef longganisa which features sweet sausage served with a fried egg and salad. However Sarap BAon's signature dish is its slow roasted pork belly stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, chilli and ginger, known as lechon, which comes served with lechon liver sauce and spiced coconut vinegar.
The restaurant's short drinks menu includes a choice of beers as well as a standard selection of soft drinks. A regularly changing wine list comes written up on a board by the bar.