Local is luxury.
Gastronomic proposition
We are in a continuing journey of rediscovering our roots and identity through food and flavors native to the island of Cebu and its surrounding seas, while we aim to elevate the nature of local cuisine and our dining habits.
Through our modernist, progressive approach to food, we create playful, daring, and at times, irreverent dishes inspired by memories, emotions, and our shared stories.
Sialo proposes a gastronomic experience designed to involve our human senses, change and challenge old notions of food and culinary traditions, and propel a new Cebuano cuisine into the future.
What they’re saying
EXCELLENTTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sialo is a very nice fine dining restaurant and we had a lovely experience there. It bookended our week long journey eating through Cebu. The 23-course degustation told us a story of Visayan food culture and ingredients. We enjoyed the welcome snacks that paid homage to Pongko-Pongko. We particularly liked the canapé-version of Tuslob Buwa, the ‘brain gravy dip’ which became our favourite Cebuano street food. There was lots of foam, spuma, gels and “caviar” for those who like molecular techniques. We’re a little past the age where we would rave about molecular techniques and high levels of construction and plating. But the test was whether it was delicious or not. And it was. The chicken ‘macaroni’, where the ‘pasta’ was made from chicken broth set into a gel, was particularly pretty and scrumptious. The heirloom corn mousse was sweet and appetising, and I liked how it was carved to look at a charred corn cob. The squid stuffed with rice in ink was nicely umami, and reminded me of a dish we had in a traditional Catalan restaurant. Even though 23 courses were a lot, thought was clearly given to balance and we were still able to eat dessert. The calamansi garden dessert was particularly stunning to the eye, and my inner child loved the cotton candy foliage. We had a good time. We’ve had 100+ Michelin stars of dining experience and have stopped counting or caring for stars. Rather, I look for and appreciate restaurants like Siola and chefs like Ron who care about their roots and put it front and centre in a fine-dining setting.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. A must try experience! Beautiful food Art and delicious scrumptious foodTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My recent visit to Sialo with my dad was nothing short of exceptional. This wasn’t just a dining experience, but a culinary journey that honors Cebuano heritage while pushing the boundaries of innovation. We had the pleasure of trying “Hikay”, a feast of 16-course, but counted 19 :), tasting gastronomic menu, which stood out for its innovative excellence in both preparation and presentation. Each dish was an exquisite testament to the art of fine dining, elevating Cebuano ingredients and cuisine with a modern twist that not only met but exceeded our expectations. One of the highlights was the Kinutil, a drink with a taste that is truly unique. The blend of ingredients was harmonious, akin to a well-orchestrated symphony. It was a delightful surprise—though alcoholic, it had a subtle ginger note that lingered on the palate, making it refreshingly different. The use of local ingredients like biasong, sinaw sinaw etc in each creatively-named dish was not only impressive but also deeply meaningful. These ingredients are so esoteric that only the older generation of Cebuanos might recognize them, which speaks volumes about Chef Ron’s dedication to preserving and revitalizing Cebuano culinary traditions. It’s evident that a great deal of research went into bridging the old with the new, creating a menu that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking. Sialo is truly a top Michelin-level restaurant, offering an experience that I highly recommend to anyone who appreciates fine dining with a deep sense of place. Chef Ron and the entire team deserve high praise for their commitment to excellence and innovation.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Let me preface this review by saying that I consider myself quite the foodie. My goal is to dine at as many Michilin star restaraunts as I can before I die. In the last two years I have had the opportunity to experience restaraunts with a combined 16 stars. I did not know what to expect from Sialo. I found the restaraunt on Google while searching for fine dining establishments in Cebu. I have found that restaraunts with very large tasting menus generally can't sustain the quality throughout that many courses. Boy was I wrong about that. While not every course in the 16 course menu was a total success, the misses still had elements that on their own were amazing. From start to finsih the experience was top notch. The staff were professional and knowledgable and provided service comparable to any Michilin restaraunt I have had the pleasure of dining. The interpertation of Cebuano food was educational and eye opening. The food and the experience were amazing. I would rate the entire experience provided by Chef Ron and his staff a 9.5 out of 10. Looking forward to the new menu which will be unveiled next week.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fantastic reinvention of Filipino cuisine that really hits the nostalgic spot. I believe they are only a few details away from receiving a star.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing. Absolutely one of the top restaurants in the Philippines and possibly number 1. Michelin Star level tasting menu, but at a fraction of the price. Other top restaurants with tasting menus might use more premium ingredients (wagyu, lobster, truffle, etc), but here the focus is on the freshest locally sourced ingredients. Presumably this is also how they keep their prices so reasonable. But the level of detail is really extraordinary. Every dish has multiple components. The 16 course tasting menu could easily be split into 30 with all the detailed components. Misc thoughts: Google maps has the location correct. It's around the back of a house. It doesn't LOOK like a restaurant from the outside, but once you're inside everything is first class. Ambiance is great. Very small. 20 seats. Perfect modern environment. Service is amazing. So attentive and friendly. No delays between courses. A 3 hour meal flowed totally smoothly. Go for the 16 course menu. You MUST try everything. Come HUNGRY. Nitpicks: There are a lot of sweet components. I love desserts, but this was a lot. 4 official dessert courses plus several other "desserts" (corn pudding, apple sorbet, chocolate mushroom) was a bit much on the sweet side. A few bits of shell left in the crab dish. I thought a FEW dishes could use a bit more salt / seasoning (the chicken skewer for example). But these are nitpicks only meant as constructive criticism. This is a 10/10 dining experience that if you have the opportunity to try, you MUST. Cannot recommend enough.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Elevating Cebu (an island in central Philippines) cuisine to another level is a rather difficult task to do, yet Sialo with its formidable Chef Ron did just that when me and my wife had the wonderful opportunity to dine there last May 18th. It was a weekday and I was pleasantly surprised that we were the only couple who had a dinner reservation that night (could be because everyone's busy with end of the school year activities.) The 16-course dinner is amazing and is full of surprises as well as reminiscent of familiar tastes that I can recall from the summers of my youth . Words couldn't really express these cuisine that you need to experience in person for yourself. We couldn't wait to go back in the near future and explore all the local dishes that he's going to concoct out of his creativity and expertise.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. For somebody who is starved for a truly world class culinary experience in Cebu I was in awe after the evening. Having dined at restaurants like Odette and Meta in Singapore Sialo comes in that category. What is even more amazing is that the Chef Ron is self taught. Talent and creativity cannot be bought and he has been blessed with it. The support staff have been well trained too as normally the table service in Cebu is lacking. My compliments and best wishes to the team. Keep innovating and raising the bar in Cebu. The only feedback is that their wine selection needs a bit of improvement.
EXCELLENTVerified Putting Visayan food culture front and centre Sialo is a very nice fine dining restaurant and we had a lovely experience there. It bookended our week long journey eating through Cebu. The 23-course degustation told us a story of Visayan food culture and ingredients. We enjoyed the welcome snacks that paid homage to Pongko-Pongko. We particularly liked the canapé-version of Tuslob Buwa, the ‘brain gravy dip’ which became our favourite Cebuano street food. There was lots of foam, spuma, gels and “caviar” for those who like molecular techniques. We’re a little past the age where we would rave about molecular techniques and high levels of construction and plating. But the test was whether it was delicious or not. And it was. The chicken ‘macaroni’, where the ‘pasta’ was made from chicken broth set into a gel, was particularly pretty and scrumptious. The heirloom corn mousse was sweet and appetising, and I liked how it was carved to look at a charred corn cob. The squid stuffed with rice in ink was nicely umami, and reminded me of a dish we had in a traditional Catalan restaurant. Even though 23 courses were a lot, thought was clearly given to balance and we were still able to eat dessert. The calamansi garden dessert was particularly stunning to the eye, and my inner child loved the cotton candy foliage. We had a good time. We’ve had 100+ Michelin stars of dining experience and have stopped counting or caring for stars. Rather, I look for and appreciate restaurants like Siola and chefs like Ron who care about their roots and put it front and centre in a fine-dining setting.Verified Fabulous innovative fine dining This is a great place for a special dinner and I did it on the last day of my holiday. The sixteen course menu was a bargain and about a fifth of the price something like this would cost me back home. Not a single course was a miss, indeed they were all delightful and all contained several elements. Special mention to the rainbow on my plate I was encouraged to lick in two directions. And to the “three soups” which were a play on three of the most common soups in Cebu - only one of them had been made into noodles. Service was impeccable - from the moment they gave me directions and came to find me as I was lost to my final extremely delicious halo halo dessert.Verified Unique Fine Dining This place is good for fine dining where we can be able to taste the unique ingredients and flavor of their foods. I highly recommend it to everyone , it is a family-friendly restaurants.Verified 13 course meal! Food was great, each dish unique with local ingredients being used. It was a good and unique experience! We spent the entire evening there (first course started at 7:30pm and last one ended at 11:30pm).Verified A whole new meaning to Local Food experience! Just love everything about the degustation dinner prepared by no less than the Master Chef himself, Ron V! Thanks to a high school friend for the invitation, we were treated to a whole new level of dining. Chef Ron put a whole new meaning to local food experience! Have never tried eating “kinilaw” before (I am not into “raw fishes”) but Chef Ron’s unique take on “deconstructed tangigueng kinilaw” is simply brilliant. First ever experience too to try takyong, and I say it Chef Ron has a genius mind in balancing the different taste to tempt your palate. Love the talinum and banana blossom salad! Is there anything in the degustation dinner I do not love? TBH, none! The dinner was made more perfect with the perfect closing of a whole new budbud experience. The food were simply excellent, and not to mention that the presentation was a work of art. Definitely World-Class! I just hope more people will get to experience Chef Ron’s expertise, he is absolutely going places with his mastery in Sialo!Verified Ladies & Gentlemen, we have a culinary rebel!!! I've been following Sialo on social media for some time now and, to be very honest, have been highly skeptical since most "modern gastro fusion" in these parts usually mean a culinary version of the Emperor's new clothes. However, I jumped at the chance to join a tasting experience after a few weeks of talking with Ron, the brains and palate behind Sialo. Experience is the right word because there is no formal restaurant to speak of. Sialo is like a throwback to the speakeasy bars at the turn of the century... a secret place for people in the know. This experience is set inside the owner's atelier located in a sleepy neighborhood. The moment you step in, you see Ron hunched at the table, doing the last preps of the evening. The air is filled with the heady aroma of Asian spices... particularly lemongrass and ginger, wafting from the vacuum coffee maker beside him. I was particularly happy that the guests tonight were people I actually knew but haven't met in decades, so it was a memorable reunion of sorts. The degustation experience started with the amuse bouche, the palate opener composed of a yoghurt sphere with rose petals (crumbed and dehydrated) followed by goats cheese with red pepper puree and local basil, then a type of vegetable tartare: crispy quinoa with spheres and foam... the last spoonful tinapa mousse with cranberry caviar. I wish the tinapa was toasted or grilled slightly to bring out its smoky and nutty flavors and lift this dish a little more since it was the last on its course, but that's just my preference. To cleanse the palate, this starter was followed by a warm shot of the wickedly delicious gin infused with lemongrass, galangal, lemon, and sampaguita (local jasmine)... best drank quick and warm since the flavors tend to mellow when it cools down. This was followed by an interesting spiced soup of coconut milk and mango... warm and toasty with a slight heat that is carefully balanced, The next course was the beautifully plated Beetroot Three Ways (picked in orange juice, confit, marinated in olive oil) with orange segments, a kind of snow and nasturtium leaves. I am a big fan of beetroot and the curing of the beetroot mellowed the taste and textures, which perhaps could appeal to people who haven't had this before (beetroot is not a commonly found ingredient in the Philippines). Another hit was the Ubod (heart of palm) Fettuccine with popcorn powder and Parmigiano Riggiano (or just plain parmesan) crisp. I had mixed reaction to this dish because I absolutely loved the ubod and the crisp. However, the popcorn didn't add anything to this dish... it felt gimmicky and the dish would have stood on its on as Ubod Fettuccine with Parmesan Two Ways. Next course was the beautifully plated Deconstructed Kinilaw... beautifully cured tanigue (often translated as wahoo but includes certain types of mackerel and bonito) topped with separate layers of coconut and calamansi jellies. Often, Cebuano kinilaw is soaked in the marinating liquid (vinegar and/or calamansi), which breaks down the tissue and cooks it to the point of being mushy. However, this deconstruction preserves the integrity of the fish but each mouthful gives you the familiar tastes of this iconic dish. The most intriguing dish, Taklong (Forest Snails) with arugula puree and arugula foam. This was my first time to eat it but the way it was carefully cooked made it taste familiar... like sea clams. The sauces gave the dish a much needed counterpoint to the rich snails, while the interesting cadena de amor flowers,(flowers of a common weed vine in the Philippines). Except for a little scale that was in one of the snails, this was a pleasant eating experience. That dish was the introduction to the main course: sousvide pork belly with vegetables and dehydrated rice.... this was a party on a plate, where the flavorful pork (marinated then sous vide for a total fo 4 days)... I have been cooking sous vide for some time now and this dish is a perfect example of a beautifully cooked meat. Textures of sunflower petals and sprouts added bursts of freshness to this rich dish. The dehydrated rice gave an interesting feel of eating lechon with puso... Maybe Ron could think of incorporating the flavor of coconut leaves in future versions. To cool things down, the next course was an interesting combination of Cucumber done 3 ways and Masareal ice cream. While I wasn't much of a fan of the cucumber (I felt that it needed a bit more freshness to temper the richness of the previous course) but, for me, the Masareal Ice Cream was a hit as it fully captured the nuances of my favorite Cebuano dessert, which is normally made from ground fresh nuts, water and sugar. The final course was, for me, the most exciting.. the pièce de résistance which had everyone ooh-ing in delight. The budbud with tsokolate, sikwate powder, coconut and ginger sorbet and mango caviar recreated the traditional breakfast experience of eating budbud with local cocoa (sikwate) or salabat and a slice of mango. The combination is a no-brainer, actually, since it is actually found in other similar desserts in other parts of the Philippines (like the calamayhati of Iloilo or moron of southern Cebu)... but it is the exquisite pairing with the modern take of the paired flavors that elevated this experience. Sialo is an exciting feature to the Philippine culinary scene. Each dish carefully reflects the dedication and passion of a man who absolutely loves what he is doing. It is by no means quick (reservations have to be done 7 days in advance because that's how long it takes to prepare each experience and whenever a slot can have at least 6 people). It is a work in progress (not all dishes worked for me as a general degustation journey... a few of them could need to be packed with more flavor or some of the elements have already melted by the time it reached the table) but you know that you're one of the privileged few who are invited to join a passionate maverick on his way to make a mark in the food scene of the country.Verified Savoring the splendor @ SIALO Exquisite dining experience! Each serving is a symphony of tasting, seeing, and hearing the burp or lip-smacking satisfaction. With the touch and feel of a fine culinary artist, chef Ronald dishes out these delights like your mouth is a masterpiece and your stomach is where your soul is. To eat is to believe, or to see for yourself when you get the chance to sit like royalty at the table of Sialo.Verified Elevated Filipino food. First molecular gastro experience I've ever had. Fun times, fully exceeded my expectations. That soup was ridiculous, dessert was awesome. Probably coming back.Verified Impressive Degustation Dinner Unique impressive gastronomic meal you will ever have and worth the experience!This budding chef is definitely going places!Verified Highly recommended Dear @ronaldvillavelez I enjoyed the #degustation dinner at your place last Sunday night. I am amazed with the amount of dishes that you made and they were all so wonderful. Thank you for spending so much time to prepare it. They were all my favorite!Thanks Again,
Location
Sialo
prefix, from Greek sialon, word-forming element meaning saliva or salivary glands; in Cebuano, the vernacular spoken in the Southeastern part of Cebu.