Monkey Business

Monkey Business is a restaurant, bar and pod hostel on the Circumferential Road in Solangon, San Juan, next door to Dagsa and across the road from Kape de Guyod. You will spot it by the swing seats hanging over the tables, and the open-air dining room, with plenty of wood and greenery, is a regular meeting point for travellers staying along this stretch.

The menu runs from Filipino plates to Thai dishes and big Western comfort food, and portions are generous. The Siquijor adobo and the Thai pork belly are the house dishes people come back for, with chicken rendang, sisig, a veggie curry and a large vegetarian pad thai alongside. Burgers and chicken wings are popular, banana fries make a good side, and at breakfast the mango coconut pancakes are the order. Wash it down with a mango shake or fresh juice. Local bands play on many evenings, and the reggae nights get the warmest write-ups. The room fills up fast once the music starts.

Posted hours vary between listings, so check their Facebook page before you go. Prices are fair for the portion size. It is open-air with no air-con, so expect some heat and mosquitoes. Get there before 8pm on a band night to claim a swing seat.