Food Diary : Asan Si Diwa at Ila Seafood Grill
Tuesday, September 05, 2017
You are probably wondering the same thing I was when I first heard of this restaurant—what’s with the name? I kept that question in mind before going for a visit. When we got to restaurant, for a moment I lost my thought because of the elegantly designed rustic interiors of the place. Asan si Diwa at Ila is located inside a food park, but it’s difficult to miss since it’s the only restaurant that has the most unique interior and the most spacious indoor seating.
Diwa Flores and Shiela Alipio, a couple who met in the BPO industry a few years back, both shared a passion for food and traveling. After several years of working in the BPO industry, they both felt the need to follow and pursue what they really wanted—to do something they’re passionate about. And that is how they came up with the idea of a restaurant incorporating dishes from the places they’ve visited. Now, let's look at what they have to offer!
The Place
Honestly, I find their branch at Adventure Park a bit sketchy since you have to park at your own risk outside the compound and there have been instances of theft. You can't always expect a parking slot inside the food park since it can only accommodate around 3-4 cars at most. With a food park location, this is always the problem we've encountered. On the upside, seats are aplenty inside the food park. And Asan si Diwa at Ila has more than enough space to accommodate their customers as you can see in the photos.
The Food
Okay, now here's what you're waiting for. We had the following : DIY Shrimp – P199.00, Sinuglaw – P149.00, Binagoongan - P189.00, Hinalang – P199.00 and Leche Flan – P50.00. You guys know how much I love seafood so my top picks from the roster would be the DIY Shrimp, Sinuglaw and of course, Leche Flan! For the D-I-Y Shrimp, you can choose from 6 flavors (Garlic, Spicy, Spicy Garlic, Hearty Sauce, Curry and Ginataan) and 8 available add-ons (Shredded Corn, Sun-dried tomatoes, Shitake Mushrooms, Pork Floss, Mixed Veggies, Jalapeno, Shrimp and Egg). We had garlic shrimp and the taste was amazing. The sauce was also perfectly combined and it didn’t overpower the taste of the shrimp.
I was excited to try the Sinuglaw because I love everything with raw fish and they usually come with a hefty price tag. Sinuglaw is a dish from Davao and is a combination of Sinugbang Liempo and Kinilaw na Tuna. I tasted the meat first and I could taste all the smokey goodness oozing out of it after having my first bite. I had the tuna after, hoping it wouldn’t disappoint, and boy, it didn’t. I think it was the best Sinuglaw I’ve had here in the metro. They also didn’t scrimp on the tuna and liempo. And for the price, this is definitely worth your buck.
And last but not the least, and also the star of our night, Asan Si Diwa at Ila’s special Leche Flan. Well, when you see it on the menu it only says Leche Flan, but once you taste it, you’ll know why it’s special. On the outside, it looks like your normal leche flan drizzled with chocolate syrup. But after the first bite, the texture would feel familiar, but not because of the creamy consistency you get when devouring a creamy flan—but the kind of consistency you get when you gobble up your first spoonful of ice cream! Yes, this dessert is like a fusion of flan and ice cream, which is immediately evident on the first bite. And I thought Leche Flan couldn’t get any better. Just make sure that you consume the dessert immediately, because just like ice cream, its best consumed right out the fridge.
Would I come back? Definitely! Asan Si Diwa at Ila Seafood Grill has so much more to offer that one visit isn’t enough to give them all a try. Oh, and before I forget, you’re might be wondering why the name? It’s because when they’re out traveling, discovering new places and tasting new dishes somewhere in the 7,107 islands of the Philippines, their friends and relatives would often ask, “Asan si Diwa at Ila?” And if by any chance you wonder the same thing, give their restaurant a visit and find out for yourselves.
ASAN SI DIWA AT ILA SEAFOOD GRILL
Budget - P150 - P200 / person
5:00 PM to 12:00 Midnight
Sagul Malingap Foodpark, 43 Malingap Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City
*UPDATE*
Their branch over at Adventure Food Park has permanently closed. I feel bad because my review on the place was solely about that location. But I bet the food at Sagul Food Park is still the same but I will go and give it a try as well.
Ochi is a twenty-something Corporate Trainer who loves to cook, take photos and videos of her food, eat and travel. On weekends, she's either drunk or snuggling in bed watching her favorite crime drama. 
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