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Showing posts with label Filipino restaurant up north. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Filipino restaurant up north. Show all posts
Thursday, April 12, 2018
EMPACHO: An Open Filipino Secret In Tomas Morato

 Being surprised is one thing that I enjoy. It's like you're given special attention on a number of occasions. When you get that cake on your birthday or when you found out that you passed your difficult exam, it's all good. Lately though, I encountered a Filipino Food Joint, that wowed me. No Joke. Enter EMPACHO.
 The word itself was a giveaway but EMPACHO delivered above and beyond. Located in Tomas Morato, Empacho gives of a relaxed vibe. The dishes they serve are Filipino fusion with a twist here and there. From my perspective, they elevated the different aspect of each dishes and made them better.
 With a complete bar setup, EMPACHO offers a number of finely concocted signature drinks that are a welcome treat. They aren't your usual cocktails so to speak. Some infuse Filipino flavors with each sip. For me, I went with something familiar, an EMPACHO SIZED beer. Yes, I surprised myself as well as I finished it.
If you can't decide, you could try out some of their appetizers to start. The TRIPLE BYPASS is a combination of three deadly yet tempting dishes. They have crispy chicken skin, salt and pepper chicharon bulaklak or pig intestines and isol or chicken ass. If you're not that adventurous, you might be better off with the CRISPY TOKWA'T BABOY. It's basically deep fried pork belly with tofu swimming in a special sauce. This would already be perfect with plain rice!
 Another dish that hits the spot would be their SISIG FRIES. These aren't your ordinary potatoes. They're actually longer than usual. With a sisig as the topping, it's pretty much a done deal.
 To help you recover from all then oily and diet killer dishes, they have a few salad offerings as well. Although, I can't really say that they're healthier. The fact that one is covered with chicken inasal and the other is topped with roasted pork belly just goes to show that they really want you to get your money's worth.
 Another shocker would be their version of the CHICKEN WINGS. Theirs has a sweet and tangy blend as tamarind is infused to make it so. There's a little bit of kick as well but this is a sure hit.
 To recover, they created the PARES LOMI. A combination of classics, this gives guests a chance to relax and have something filling and classic.
 But, the show didn't stop there. EMPACHO has a lot of dishes that would cover your cravings. They have a number of mains that would entice you to come back for more. They even have new dishes like laing na sugpo, sinampalukang tadyang, and even a carbonara pasta with laing.
 After everything is said and done, you have to go with what your body tells you. The LECHON BELLY and the CRISPY PORK KARE-KARE are both hands down conquerors. The belly has a layer of crispy skin. Partnered with a vinegar based dipping sauce, you can't stop yourself from having more. The Kare-Kare needs no introduction. The sauce is very old school as it's a mix of nuts that would remind you of your childhood. It's just something that you got to have more of.
If you have room (which you should have), I can truly say that desserts are a must. Aside from the Salted Egg Lava Cake and the Kamias Cheesecake, their BIBINGKA CASAVA CAKE is a sure winner. The fusion between the bibingka and casava is a genius combination.
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EMPACHO gave quite an experience. The dishes were all simple yet masterfully done. It's like elevating Filipino dishes to something straightforward but delicious.


EMPACHO
2nd floor unit 201, 170 Tomas Morato Ave, 
Diliman, Quezon City, 1103 Metro Manila

Protip: Their building is on the left of the McDonald's.
There are a lot of guarded parking space at the back that actually surprised me.
They have a few activities at night. From bands to spoken word and even stand up comedy.

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Tuesday, November 14, 2017
MATUTINAS: THE MUST GO TO FILIPINO SEAFOOD RESTAURANT UP NORTH

 Ever since I was a kid, I would always hear my parents and relatives talk about this wonderful restaurant that they would go to. When they visit Baguio or any place up north, they would always find time to stop at MATUTINA'S SEAFOOD HOUSE and RESTAURANT.
 After a long drive, travelers tend to be tired and hungry. At MATUTINA'S, they would surely get a dose of Filipino food done right. Fresh seafood and other Filipino delicacies are served.
The menu is straight forward and gives justice to everything and anything that you might be craving for. They have specialty dishes, kilawin, vegetables, inihaw, and a lot more. Honestly, I almost passed up a chance to try this restaurant. 
Then, a doctor friend of mine reminded me to head on over and give it a go. This plus all the fun filled memories my dad used to tell us made me make a literal u-turn and go for it.
 The place has ample parking and is quite homey. It's designed like your grandma's place. Sweet and relaxing. Upfront, they serve you pastillas (free of course) and even gives you condiments and utensils which you would definitely need. If I were you though, wash your hands and use them when eating. There's nothing more fulfilling than eating with your hands.
 Since we were just a small group, we weren't able to fully order everything and anything that we would want. It was our first time there so we went with a mixed seafood platter. Filled with freshly caught shrimps, grilled squid, grilled pork, and enselada, you won't go wrong with these choices. The stuffed grill squid was cooked to perfection. It wasn't rubbery and was filled with flavors. The shrimps were fresh and the pork was pretty good too. Partnered with a lot of plain rice, the salted egg, tomatoes, onions, mangoes and grilled eggplant was to die for. It was everything and anything I dreamed of.
 Since Kare-Kare is a favorite in any Filipino restaurant, we chose to order it. At MATUTINA'S, their Kare-Kare is made with traditional roasted nuts. Although not as chewy as I would have liked, the sauce was pretty smooth and a little smoky as well. The meat and the veggies were all tender. It went well with the bagoong.
 Although we over ordered already, we still went with a bangus dish. Originally, we were thinking about an inihaw na bangus but since it might be too big for us, we just went with SISIG NA BANGUS. A variant of the Filipino staple, Sisig na bangus was a real treat. After the meal, you could check out the different things to buy at their counter. I would suggest that you get a bottle or two of the condiments that they may have.
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One thing I liked about MATUTINAS is the versatility and the freshness of the dishes. You get to choose from a wide range of Filipino delicacies done right. Furthermore, they even give out treats for free like the pastillas and even a delicious seafood soup to start things off. Plus, you could order drinks by the bottle. Not those tiny ones but the huge 1.5L. Pretty good value for money if you ask me.

 MATUTINAS could be found in Dagupan City and in Urdaneta City. The restaurant we visited was just off the Urdaneta exit of the TPLEX. They are open from 10am to 3pm then 5pm to 10pm. Try to avoid peak hours as there might be a queue.





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