Cendrillon

Frommer's Review

In SoHo, whether dining, drinking, or shopping, you must be on guard for excessive pretense. But there is nothing pretentious about Cendrillon. This is authentic yet innovative Filipino food in a comfortable setting with exposed brick, a skylight in the main dining room, and cozy booths up front. How authentic? Try a shot of lambagong, also known as coconut grappa. It's a potent alcoholic drink distilled from the coconut flower sap and blended with sugar-cane sap, and as far as I know, Cendrillon is the only restaurant in New York to serve this Filipino specialty. The drink will ignite your appetite for the flavors to follow, like the amazing squash soup with crab dumplings or the fresh lumpia with tamarind and peanut sauce (Asian vegetables wrapped in a purple-yam-and-rice wrapper). Cendrillon's chicken adobo (chicken braised in a marinade of vinegar, soy, chiles, and garlic) renders the bird as tender and tasty as you could ever imagine, while Romy's (the chef/owner) spareribs, marinated in rice wine and garlic, rubbed with spices, and cooked in a Chinese smokehouse, are as good as any ribs I've had cooked in a Texas smokehouse. You'll be tempted by just about everything on this menu, but save room for the exotic desserts like the Buko pie, made with coconut and topped with vanilla-bean ice cream, or the halo halo, a parfait stuffed with ice creams and sorbets with flavors like avocado, jackfruit, and purple yam.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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