How Mang Inasal satisfies the Rice-Eating Pinoys

 Mang Inasal’s delicious food offerings bring out the quirks in Filipino food lovers to embrace the sarap ng kaing Pinoy experience.

There is no denying that the Filipino’s have an undying love for food. Our fiesta-driven culture is full of celebrations marked by the partaking of food. In fact, Filipinos have made it a point to find almost every reason to eat. Any Pinoy gathering, name it, and food will always be a part of it. 

Interestingly, food-loving Pinoys have developed quirky eating habits -– from their generous use of condiments to their shameless use of hands during boodle fights.

Customers can satisfy their cravings for Pinoy comfort food with Mang Inasal’s paborito meals.

Mang Inasal, the home of the 2-in-1 sa laki, nuot sa ihaw sarap chicken inasal, has not only  captured the taste of Pinoy comfort foods. It has also encouraged a dining experience where everyone is comfortable to show their eating habits, making for a true sarap ng kaing Pinoy moment with loved ones.

I remember the very first time that my best friend and I brought her French-Canadian husband Pierre to Mang Inasal. He fell in love at first bite with the Mang Inasal chicken. He even managed to eat with his bare hands and enjoyed dipping them in the mixed soy sauce, calamansi and vinegar sauce. He also put a lot of annato oil on both his mounds of unlimited rice and chicken. To think we never really thought he'd be able to enjoy eating that much! If a foreigner whose totally clueless how one should eat chicken inasal would enjoy that much, what more could the typical Filipinos, right?

Chicken Deli SM Annex North Edsa Food Review: Feasting on Bacolod's Chicken Inasal

Foodies went crazy when Bacolod's signature dish--chicken inasal was brought to Manila by a lot of food establishments who were all claiming to be "the original". But those who have been to Bacolod and were able to try the ones being sold there would certainly distinguish 

and taste the difference. I'm no food expert, but the ones sold at Chicken Deli would be the closest thing to the 'real chicken Bacolod inasal'. The ones I've tried before were either too sweet (influences perhaps from the American version of chicken barbecue) nor too bland. It's not surprising because Chicken Deli truly originated from Bacolod. 

Chicken Deli humbly originated from a small, clean and open-air hut eatery in 14th Lacson Street, Bacolod City. The restaurant's name came from the word chicken delicious--thus, it became Chicken Deli. In 1983, Mamang Lourdes created the restaurant in order to raise her children because she was widowed at a very young age of 29. She used her kitchen skills and secret marination recipes for the restaurant which were patronized by both the locals and foreign visitors alike. Soon, it became a tourist destination. Chicken Deli became a hit that it has now a lot of branches and even made its way to Manila. 

Chicken Deli offered a palate-tingling sensation that ranges from the simple joys of eating marinated chicken char-grilled to perfection to other lip-smacking cornucopia of food mixes and textures. With affordable meals + eat-all-you-can-rice and free bowl of hot soup, Chicken Deli truly gives value for your money. 

Feasting on Chicken Deli's pechopak (chicken breast and wings) was indeed a joy to begin with. Their chicken inasal is what inasal's supposed to taste like. And it's perfectly grilled--unlike the other inasal restaurant I've tried before where there were red blood oozing out of the chicken. (Sorry for such gory details.) Chicken Deli's Bacolod inasal is best eaten with the three bottles on the table: soy sauce, Sinamak (a local vinegar with spices on them) and of course, the chicken annatto oil. Mix all these three together along with calamansi (Philippine lemon) and some chili and you're in for the best chicken inasal meal of your life! For the locals (which foreigners should also try), it's best to consume with your bare hands. 

Oops, just do not forget to wash your hands properly first with soap and water for safety.  Usually, grilled chicken has the tendency to be dry, but this is what the chicken annatto oil is made for, just a few drops of this magic orange oil and voila! Say buh-bye to chicken dryness. In fact, so good was the annatto oil that my nephew Kyle would even put them on generous drops on his rice. After dining for lunch at Chicken Deli, what else can I say but "Namit Gid!"

Chicken Deli are located at SM City Bacolod, Bacolod Main branch, Lopues East Center Bacolod and Chicken Deli SM Annex (QC). 

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are my own. 

Juan Stop Inasal: Authentic Ilonggo Foods within your Budget

It was truly surprising to have stumbled upon a food establishment on that part of Balete Drive and P. Tuazon on N. Domingo, San Juan. An al fresco dining that features authentic Ilonggo fare, Juan Stop Inasal will surely make a great pit-stop for commuters and those who live in nearby areas. What used to be a family garage now sports a dining area with a festive ambiance. "We started out as a takeout counter and eventually opened a dining area in September 2013," says Stephen Christian Po, proprietor of Juan Stop Inasal. "This food business started because my wife and I couldn't find any restaurant in the Metro that serves authentic chicken inasal. So we've thought of my grandma's recipe of the chicken inasal and from there, we were able to develop our recipe according to our own taste," added Po.  

Juan Stop Inasal had that inviting ambiance from its wooden tables and benches, to the colorful wall signage, free wifi connection, a reading area (where one could take some magazine and read as you wait for your order) to the fast service--it is the kind of food establishment that you'd want to linger on and chat with family and friends alike. Oh, and Juan Stop Inasal has an enclosed glass grilling area where one can see how your orders are cooked but sans the smoke coming from the grill. 

Chicken Inasal seems like a very simple recipe-chicken marinated in a mix of ginger. Garlic, brown sugar, calamansi and vinegar, grilled to perfection until the skin is tinted with an appetizing orange or yellowish color and the meat is amazingly tender and juicy. But the real inasal stems from the incredible combination of both savoury and smoky tastes that's actually hard to recreate or even describe. When doused with one's own formula for dipping sauce (it could be soy sauce with chili, calamansi, sinamak vinegar or even sugar)--it is the most flavorful and fulfilling meal one will definitely ask for more. 

There are several chicken inasal chains in Manila but only a few truly knows how to make an authentic chicken inasal. I have always been in search of finding 'the real thing' so each time I try on an 'inasal', I would mark it if it has passed my standards or failed. I'm such a huge fan of Ilonggo food that's why I got so excited upon learning that Juan Stop Inasal offers not just chicken inasal but other Visayan favorites like Batchoy, Ilonggo's finest longganisa, Negros style spicy bangus sardines, and Ilonggos in Manila will be happy to note that even the rare KBL (Kadios, Baboy, Langka) which I seldom find on Ilonggo restaurants is available here. They also have grilled liempo in two variants: hickory barbecue and salt and pepper, pork barbecue, dinuguan, pancit and sisig. 

Here's my verdict: I commend Juan Stop Inasal for their jumbo inasal meal with unlimited garlic rice and unlimited iced tea because it is truly a good value for money at Php105, all-in! Imagine getting mounds of unlimited garlic rice and unlimited drinks--you're tummy will certainly be happy after consuming every rice-you-can-eat and drink-all-you-can-iced-tea. I also loved its authentic Ilonggo taste--it isn't sweet unlike other chicken inasal I have tried from other restaurants that 'claim' to be 'authentic'. What I've had at Juan Stop Inasal tastes just the way chicken inasal should be--it's probably done the way they do it in Bacolod or Iloilo. I should know as I've been to Iloilo before and tasted the 'real thing'. For me, Juan Stop Inasal's version of chicken inasal passed my standards. 

Hefty chicken portion size, delightfully crispy skin, soft and succulent meat, Juan Stop Chicken Inasal tasted pretty heavenly. It definitely held its own, despite other sumptuous dishes (which were all wiped out). While you're at it, do not forget to ask for the chicken oil mixed with the dipping sauce basics when you eat their inasal. There was nothing that my group and I didn't finished off, so you can imagine how stuffed we were after our meal! 

Do try to order their sizzling pork sisig, it's one of the BEST I've ever had! And I am totally raving about it even days after I've had that meal. For Php130 per order, it's good enough for two to three persons. You can even pair it with a bottle of beer for that perfect meal. I can assure you, it's definitely worth the trip! 

Juan Stop Inasal's hickory grilled liempo was also outstanding. Its got that sweet and spicy taste of charred pork. Although it had bits of bones on it, but pairing it with their garlic rice brings satisfaction. As for the KBL, I really think kadios is basically an acquired taste. I love it although I'm not really a fan of pork. For those not familiar with kadios, it looks like a small black bean (similar with tausi but not salty), the soup had that tangy unique taste on its own. If you're craving for Visayan food and you're on a budget, Juan Stop Inasal is the go-to place. 

You can even purchase your favorite Ilonggo delicacies as pasalubong or as desserts to cap off your lovely meal. 

I only have two words for Juan Stop Inasal, "Namit Gid!". 

Juan Stop Inasal delivers on limited area nearby. Call 570-5653 for delivery and advance orders. 

Juan Stop Inasal is located at N. Domingo Street between P. Tuazon and Balete Drive (near Religious of the Virgin Mary Convent). Special thanks to Mr. Stephen Christian Po and his lovely wife and to Mr. Ian Atienza.

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are my own. 

Chef Gene Gonzalez' Recipe: Chicken Inasal

Chef Gene Gonzalez' Chicken Inasal

Ingredients:

2 pcs. Chicken leg and thigh or whole chicken, cut into 2

1 1/2 cups of water for boiling

1 tbsp. tamarind paste

3 pcs. Tanglad white part, pounded (lemongrass)

1 pc. Chili labuyo

1 tbsp. sea salt

1 tsp. cracked peppercorn

1 pc. Bay leaf

1 pc. Onion, finely chopped

3 tbsps. Atsuete water

5 grams ginger

2 tbsp. local patis and Achuete oil (annato oil)

Procedure:

Marinate chicken overnight with Achuete water, tamarind paste, tangled, silicon labuyo, peppercorns, salt, onions, patis and ginger. Boil chicken until half-cooked with water and bay leaf. Set aside. Grill chicken while brushing with Achuete oil. Grill until skin is crispy and a bit charred. 

I'm sure you guys will certainly enjoy this delicious kitchen recipe from popular celebrity chef Gene Gonzalez.