NEW FILIPINO RESTAURANT

TRUE BLUE mid-class Pinoy Cuisine in Singapore? Yes! With the opening of Bonifacio in Singapore, Filipinos now have an everyday place to go to and have authentic Pinoy cuisine just as if they were back home!

Serving local favourites such as crispy pata, caldereta, sisig and ginataang gulay with turon and mango cheesecake desserts, the restaurant offers Filipinos a place to go to, should they miss good old-fashioned cooking.

Bonifacio boasts a modern touch to their dishes. Specially created by Dalia Conde, consultant chef of Bonifacio from Manila, Bonifacio’s menu features dishes that are distinctly traditional, with a dash of modernity in the keeping with the times and cosmopolitan nature of Singapore.

Set in a pre-war shophouse near the Chinatown district, Bonifacio will charm patrons with its friendly, rustic look. Located near Outram MRT station, on a slight uphill street, Bonifacio gives an impression of an idyllic retreat.

Enter Bonifacio, and one is greeted with a cool-beige, sepia warm interior which induces a feeling of homecoming and warmth.

Comedor in Singapore

Bonifacio’s décor is distinctly Filipino. Lester Pimentel, the Filipino partner in the partnership, notes: “Filipinos are fond of the ‘salu-salo’ where the entire family would gather at the ‘comedor’ for Sunday lunches and feast on kare-kare, sinigang and adobo.

“Bonifacio’s cozy casual dining ambience complements the food we serve. The place is designed with   comfort in mind and will also give diners some privacy, as if they are dining at home.”

Chefs, kitchen and waiting staff are all Filipino – enhancing the experience of being back home in Philippines even more. Casual, friendly, cosy and Tagalog-speaking – what more can one ask for from a restaurant that aims to make us feel at home?

In addition, to make it a star-striking experience for everyone, Bonifacio has adorned a wall with Filipino celebrities on a “Bonifacio Wall of Fame”. The wall showcases photos of the Bonifacio owners and their superstar friends including Bong Revilla, Jerico Rosales, Derek Ramsey, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Pops Fernandez and Vhong Navarro.

Taking a stroll down the corridor of photos seems like a blast from the past. Sepia and grey-toned pictures taken a decade ago bring back pleasant memories of watching those stars in their prime.

The owners of Bonifacio themselves are stars in their own right. Lester Pimental is a familiar Philippine household name – he holds the World Wushu 1995 Champion title and was also the Asian Wushu Champion in 1996.

Picasso Tan was the 1996 Gold Medallist in Nanquan of the 4th Asian Wushu Championship held in Manila.

Bonifacio – Father of the Philippine Revolution

Bonifacio is named after the Father of the Philippine Revolution, and it is this revolutionary spirit that the owners of Bonifacio aim to recreate in the way their dishes are created and served. The cosy restaurant is born of the brotherhood between 3 Singaporeans and 1 Filipino. Formed of the love for the Filipino culture and cuisine and nurtured while travelling extensively to the Philippines, the four close friends want Bonifacio to be known as the restaurant for Filipino expatriates to meet friends and family while they are away from home and for them to network and keep in touch while they build a new life in Singapore.

At the same time, they hope that their restaurant will allow Singaporeans to have a better understanding  of the thousands of Filipinos working amongst them. As they say, the stomach is the way to a man’s heart, so through good food, the owners of Bonifacio hope to gain the hearts of the people by letting them sample the delicious and unique cuisine of the Philippines, and soak in a little bit of Filipino culture when they visit Bonifacio.

Lively despite downturn

Bonifacio has already received several enquiries for events and corporate lunches since its soft opening on 21 March 2009, in part through the vast network of its celebrity management.

Despite the downturn, Bonifacio believes that with its mid-priced menu, unique cuisine and top-notch Pinoy service, business will be bustling.

“Good food at good prices will always be good business and we hope that by coupling this with a unique menu and attentive service, we’ll be able to win the stomachs and hearts of our patrons and in time to come Bonifacio will be a lively hangout location for Filipiono expatriates and their friends,” says Kelvin Yoo, the businessman partner in the venture.

Bonifacio is located at 35 Kreta Ayer Road (opposite Kreta Ayer Community Club).

Opening hours are from 11am – 3pm and 6pm – 10.30pm daily.

Please call 6222 6676 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

for reservations and catering/event enquiries. Kain na; let’s eat!