January 10, 2019

Kermit Restaurant and Pizzeria in Siargao: The Backpacker’s Food Camp Serving Authentic Italian Cuisine

From “a hole in a wall” in Siargao as Gianni Grifoni, chief executive officer of Kermit Siargao would like to put it, Kermit Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria became the biggest and most sought after restaurant in the island!

With authentic Italian recipes by the half-Italian, half-Swiss CEO himself, Kermit Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria makes sure to have their ingredients sourced from Italy while incorporating a bit of the local touch into it, with fresh ingredients from the local farm and market.

By bringing in Head Chef Irene and Manicks at the forefront of the restaurant and the pizza place, Gianni makes sure to serve only the best Italian cuisine in Siargao, already attained in 2016 when Conde Nast Traveler hailed them as the restaurant that “serves up what might be the best pizza and fresh made pastas in the country”.

With this, it is only fitting to try their Tagliatelle alla Tartufata (Php 380) with its flat pasta made of spinach, drenched in truffle cream, and topped with parma ham. These cold cuts on top give an extra salt and texture to the pasta.

Add cheese into it, and it becomes a different masterpiece. As simple as the recipe might be, everyone who visits Kermit Siargao asks for this pasta dish, making it their best seller of all time.

Tagliatelle alla Tartufata (Php 380)

You may also try their authentic, egg yolk-based Italian Spaghetti alla Carbonara (Php 280), rich in cheesy cream with smoked pancetta or Italian bacon enmeshed in it, making it a smoky, slightly sour ensemble that teases the tongue to want for more.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara (Php 280)

Their Linguine Seafood (Php 320), on the other hand, slightly veers into the sour spectrum where the seafood adds a fresh flavor on the pasta.

Linguine Seafood (Php 320)

Pair this with the Bruschetta Italiana (Php 200) with its mix of tomato and mozzarella, also topped with salami and parma ham and drizzled with olive oil, and you got yourself a combination to die for!

Bruschetta Italiana (Php 200)

Tip: With a full tummy for breakfast or lunch time, grab some seats as early as 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. until the pizzeria opens at 5 p.m. so that you won’t have to wait up.

Chef Manicks (left-most) works his magic in the pizzeria with his crew

From here, order any of their special focaccia like the Golden Carabao (Php 400), which is a flat Italian dough bread stuffed with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and parma ham.

Golden Carabao (Php 400)

You may also try their folded pizzas or calzone, like the Calzone Sabang (Php 490) comprised of slices of parma ham, mozzarella, a fresh fior de latte cheese, and mushrooms, made for gobbling up with friends or on your own.

Calzone Sabang (Php 490)

Finally, sample their Four Cheese Pizza (Php 460) made of parmesan, gorgonzola, brie, and fior de latte to savor Kermit Siargao’s most prized pizzas fresh from their brick oven imported from Italy!

Four Cheese Pizza (Php 460)