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Amazing Adobo: three must-try restaurants
Who doesn’t love a good adobo? Often called the Philippines’ national dish, the brown, sweetly sour adobo is comfort food to many Filipinos—it never fails to bring back memories of home. It isn’t surprising, then, that we Filipinos tend to have high standards for adobo in restaurants. We’re looking for something with that home-cooked familiarity, but it should also have that X-factor that sets it apart from anything we could cook at home. Last week, ‘Pop Talk’ host Tonipet Gaba was joined by actor and Survivor castaway Chuckie Dreyfus, Chef Jessie Sincioco and student Carlo Quiton. Together, they sampled three restaurants in Metro Manila known for their adobo. Here’s what they found:
Adobo Connection “Adobo connects us all!” says Kellda Centeno, managing director of Adobo Connection. With dishes like Adobo sa Gata, Kuya’s Adobo, Traditional Chicken Adobo, Nutty Adobo and Adobo Spaghetti; Adobo Connection hopes to prove that there’s a perfect adobo for every Pinoy. What’s ‘Pop’ about it?
- Their adobo isn’t too salty. “Sa dami ng kinain natin doon, hindi ako naumay,” said Chuckie.
- For their price range, says Chef Jessie, their taste and variety is impressive. She liked the vegetarian adobo made from fish and tofu (P99), while Chuckie liked the Adobo Pao (P49).
- Kanin-all-you-can? It’s perfect for a student’s budget, said Carlo. “P49 lang! Malasa na, mabubusog ka pa. Wala kang masasabi doon.”
- Nothing!
Casa Marcos Casa Marcos first opened in 1945, making a name for itself with unique recipes by its owner Señor Marcos. Fast forward almost seven decades: Casa Marcos has reopened in the posh Burgos Circle in The Fort. Their adobo is certainly one-of-a-kind: adobo-style frogs and baboy ramo, anyone? What’s ‘Pop’ about it?
- Taste. “Doon ko nakita yung authentic taste ng adobo,” said Chef Jessie. “Saucy, nandoon yung sourness ng vinegar, yung spiciness of pepper and bay leaf—lasang-lasa mo rin yung garlic.”
- Unique ingredients prepared well. Chuckie and Carlo were pleasantly surprised that the Adobong Baboy Ramo (P375)—a usually tough kind of meat—was tender at Casa Marcos. As for the frogs (P570), Chuckie quipped, “nag-Survivor na ako, pero ngayon ko lang matitikman ito!”
- Price. For a student, Casa Marcos is a splurge. In fact, the cheapest meat-based adobo, Pork Adobo Flakes came in a P133. However, Chef Jessie says that considering the rarity of the ingredients, the price is reasonable.
Adobo ‘To Adobo ‘To began as—and still is—a family-owned restaurant. Inspired by their father, the owners of this small restaurant set out to share a house favorite with the rest of the city. As owner Mitch Urbano puts it, their goal is simple: “Gusto namin makapagbigay ng home-cooked meals sa aming customers at sulit na pagkain.” What’s ‘Pop’ about it?
- Chef Jessie was impressed that you could get Classic Pork Adobo for just P85. She also added that the story of Adobo ‘To—a family business which started in the garage—was inspiring.
- A small menu isn’t always a bad thing. Chuckie said, “there’s not much to choose from, but what they have, people really go for. It’s very good—personally, makakain ko lahat yun.”
- The price. “Okay na okay!” grinned Carlo. “Wala na akong masasabi. Kahit ako, puwedeng manlibre!” The cheapest item on the menu was Adobo Flakes (P80) while the most expensive dishes were Aloha Adobo and Adobong Pusit (P90 each).
- Nothing!
