#BeerMatch by Serbesa MNL

It seemed like any other Friday night at one of Makati’s tucked-away bars, Red Light. One comes in, sits down, orders food and drink, have a little talk with whoever you are with (or the bartender if you’re alone), and you walk out.

Last Friday, October 7, however, was made a little bit more special thanks to #BeerMatch by Serbesa MNL at The Red Light. People were treated to good food, craft cocktails, and quality craft beer that’s hard to find, thanks in large part to the efforts of one Jazelle Carandang, owner and operator of Serbesa MNL.

IT WAS NOT YOUR AVERAGE FRIDAY NIGHT. Red Light played host to Serbesa MNL’s #BeerMatch, a night of good food paired with craft cocktails and craft beer.

#BeerMatch is the latest among the kitchen takeovers done by Serbesa MNL. For #BeerMatch, Jazelle brought out a few of her staple dishes: Squash and Jalapeno Poppers (breaded jalapeno pepper stuffed with squash blossoms) and Pollo Gambas Tostado (crispy fried chicken skin and prawns served on a piece of pita bread with salsa, mango aioli, and alfalfa).

START YOUR MEAL WITH a serving of sweet potato fries with a spicy salsa or raita.

THE CROWD FAVORITE. Serbesa MNL’s Squash and Jalapeno Poppers really hit the spot. Pro tip: dip it in the raita (the white sauce), take a bite, then follow it up with a small scoop of the salsa.

The latest addition to the menu, however, was Serbesa’s interpretation of Surf and Turf. It’s a sinful combination of aligue (crab fat) hollandaise, grilled kalbi beef, and beer battered onion rings. It’s finished off with a helping of pickled cucumber and alfalfa.

Sadly, we couldn’t take photos of the Pollo Gambas Tostado and the Surf and Turf because they came out faster than we can snap photos. Just goes to show how good these two are.

#BeerMatch wasn’t all about the food. It wouldn’t be #BeerMatch without something to drink: in this case, it’s craft beer from The Laughing Carabao and two of Jazelle’s own concoctions: the sweet and subtle Pink Panther (kamias-infused rum, four seasons, calamansi syrup, cilantro, mint, and Stanford and Shaw ginger ale) and her mutant concoction, the Moscojito (kamias-infused rum, cilantro, mint, and Stanford and Shaw ginger ale).

LADY’S DRINK. It’s sweet, refreshing, and something we doubt you’ve tasted before: the Pink Panther.

THE MUTANT DRINK. Moscojito (a play on the Moscow Mule and Mojito), is something that’s best reserved for those who drink a bit yet don’t want to get too drunk.

INIRUBAN PALE ALE. One of The Laughing Carabao’s many craft beers, the Iniruban Pale Ale. It says on the bottle that it contains 5.3% alcohol. If you’re new to beer, that’s already a lot.

#BeerMatch is all about elevating street food to another level and pairing it with the best craft beers in town, held by Serbesa MNL. Watch out for other Serbesa MNL events by following them on Instagram (@serbesamnl) or liking their Facebook page (Serbesa MNL).

Read more about Serbesa MNL here.