This Hidden Gem in Silang, Cavite Makes a Strong Case for Chicharonillo

Salu-salo is an integral part of Filipino food culture. We gather around the dining table not just to eat, but to catch up on each other’s lives, share stories, and enjoy a feast together. It’s why a meal can stretch for hours, with the conversation often lasting long after the dessert has been served. 

At Obscure Table, a new private dining destination in Silang, Cavite, this Filipino tradition is reimagined as a multisensory dining experience. The meal unfolds in three “acts,” each served in a different themed space that adds another dimension to the experience. 

The farmhouse-turned-dining spot is tucked away in the quiet, rustic neighborhood of Barangay Pulong Saging. It has an unassuming facade, featuring a black gate. It’s the kind of place you might easily miss if you didn’t know what you were looking for, which feels fitting for a place called Obscure Table. IYKYK.  

Behind this new dining spot are chefs Dennis Hipolito and GB Barlao, both trained at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York. After more than a decade working in the corporate world—Hipolito in Singapore and Barlao in Bangkok—the two chefs shared a long-held dream: to open a restaurant of their own. 

“I think the whole essence of what we're doing is we've always done food. We’ve worked with brands, but we were never really given credit for those things. We always love to cook. Every time we get together with our friends, we like to host. We also know that we're bound to come back home,” Barlao tells us during the media preview.  

One can say, Obscure Table is the culmination of their years working in the food industry and the realization of their “north star.”  

But before their private dining concept came about, the duo created what would become the highlight of their menu, the Chicharonillo—which as the name suggests is a cochinillo with the skin of a chicharon. They decided to have it trademarked as no such product exists in the market, as per their research.  

Initially, Hipolito and Barlao thought of offering the Chicharonillo and the rest of their menu in a cafe that would turn into a supper club at 6 p.m. But then the farmhouse in Silang presented itself, and things took a different turn.  

“I visited my Tita in Westgrove, and she said she had a farm just 20 minutes away,” recalls Barlao. He pictured a simple piece of farmland with a kubo, and he was surprised to find a charming vacation home, complete with different spaces each with its own character. “We started thinking, ‘we could do something multi-experiential than just doing a plain supper club,’” he shares.  

And that was how their private dining was conceived.  

“Obscure Table is an elevated salu-salo. It’s not a degustation,” Barlao clarifies. “It’s like a set menu, but you can have second servings. Basically, we put everything on the table, and you can eat as you please. Unlike in a tasting menu, where you’re served small portions, here you can eat until you’re satisfied. You won’t find yourself at a fast-food place afterward because you’re still hungry.” 

As for the name, they decided to call it Obscure, inspired by the fact that they’ve used to working behind the scenes, doing product innovations in the companies that they worked for. Also, they wanted it to be like a “hole in the wall” experience. “If you know, you know. Something like that,” Hipolito interjects.  

As for the food, the chefs say they make no claims beyond the sincerity they bring to their cooking. “We prepare our dishes the way we would want to serve them to our friends and family. We just did little tweaks here and there,” says Hipolito.  

Like a traditional meal with its appetizer, main course, and dessert, the Obscure Table menu is divided into three parts, or “acts,” as the chefs call them. 

In Act 1, appetizers are served on carved Madre de Cacao grazing boards. During our visit, we sampled Hipolito’s freshly baked focaccia and corn breads, alongside five spreads—Balut Pâté, Eggplant Tapenade, “Ensaymada” Coffee Butter, and Maple Walnut Cream Cheese. Hipolito warned us not to fill up on the bread, but resisting it was easier said than done. 

Then the Pulutan Platters arrived: Tokwa’t Baboy Terrine with Prine Chutney and Crispy Tokwa, Mini Embutido Corndogs with Secret Sauce, Sinuglaw Agua Chile De Camaron with Thai BBQ Pork. We dug into the spread, washing it all down with a refreshing Katmon drink. 

The Pulutan Platters had done their job, leaving us eager to see what Act 2 had in store. We were ushered into another area of the house for the main course, where familiar Filipino ulams like tocho, bulalo, kare-kare, and ginataang kalabasa came with the chefs’ own twists. Take the tocho, for instance. Instead of bangus, it features hamachi collar, whose rich, buttery flavor and mild sweetness bring a deeper umami to the dish.  

The Ginataang Kalabasa Casserole gets a gratin-style treatment, baked until it develops a golden top. The Chicharonillo, meanwhile, delivers an extra crunch from its crispy chicharon skin. Besides the Classic Lechon Sauce, guests can choose from six other sauces: Romesco, Signature Bastardo Verde, Spicy Roasted Pineapple, Sweet Atchara, Pickled Radish, and Salsa. 

The Bulalo Dashi with Chili-Mani Patis is everything you’d want in a heartwarming soup, while the Pata Kare Special, featuring spiced lamb shank, slow-cooked oxtail and tripe in a rich kare-kare stew, is just as memorable. It comes with grilled eggplant, winged beans, and a ginataang bagoong dip with a sambal-style kick. 

And then came the sweet ending: Act 3, “Pang Himagas.” We tried Obscure’s take on the Filipino pianono, reimagined as a walnut dacquoise with rich caramel crémeux. Barlao says it’s one of their favorite desserts, so much so that it has earned a permanent spot on the menu. Two more treats followed: pudding and tres leches, giving us even more reason to linger over the final act. 

For Hipolito and Barlao, the spirit of salu-salo doesn't end when dinner is over. Guests leave with a care package of food to enjoy the next day, while drivers who accompany them are also given meals prepared by the kitchen. It's a small but telling detail about what the chefs want Obscure Table to be: not just a place to try their take on Filipino food, but a place where the thoughtfulness behind the cooking extends to everyone at the table, and beyond it.

Obscure Table serves two set menus. The Grand Menu is P8,500 ++ per guest and the Salo-Salo Menu is P4,850++ per guest. Service runs Fridays to Sundays, one seating a night for 15 to 20 people.