We went to a restaurant called SENTRO 1771 to celebrate the belated birthdays of hb and Anne. I chose this fine dining restaurant not knowing really what to expect but having heard good reviews about this place we tried it.

Sentro 1771 is a member of the Chateau 1771 Group of Restaurants that include Chateau 1771, Portico 1771 and Sidebar Cafe. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor setting, nice ambiance and a welcoming staff. They serve traditional Filipino cuisine with a twist.

We got lucky and we were seated right next to a huge clear glass wall providing a good two-way view.

We tried the Sentro Pica-Pica Platter (P295) for appetizer. The platter consists of small pieces of Sesame BBQ Chicken Lollipop, thinly sliced Macao Chorizo, marinated Beef tips and Bangus Spring Rolls and it comes with a sauce. For our main dish, we had the Specialty of the House "Corned Beef in Tamarind Soup" (P340) good for 2-3 persons. I was even surprised when one of the staff asked us to try the sourness of the soup. The soup is made of corned beef ribs and boneless shanks in tamarind broth with native vegetables like kangkong, radish and string beans. It was served in a small "palayok" (earthen pot) and put it atop of a silver fondue tray with a small round-lighted candle below. The food was just okay for me, nothing spectacular.

We also had One whole Roast Chicken (P390), stuffed with lemon grass and garlic; roasted until golden brown (good for 3-4 persons). Lamb Caldereta (P390), an Australian boneless lamb shoulder stewed in a not-really-spicy way with carrots and bell peppers. Maya-Maya Fillets (P230). This is a fish escabeche with a twist. Silver snapper fillets, pan fried and cooked in a sweet vinegar with a mild garlic-ginger flavor. For me, the fish was delicious and perfectly cooked. Sentro Plain Rice (P45) served in a cute wooden bowl with cover (good for 1 person).

For drinks, we ordered Watermelon Cooler Shake (P80), refillable Sago Gulaman (P80) and Iced Tea (P70).

Food was fine but it was a bit expensive especially some servings were small. Sentro 1771 is located at Greenbelt 3, 2nd Level, Ayala Center, Makati City.