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A few years ago when Boodle Feast posts exploded on Instagram, I felt I was left out, none of the Sydney Filipino restaurants that I know offered this type of dining. Boodle feast was high on my bucket list to tick off and that desire was finally fulfilled on one of my trips back to Manila a couple of years ago and I managed to blogged it, link here.

Boodle feast is a very sociable way to eat and catch up with friends and family at reunions or dinner parties. A great way to enjoy the flavours of the Philippines with unimaginable amounts of food spread over banana leaves and eaten with bare hands. Boodle fight on the other hand is a military tradition – regardless of rank, where a big pile of food is spread over banana leaves and eaten by hands as a symbol of brotherhood and equality. More interestingly, boodle feast or fight connotes for a food fight, for the last grain of rice or until all food is consumed.

Filipino food lovers in Sydney rejoice! Sizzling Fillo restaurant in Lidcombe is the leading restaurant in Sydney that offers a Boodle Feast. It’s an iconic Filipino restaurant and I have been there 4 times, long before the current management. The place is adorned with artefacts along with Philippine flags and some souvenirs that bring the vibe back home. Painting on the feature wall is quite heavy in black and maroon with exposed bricks. Make sure to take your selfie or group photo on the centre stage for a memorable keep sake. It’s a warm, friendly and welcoming space to be in.  

Presentation is very important for a boodle feast and Sizzling Fillo knows their game. So what dishes are included on their boodle feast? First, banana leaves are evenly laid on the table, followed by garlic rice which is equally distributed in two rows for six people (our group). 

Well loved Filipino crispy pata (crispy pork hock) is the centre piece alongside pork sisig (meat slices garnished with raw egg) and bistek (Filipino style beef steak) both served on a sizzling plates. 

Garlic rice toppings include lumpiang shanghai (spring rolls), boneless fried bangus (milkfish) and salted eggs. To balanced it off, boiled veggies such as  okra, eggplant and pumpkin were also arranged nicely giving lots of contrasting colours. A seperate soy sauce for dipping with thinly sliced onions with a citrus/vinegar flavour and slices of tomatoes and onions to complete the sumptuous repast.  

Calm before the storm with a celebratory wine tossing and before we knew it, the whole table was empty. 

And for finale Chef Nina, presented us with some of her bespoke dessert creations. The banana turon was simply divine and leche flan complete with a caramel lattice dome was jaw dropping! 

The boodle feast was organised by Jen Chong (Instagram @sweetandyummie) along with social media influencers. This was also in collaboration with Daily Telegraph which filmed the entire boodle feast from preparation, setting up and of course the eating!

Experience a fun and exciting way of Filipino dining and definitely boodle feast is the way to go, no one leaves the table hungry!  Make sure to book it in advance and please visit their website for all the different types of boodle menus they offer. A regular a la carte menu is also available.  

Sizzling Fillo      Instagram: @sizzlingfillo                                                                                                      36 Railway St, Lidcombe NSW 2141 Phone (02) 9649 7939