The tacos at Compañeros Poblacion are powered by the expertise of Idalia’s Kevin David and a lawyer couple’s first foray into meals
Welcome to a different taco place in Poblacion that would very nicely be your subsequent pre- or post-game spot. Like most new eating places springing forth from out of the blue, there’s quite a bit to unpack on the two-level taqueria/carinderia at Matheus Constructing.
Referred to as Compañeros: Taqueria x Carinderia, the self-supported and compact taqueria overlooking Common Luna Avenue has an attention-grabbing basis. First, the house owners behind it, Philip Gonda and Regine Estillore-Gonda, are full-time legal professionals with a severe devotion to Mexican tacos and Filipino avenue meals. They initially wished a small meals cart for his or her startup however finally—courageously—dove headfirst into opening a quick informal taqueria.
Maybe that is one such telling issue of their lawyer qualities they appear to have utilized to foodservice, which embody composure, judgment, analytical expertise, and creativity.
“Since I’m in litigation, the creativity in cross-examining a witness, I used to be capable of apply it [here in conceptualizing the restaurant],” says Philip matter-of-factly, including that they do every part themselves like manning the register. Regine in the meantime, whose work is extra behind the scenes and is “the writing type of lawyer,” manages the operations and “organizational” facet of the enterprise. “That’s extra my factor.”
Admittedly rookies within the subject of foodservice, the couple nevertheless have bona fide superstars of their kitchen—most notable of which is chef marketing consultant Kevin David who has loads of bankable restaurant expertise in New York Metropolis and San Francisco and who can also be establishing himself in Manila along with his personal eating idea Idalia Manila.
“Telling tales together with your meals may be very essential,” he instructed us in a earlier interview.
And on this newest pairing of ardour and expertise ensuing from months of analysis, brainstorming, and meals testing, Compañeros is telling a chef-driven story with tacos impressed by Mexican taquerias, New York and California meals vans, and Filipino avenue meals which are well-suited to the surroundings they’re in. They discover flavors and play with them significantly nicely with out the necessity for bombast or pretense.
The taco record is succinct: an al pastor Filipino pork barbecue, beef birria, tapa carne asada (made with Australian ribeye), pork sisig, and a seasonal fish priced between P275 to P660. However you would additionally get the P980 taco flight with three signature salsas in case your style buds fancy it. Or, savor them as rice bowls as an alternative.
Wanting on the menu, the tacos feed off one another gracefully and enchantment to quite a few preferences and appetites, and virtually introduces their reputable try at placing Filipino delicacies on the forefront of worldwide flavors—in taco format.
Daily is Taco Tuesday at Compañeros
So how does this love letter to Filipino delicacies, moms and lolas, carinderia house owners and avenue meals distributors learn? It’s homage performed proper.
The tacos are hefty (for me, a minimum of) together with your chosen protein both sitting on the corn tortilla or folded in on itself. One among my private favorites, the Compañeros Quesabirria, comes enclosed in a cheese-crusted corn tortilla and generously crammed with an unique beef birria recipe that provides it a agency chunk. The slight warmth makes it equally satisfying, too.
However it’s the seasonal crispy fish taco that makes essentially the most impression, because of their use of catfish (on the night time I attempted it) and mixture of exhausting and gentle flavors from the mango ensalada and pico de Gallo. Creamy and crunchy and, as anticipated, just a little bit messy to eat, it’s an attention-grabbing taco that takes you on a journey of the ocean and the earth.
Elsewhere, the OG Pork Sisig taco is fueled by crunch whereas the Tapa Carne Asada options an Australian ribeye for carnivorous appetites.
The al pastor Filipino pork barbecue is an satisfying and smoky nod to a avenue meals traditional with the marinated pork slow-roasted on a trompo (vertical grill). The grilled pineapples and pinakurat aioli impressed by the native sawsawan full the sweet-savory-spicy spin.
However don’t overlook the entradas too, significantly the chilaquiles with longgarizo (an amalgamation of spicy garlic longganisa and chorizo), which sees the dish construct on the premise of “compañero”: sharing meals with your folks.
With a reputation that nods to their occupation and a job in drawing prospects right into a gap within the wall for comforting affairs, the workforce behind Compañeros fastidiously crafts and conveys an identification that pays homage to a beloved dish that also feels assuredly their very own.
