Some Good Filipino Comfort Food from TAKAM

I was hungry as a bear so I made the decision and ordered a couple of things from TAKAM, a 24/7 Pinoy Comfort Food center in Granada, Quezon City. It's very near my place and they've packed my lunch pretty well. They have my favorite rice bowls and local congee (lugaw/goto) so it's quite perfect for rainy days. Something that you'll just sit by a window sill and curl up while holding their nice containers.

 

I kinda had it waiting on the dinner table because I had to rush and finish a few meetings, but because it's packed like these, I just popped it in the microwave and had it blitz for a few minutes. It was piping hot when I took it out (although it was still fairly warm when I did hold it up earlier since they are quite nearby). I had this CHICKSILOG which felt more like crispy Chicken karaage even if reheated. It's not too salty, just right, and they kept the egg a little runny for those who love sunny side up eggs.

They also have BANGSILOG which is fried to crisp milkfish marinated in different spices. This one was quite nice as it had a tangy, savory and very crispy. I guess the marinade really made the difference. Of course, I had to have vinegar and the atchara which I had on the fridge to make several perfect bites. I would love to also have this for breakfast. Then of course, my favorite comfort food is always congee, and TAKAM has some pretty good GOTO SPECIAL.

What's even better is that when they sent this over is that they've got the toppings packaged separately with the actual congee. What that means is that your crispy pork bits remain absolutely crispy, and not soggy because it has been in the soup too long. That's really smart of them to do and honestly, I could have this alone as a meal (sans second servings). I like my GOTO SPECIAL hot so I did blitz this a few minutes in the microwave oven, but you can opt to heat this up in a small pot because again, they've had it in separate containers. You won't burn the toppings if you had it mixed up like usual food places do. As far as the taste is concerned, it's actually very nice, you get that gingery broth with the rice so it feels quite comforting on a cold rainy night.

I also like the toppings because aside from the crackling pork, you've got crunchy garlic bits, chives, tripe, and those heavenly strips of tendon. Those fatty elements just feel like a human hug. So if you're up to no good, or simply just hungry in the wee hours of the morning and think you can't order comfort food like these, think again. They also have other silogs on the menu, Sisig, Pares, Bulalugaw, Arroz Caldo and serve em in different kinds of rice.

TAKAM Pinoy Comfort Food is also available 24/7 and you can call them via 0922 879 9264 or order via GRAB Food and Food Panda too. They have branches in Timog Avenue and Sucat so for those who are in other locations, you're covered!

Writing about this just made me hungry. :( LOL

Breakfast All Day at MoCAFE in San Juan

We had a great time walking the streets of San Juan a few days ago. The goal was to find little known restaurants and see what great food this city has to offer. We've done Quezon City in the past and that has been pretty successful. I haven't been here that much because San Juan usually is just a place to pass by when you're going to and from QC, Mandaluyong, Manila and Makati. We started with a new joint over at F. Blumentritt Street in San Juan City. It's in the same building as MOTECH which is a service center for cars. While waiting to get their cars fixed, people used to just sit and watch in the perimeter while mechanics do their work. Sometimes it takes hours, so putting up MoCAFE was definitely something smart to begin with.

The place is small and cozy. It can probably sit around 15 people but can perhaps accommodate more because there were still some space in the front where they didn't put any seats yet. It's air conditioned, they can cater to small events. They've also got cable and very strong wifi. The place has very low foot traffic so you won't see that much people to bug you when you're relaxing or reading a book with your cup of joe. People who go here usually have cars and stuff that need to be serviced by MOTECH next door, but of course there are perks off of that. You get to be comfortable and relaxed in this place while lounging, having coffee, a bottle of beer or breakfast all day!

I had this Strawberry Basil Milkshake. It's a little different from the normal ones I love which is more on the creamy side. It presents a more adventurous taste by getting you a not so common combination. It worked for me, I think it got the drink a bit more interesting. It cuts the things you eat if you had something too oily. I think it has it's own charm and it's not that expensive. The owner Chef Julia Enriquez wanted something that would not really break the bank as most of the items on the menu are not over 350. If you're just looking for something comforting and easy, MoCAFE is the place for you.

This is MoCAFE's Sirloin Tapa. It's soft, savory, sweet and salty, then it's paired with intensely garlicky rice so you kinda would love having this for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Their all day breakfast menu is planned quite good as they also got Spammin Jammin, Hashed Corned Beef, Garlic Longganisa and Pampanga Style Tocino. Although, this one is the best seller and I'm not surprised because it's really good.

Aside from the Sirloin Tapa, might I suggest you get this Bangus Belly which is more on the healthy side. They marinate the fish with Garlic, Vinegar, salt and pepper so you don't get a fishy smell. You can also ask them how your egg would be done. These plates range from 85-120 pesos so it's pretty cheap especially if you count the ambiance, the amenities of this place.

This is my Pancake Tower. The Chef made it from scratch and had this layered with cream cheese and blueberry sauce in between. I loved how they got my favorite things in one plate and if you think you can't finish this you can have it shared. Although I know you'll probably end up finishing this plate because it's quite good. The cream cheese is also addicting. The Chef wanted to make everything from scratch including the maple syrup so there's going to be remarkable improvement coming to an already good dish. I would suggest you let your friends order this so you can grab some from their plates, a pretty smart idea haha!

This one is MoCAFE's Red Velvet Pancakes. If you love Red Velvet cakes, this might be a good thing to have when you're in the joint. It's got the same taste although a bit on the floury side. I was looking for something tangy but it seems to have disappeared into the mix. Maybe a little Apple Cider Vinegar could fix it but overall it's fine. It's 2 stacks of pancakes also is mixed with a hint of chocolate with powdered sugar, a dollop of butter and syrup on top. Pretty good for a light breakfast.

This is MoCAFE's Waffle Sandwich. It's got all the things in breakfast that you'll love! Although I prefer a more browned, crunchy waffle, they made this a little softer so it would mimic a real sandwich. I think it would be better though if it were more crunchy, but of course it's a preference. It's sweet and savory in one plate, a pretty filling one at that. You'll be full in no time.

This is MoCAFE's Chunky Monkey Milkshake. It's got all the nice chocolatey things inside wallowed in Vanilla Ice Cream and Bananas. It's sweet and chocolatey, pretty good for something very affordable at 110 pesos. It could easily beat those coffee shops where you need to shell out 200 bucks to get something this big. They use Mason Jars so it's already big. I bet ladies won't even share this, it's quite good.

It doesn't look that appealing now because it was left in the air during this time but it's really good. It's a cross between coffee and soda, then a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream so it bubbles up like a float. They call this Coffee Soda Float, and I think I like it a lot!

Do not leave this place without ordering this. This is their Carbonara ala Hulya. One of the best Carbonaras I've ever had. They know how to cook it and it's VERY creamy. It's an improved recipe because the Chef wanted a better version of her mother's carbonara. It's got all the bacon, the creamy sauce you would want in a dish like this and I think this is the second best Carbonara I had in my entire life. I've had a lot of course and if it's up there in my list, it's VERY GOOD. The price point is also something to think about because this is very cheap (in a good way) compared to the expensive ones I had in other restaurants. She definitely knows what she's doing. Oh no, I'm not even hyping this thing. Trust me on the Carbonara.

Chef Julia Enriquez says  "I wanted everything home made. The next time you're here maybe I'd be able to make the maple syrup, even the butter home made. The serving here is big and we've done that to satisfy the budget conscious. I'm into volume and I hope there are more people who would be able to enjoy this in San Juan."

MoCAFE is located at 212 F. Blumentritt St., San Juan City Metro Manila, Philippines. You can call them at 09159240684. They are open everyday from 8:30am - 8:00pm so if you're in the area and looking for some place to hang out without getting bothered by the usual Starbucks crowd, try one of the coziest space in San Juan. It's worth every penny, and has got BIG servings. Again, trust me on the Carbonara. 

We'll have more of this San Juan Food Crawl on next articles so stay tuned!

For more information about their establishment:

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