A common complaint is that Rambutan's food is not authentic Filipino. This is a dining experience, not a cultural anthropology lesson. My advice is to enjoy Aranas' food for what it is. Goodness knows there's plenty to sustain one's interest. Your taste buds are likely to get a pretty good workout, negotiating through the sweet and savory interplay that is present in nearly every dish.
Appetizers range from familiar to exotic dishes.
Empanadas, little baked turnovers, are also familiar fare, though the filling of wild mushrooms with diced Spanish olives, raisins and almonds is an intriguing combination of flavors. Ukoy are crispy shrimp fritters in a sweet-potato and cassava batter, served with pickled cucumbers. Slow-cooked meats are a menu strength, whether it's braised and shredded pork over mung beans or oxtail in a spicy peanut sauce with a little shrimp paste. Duck-leg confit with roasted slices of duck breast is doused with an adobo sauce with sweet accents of pineapple and dates, served with a delicious ragout of summer squash, sweet corn and jackfruit. The only trouble with this dessert is that it sells out every night.