ILOILO CITY — Tucked on the second floor of Festive Walk Mall, a playful, campus‑themed eatery is winning over Ilonggos and tourists with generous plates of braised beef and budget‑friendly meals. Pares University blends Filipino comfort food with a whimsical academic twist that makes every lunch break feel like recess.
A Campus Where Flavor Is the Major
The restaurant’s walls echo with a lighthearted university motif, but the kitchen is serious about its craft. Every morning, imported beef is slow‑braised in a savory‑sweet soy and star anise broth until it surrenders to the fork. The aroma alone, drifting from the open kitchen, is enough to pull shoppers off the mall’s main corridor.
The menu reads like a course catalog. The flagship Old School Pares pairs tender beef chunks with garlic fried rice and a steaming bowl of clear broth, a classic Manila street‑food combination now anchored in Iloilo. For those seeking extra indulgence, the Souperload Lechon Pares crowns the braised beef with crispy roasted pork belly, merging two icons into one bowl.
Beyond Beef: A Menu That Covers All Cravings
Pares University refuses to be a one‑dish wonder. Sizzling plates arrive hissing and sputtering, loaded with beef tapa, lechon kawali, and Hungarian sausages, each accompanied by garlic rice, a sunny‑side‑up egg, and hot soup. The silog lineup gives solo diners and families a satisfying, affordable option any time of day.
The Iskolar Meals section caters to students and budget‑conscious diners with chicken fillets, meatball overloads, and other hearty combinations that cost little but deliver on taste. Crispy chicken wings in Laude and Magna portions round out the menu, while Lesson Flan and Ube Cheese Lumpia offer a sweet way to end a meal. The offerings are broad enough that a group of friends with wildly different tastes can all find something satisfying.
