Before we begin, here’s a bite-sized Palawan history trivia for you. In the 1970s, refugees from Saigon, commonly referred to as boat people, found sanctuary in our country with many settling in Puerto Princesa. As they assimilated into their new communities, the families established eateries, particularly noodle houses. Pervasively, when it comes to the locally bred Vietnamese restaurants in Puerto Princesa they are a dime a dozen, but for The Funny Lion’s C75, it’s certainly a breed of its own.
Cat’s Out of The Bag
To add a bit of “feline fable” to this piece of history, the boat people of 1975 were said to have brought their children, culture, and cats. The latter were characterized as good duck hunters and even better cooks, gaining the reputation as undercover agents. To continue their covert operations, they made The Funny Lion their base and the kitchen their control center: hence the birth of C75–c stands for cats to those who are still in the dark.
The cats are led by Chef Greg Villalon, Corporate Chef of the One-of Collection Group of Resorts, and are headed by the multi-talented Chef Ace Manalo, who, we later learned during our dinner, is also a smooth-voiced crooner.
As an F&B outlet at a One-of-Collection resort, anticipate a sleek, minimalist setting with a fresh atmosphere, meticulously crafted by Eric Paras, master interior designer of The Funny Lion. When the sun goes down, so begins the friendly service, casual vibe, and offerings of crafted cocktails and Vietnam-inspired coffee concoctions, which will make you feel relaxed and welcomed in no time. To keep up with its catering operations, it should be noted that the restaurant is currently open only for dinner service. It could be because the cats also want it that way.
French-Vietnamese Connection
As a Vietnamese-French resto, the dishes of C75 are made with the best influences from both cuisines.
To start with, the Fresh Spring Rolls (Php 480) uses raw mahi-mahi to add chewiness and texture to the dish, while the juicy slices of singkamas and carrots give bite and heft. The herbs rolled with each piece, like basil and cilantro, carry the familiar taste of a traditional chả giò and when you drizzle in the housemade nước chấm–you just can’t seem to stop eating a roll or two..or three.
The Grilled Duck Skewers (Php 440), on the other hand, offered bolder, deeper flavors with each bite since the meat was well-marinated in spices. A trip to the grill seals in all the flavors, while the pool of creamy remoulade sauce helps bring out the smokiness of each skewer while adding some tangy notes to the palate. Don’t skip on the side vegetables either as they add vibrancy in between bites.
The French live off salads and that’s because they make them so well. The same can be said about the Apple & Duck (Php 550) salad–you get bursts of sweetness and citrus from the slivers of apples and pineapples, dimension from the addition of cilantro, celery, and cashews, plus richness from the creme fraiche, while the slices of savory smoked duck breast balance them all.
Don’t expect the taste of your tita’s potato salad when it comes to the Potato & Anchovy (Php 515). It may seem like an underrated dish, but the cats cleverly use everyday ingredients and turn them into a well-rounded salad platter. The cooked potato slices are all dressed in a lemongrass aioli and then layered with anchovies, mung beans, French beans, cherry tomatoes, and sprigs of dill. You might even think you can make it at home, but no you can’t, so you really have to come a try this one for yourself.
In Puerto Princesa, noodle houses serve chao long, a Filipinized version of pho known for its sweeter, richer broth, generous meat portions, and rice noodles. This makes it a staple meal for the everyday diner. However, C75 elevates the classic pho to gourmet status, transforming it into a must-try craving for everyone.
Good pho starts with this basic foundation: roasted aromatics, spices, and seasonings that’s been low-simmered with stock made from animal bones or vegetables. For C75, the luscious pho bowls are given richer, more distinct profiles making each variant a standout.
For example, the Bouillabaisse Bun Bo Hue (Php 700) gets its robust flavor from the seafood stock used to amplify the broth. Mussels, fish cake slices, and prawns plus bean sprouts, gotu kola, and basil are added as toppings making it a fine seafood-meets-herby-freshness feast. Each pho gets a complimenting piece of small baguette a paired spread–for the bouillabaisse, its a rouille, a rich spice paste which originated from Provence.
The Boeuf de Luxe (Php750) intensifies the traditional beef pho flavors, delivering a bold and elevated experience. Each bowl gets a peace of long-braised beef ribs earning it’s wow factor plus raw tenderloin slices that get cooked in seconds after the rich beef beef broth gets poured in. It gets a side of small baguette served with a beef tartare spread.
The most memorable for me was the Trois Champignons (Php 650). The natural umami of the mushrooms not only deepened the pho broth’s flavor but also harmonized beautifully with its core spices like cinnamon and star anise. Translated to three mushrooms, it refers to the three ways mushrooms were utilized to get unique flavor profile: oven-dried mushrooms, braised mushrooms, and pickled mushrooms. What i also love about this pho is how every mushroom bite becomes an umami bomb with the earthy broth bursting in your mouth. Its a masterfully made pho that can easily satisfy a carnivorous eater. With the addition of a shiitake mushroom spread and baguette, its the winning pho i crave to this day.
When it comes to the mains, the cats get serious with delicious platters the can be feasted by everyone at the table. C75’s Ga Nuong Grilled Chicken (Php 900) is the heightened version of the ones you would have eaten in the streets of Ho Chi Minh. Typically served with plain white rice and pickled vegetables, their take of the lemongrass-infused chicken barbecue sits on a bed of brown rice cooked with bacon and mushroom duxelle. Have every bite with a drizzling of cilantro sauce verte and you’ve got yourself a new chicken addiction.
One of the dishes i got excited to try was the Beef Bourguinon (Php 1,050) and it did not dissapoint. Their take on this classic French peasant dish receives an oriental twist, with the addition of Asian spices and seasonal vegetables, creating a truly unforgettable rendition.
While I took pleasure in eating spoonfuls of the thick and luscious Cointreau Chocolate Tart (Php 360) served with a huge dollop of whipped cream, it was the Mango Rum Baba (Php 320) that won me over with its rum-drenched sponge cake goodness semi-covered with chantilly cream generously mixed with fresh mango chunks.
The Funny Lion’s C75 beautifully blends Vietnamese and French flavors into gourmet creations, elevating traditional dishes with inventive twists. From the umami-rich Trois Champignons pho to the indulgent Mango Rum Baba, each dish offers a unique and memorable experience for those looking for a sophisticated culinary adventure in Puerto Princesa.
C75. The Funny Lion Puerto Princesa. F. Ponce De Leon Road, San Pedro, Puerto Princesa. For reservations, call (0915) 426-6345. For more information about the Funny Lion, visit their website. You can also follow C75’s Facebook and Instagram for more updates.
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