Obscure Table is an elevated salo-salo private dining concept by Dennis Hipolito and Chef GB Barlao, tucked away in a hidden private house in Silang, Cavite. It’s definitely worth the drive—a reflection of how gastronomy is increasingly becoming a reason to explore destinations beyond Manila. Think of it as private-course dining in three acts, served family-style to encourage conversation, sharing, and communal interaction.
Sharing our Obscure Table experience, along with a few tips to help you make the most of your celebration.
about
The name Obscure reflects the concept itself. Dennis and Chef GB have largely worked behind the scenes, away from Manila’s usual culinary spotlight, while the restaurant is deliberately tucked away from the main roads and familiar food enclaves.
Even the venue feels understated—a beautiful steeple tucked away in plain sight. Simple yet thoughtfully designed, it’s the kind of place you have to seek out, and that sense of discovery is very much part of the Obscure Table experience.
At its core, Dennis and Chef GB believe food should be delicious, generous, and deeply satisfying—not the kind of tasting menu that leaves you ordering a McDonald’s burger on the way home. Here, the experience is elevated, but the food remains the star.
Obscure Table
📍 Somewhere in Silang, Cavite
🕐 Open Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays for dinner, by reservation only
👥 Intimate seating for 15–20 guests per service
📸 @obscuretableph
act I: ang panimula
tip #1: come early– and embrace the communal tables.
First, the tables and portions are communal, accommodating around 15–20 guests. You can book the entire dinner for your family, friends, or team, or join as a couple and enjoy the fun of meeting fellow diners who share the same passion for food.
Just make sure you’re there before 6 PM. Dinner starts promptly, with everyone dining together from the first course – diyahe naman kung hihintayin kayo.
grazing board
The experience kicks off with a grazing board of freshly house-baked breads—from focaccia, brioche and my favorite sweet corn bread—paired with a thoughtfully curated selection of palaman.
Balut Paté
Rich, indulgent, and packed with flavor, this crowd favorite is said to have aphrodisiac powers.
“Ensaymada” Coffee Butter
My favorite—ensaymada toppings meets coffee, brilliantly reimagined as a spread. We had to order another bowl.
Maple Walnut Cream Cheese Scallion Spread
Masarap rin ito — creamy, nutty, and subtly sweet, finished with fresh onion scallions for a savory lift.
Eggplant Tapenade
A Mediterranean mezze staple, this is a wholesome, flavorful spread that’s light yet satisfying.
Curated Breads of the Day
The sweet corn bread was addicting and the brioche pairs well with all the spreads.
tip #2: go easy on the bread course—stick to 1–2 slices because you don’t want to get full kaagad!
pulutan platters
“Tokwat Baboy” Terrine with Prune Churney and Crispy Tokwa
A delicious reimagining of tokwa’t baboy in terrine form, with rich, flavorful pork, silky tokwa, and a prune chutney that adds a lovely fruity sweetness. The sauce ties everything together. Sarap! kahit yung taba taba.
“Sinuglaw” Agua Chile De Camaron with Thai BBQ Pork
Not quite the familiar sinuglaw flavor, but the ceviche and Thai pork pairing was just okay.
Mini Embutido Corndogs with Secret Sauce
A nostalgic childhood throwback, with embotido taking the place of the usual hotdog —one is enough!
tip #3: be ready to meet new foodie friends or business connections—and remember, it’s a family-friendly communal dining experience.
act II: ang mga ulam
For the 2nd act, you get to transfer to the main house where the Chicharonillo awaits.
Lamang Dagat : Grilled Hamachi Collar en “Tocho”
Hamachi reimagined in carinderia tocho style, traditionally cooked with tahure (fermented black tofu), then grilled and torched for a smoky depth, topped with tomato, black bean, and tofu salsa. Different, delicious, and definitely one for your food vocabulary. Different and the kind of food you want to discover and add to your food vocabulary.
The Original: Chicharonillo
Ang sarap nito! Lechon de leche’s skin is cooked chicharon-style through a combination of techniques, keeping the meat juicy while delivering that irresistible, ultra-crispy crunch.
Spicy Roasted Pineapple / The Classic /Signature Bastardo Verde / Salsa / Romesco / Sweet Atchara | Pickled Radish
It comes with seven sauces, and my favorite was Dennis’ bastardized chimichurri—bright, herbaceous, and delicious. The roasted pineapple and mango salsa add a touch of sweetness, while the atsara and pickled vegetables work beautifully as palate cleansers between bites.
The café-infused cola and iced tea made for a unique, refreshing pairing with the Filipino dishes.
Pair the red wine with the lechon and the white with the seafood—a simple and well-balanced pairing for the feast.
There’s an outstanding challenge for the whole group to finish it—but so far, no group has ever completed it!
Sabaw: Bulalo Dashi with Chili-Manis Patis
A satisfying, maasim na palate cleanser—like a bulalo-flavored dashi that reactivates the second stomach.
“Pata Kare Special”
Spiced Lamb Shank & Slow Cooked Oxtail and Tripe Kare Kare Stew
Lamb Kare-Kare — Slow-cooked lamb shank with oxtail, tripe, litid, and skin, served in a silky, praline-style curry sauce of caramel, roasted nuts, alamang, and peanut butter. Paired with a reinvented bagoong sambal of chilies, coconut, alamang, and spices. The best lamb kare-kare I’ve ever tasted.
Carrot Cake Pave & Guinataang Bagoong Sambal Style Dip
A unique pairing of carrot cake with shrimp mousseline in between served with a chili crisp on top. Maanghang.
Charred Cabbage with Fish Sauce Caramel
Smoky wok-hei cabbage finished with a fish sauce caramel of fish stock, alamang, patis, shallots, onions, and chilies
“Ginaatang Calabasa” Casserole
Kalabasa slow-cooked for 2–3 hours in kakang gata, then finished with a caramelized topping—rich, creamy, and arguably the best pumpkin dish you’ll ever taste.
Rice Is Life
Signature Farmstead Golden Sinangag
The garlic rice is beautifully done, fragrant and garlicky throughout, pairing perfectly with the kale kare.
tip #4: serve others first, be mindful of those taking photos, and pace yourself so everyone can enjoy together.
act III: pang-himagas
Luckily, the rain stopped, so we could enjoy dessert in the beautiful steeple setting beneath the catmon trees.
The desserts are all handcrafted by Dennis, each exquisitely made and explosive with flavor + balanced sweetness.
The Daily Tart
Flavorful and Bold
The pecan tart comes with a graham dough crust and a generous layer of Chantilly cream.
Obscure Table Pianono
Dacquoise / Caramel Crémeux
This is my favorite — a dessert pianono with cashew and caramel dacquoise stuffed with rich caramel mousse.
Tonight’s Sweet Mischief
Surprisingly very good
a bitter sweet liquid center chocolate cake with fruits.
Carrot Cake
tip #5: best of all, birthday celebrants get a carrot cake—moist, flavorful, and absolutely delicious.
final thoughts
Overall, it’s about time we had a destination food experience like Obscure Table—a communal private dining concept that makes the drive to Silang truly worthwhile. The concept is brilliant, created by two CIA-trained friends, Dennis and Chef GB, now at the forefront of their own intimate dining experience.
Our favorites from Act I were the sweet corn bread, cheesy ensaymada-coffee spread, balut paté, and tokwa’t baboy terrine. Act II was the highlight, with the chicharonillo, lamb kare-kare, and ginataang kalabasa casserole among the best we’ve tasted. The café-cola and café-tea pairings added another unexpected Filipino touch. For Act III, we loved the pianono and Dennis’ carrot cake.
And as a thoughtful encore, they send you home with pa-sharon food to enjoy later—a warm gesture that perfectly captures the generous hospitality of Obscure Table. Congrats and good luck Dennis and Chef GB!!
Obscure Table
📍 Somewhere in Silang, Cavite
🕐 Open Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays for dinner, by reservation only
👥 Intimate seating for 15–20 guests per service
📸 @obscuretableph
Live an Awesome Life with Christ,
Founder & Digital Creator, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: This article was written entirely by a human—reflecting my own biases, opinions, and insights—with grammar and clarity checked using AI assistance. Thank you to Dennis for inviting us to experience Obscure Table.
p.s. If you have a driver, they thoughtfully provide a simple dinner for them too—a small but meaningful gesture of hospitality that we rarely see, even in fine dining. Galing!
tip #6: they provide shoofly for the mosquitoes, but it’s still best to bring your own mosquito repellent, especially if you’ll be dining outdoors.
