After a brief hiatus over the festive season, Huskisson’s favourite Monday night tradition is back. Bud’s Tavern in Huskisson has officially relaunched Filipino Mondays, led by sous chef Curth and chef de partie Paolo Protacio, offering a reimagined menu that expertly balances traditional Filipino soul with modern coastal refinement.
We rounded up a group of friends to dive into this month’s menu, all agreeing that a Monday night away from the kitchen is the ultimate way to kick off the week. While you can easily pick and choose individual dishes to tailor your evening, the real fun is gathering a crowd for a rare night off and working your way through the entire indulgent spread.
To Start: The menu opens with three standout entrees.
First is the Pinakbet $16 Inspired by the traditional vegetable stew of the northern Ilocano regions, here reimagined as a crisp tempura basket of seasonal vegetables. The tempura is beautifully light on the bite, complemented by a rich emulsified butter sauce.
Interestingly, Pinakbet means “shrivelled” or “shrunk,” referring to the way the vegetables behave during the traditional cooking process—a brilliant, crispy spin on the original.
Next up, drawing from Maranao tradition, the Piaparan na Hipon $22 features prawns layered with the warmth of turmeric and a spicy kick of palapa paste. These carefully charred prawns keep all their natural sweetness, served in a shallot-infused oil with smoked coconut. It captures a soulful, aromatic tradition that’s seriously good—so good, in fact, you’ll be tempted to bottle the dressing and take it home.
Rounding out the starters is Sinuglaw $17 a soulful surf-and-turf dish that captures the vibrant heat of Mindanao and the Visayas.
Tender pork is grilled on the hibachi right by the kitchen window, paired with South Australian calamari, the bright tang of coconut vinegar, and a fresh crunch of watermelon radish. Served with a rice seaweed cracker, it’s a beautiful reflection of the fire of the grill and the freshness of the sea.
The Main Event
The mains continue the evolution of Filo Mondays, starting with the Ginataang Alimango $27. This dish takes its cue from the creamy coconut crab stews found all along the Philippine coast. The kitchen’s spin brings together crispy, deep-fried soft-shell crab with the smoky sweetness of burnt pumpkin and a savoury hit of fermented prawn which, despite the name, is really just a secret weapon for adding a delicious, salty depth. Served with crunchy spinach crisps and fragrant coconut steamed rice, it’s a fun, indulgent twist on a seaside favourite.
Next is the Tapsilog $28, a dish that has quickly become a Bud’s favourite. What started as a morning hero is now a round-the-clock staple, even sparking a whole culture of “tapsihan” diners back home. It’s the ultimate breakfast of champions, a mash-up of tapa (cured beef), sinangag (garlic fried rice) and itlog (egg). Bud’s serves theirs with thinly sliced strip loin, soy-cured egg yolk, adding crispy enoki mushrooms and pecorino for a little extra flare.
A Sweet Finish
To finish, the Maja Blanca Brûlée $15 is a standout. This quintessential celebration dessert is a silky, snow-white coconut pudding that feels like a creamy cloud. Chef Paolo’s version adds a twist with fresh corn kernels folded through for a gentle nuttiness, topped with the signature crack of a brûlée crust. It’s a simple, beautiful blend that turned out to be a massive hit at our table and with diners throughout the venue.
Reflections from the Kitchen
We were lucky enough to catch up with chef Curth during our visit, and it’s clear that getting back into the rhythm of these menus means the world to the team.
Curth says it’s about far more than just what’s on the plate. “It’s not just about the food,” he explains, “but being able to represent our culture through the flavours we create in every dish.”
Growing up abroad, food was his primary way to reconnect with home. He shared that the Ginataang Alimango is particularly close to his heart because of his mother. “I remember my mum would always cook it because she knew how much I loved crabs,” he recalls. “Doing this dish definitely reminds me of her and the flavour of the food she makes.”
The biggest shift he’s noticed this year is just how established the night has become; it’s now a genuine fixture where both locals and tourists specifically look forward to spending their Mondays at Bud’s. While the presentation might have a modern “flare,” Curth and Paolo are adamant about keeping the soul of the food authentic. “It may not be your typical Filipino food in how it’s approached,” Curth says, “but it is always true to its flavour.”
Ultimately, the team hopes diners walk away with a newfound appreciation for Filipino food as a brilliant, distinct cultural melting pot. With such a growing following, booking online is strongly recommended so you don’t miss out. It’s an evening that continues to evolve beautifully, all while staying true to the heart of those original dinners where it all began.
in chef’s words
We asked Curth what it means to be creating the Monday night menus again, and how does this year feel different from last year?
“It means a lot! It is not just about the food but being able to represent our culture through our flavours that we create in every dish.
“I would say the biggest difference this year from last year is that we are able to establish Filipino night every Monday. Both locals and tourists (Filos and non-Filos) are looking forward in spending their night with us here at Bud’s.”
What are a couple of ingredients that are essential for you in giving diners a true Filipino experience?
“It actually depends on what dish you are making. But for us to make sure that our customers will understand and have the ‘Filipino experience’ we make sure that in every dish we create our flavours are authentic. It may not be your typical Filipino food and how the food is approached but it would be true to its flavour.”
We would love to hear more about the Maja Blanca brûlée.
“Our dessert is prepared and executed by one of our chefs, Paolo Protacio. His goal is to have an authentic flavour in our traditional Maja Blanca but make it in a way where our locals would be able to relate, that’s why we made it into a brulee.”
With its popularity, we missed out on the Tapsilog. Can you tell us a little about it and what diners have been loving about the dish?
“Tapsilog is religion back home. It’s called ‘Tapsilog’ because it consists of tapa which translates to marinated beef, sinangag which is fried rice, log is for Itlog which is the tagalog for itlog. So all those components is what makes up ‘Tapsilog’. With the Tapsilog we make at Bud’s we stick to the main components but just added a little bit of flair into it.”
Finally, what do you hope diners take away from Filipino Mondays at Bud’s Tavern?
“Filipino food is as good as any other food out there. Our food is a cultural melting pot of so many influences all around the world, yet has a very distinct identity.”
