Already packed with a seemingly endless stream of dining options, Poblacion, Makati continues to come alive with more adventurous offerings. The latest addition is an exciting, new restaurant that puts the spotlight on the Filipino taste through the novel concept of offering an avant-garde, chef-driven take on Mexican street tacos. Compañeros Taqueria x Carinderia or simply Compañeros is a hole-in-the-wall taqueria owned by the husband-and-wife tandem of Philip Gonda and Regine Estillore-Gonda.
“We’re lawyers by profession so not only is the name Compañeros a nod to the Mexican influence of our cuisine but also to our day jobs,” Regine noted in a recent interview with BusinessMirror. By their own admission, the couple also considers themselves “hardcore foodies at heart.” When they first decided on taking the startup plunge, they first thought of creating a small food cart offering budget, food truck style tacos.
SINCE they have no culinary background and only rely on their taste buds, the couple figured they would still need outside help in realizing their vision. They found it in Kevin David, a young Filipino chef who not only has extensive experience in Michelin Guide restaurants in New York and San Francisco but also runs his own acclaimed fine-dining restaurant, Idalia Manila. With Chef Kevin on board as consultant, Compañeros went from a budget food cart concept to a full-blown, fast-casual restaurant.
Philip says their restaurant is “inspired by authentic Mexican taquerias, New York and California taco food trucks, and elevated Filipino street food and carinderias.” If that sounds like an intriguing combination, well it is, as I personally discovered during my visit. To kick off my dining adventure, the Gonda couple recommended I try the Entrada samplers starting with the Chilaquiles con Longgarizo which as its name suggests consisted of fried tortilla, spicy garlic longgarizo, mozzarella cheese, sunny side-up eggs and Compañeros’ own mild Salsa Verde.
Less adventurous types will also like the more traditional Chicharron Bulaklak & Guacamole and the always reliable Salsa & Chips. Sampling some of their tacos, an immediate favorite is the Al Pastor Filipino Pork BBQ which consists of slow-roasted pork, grilled pineapple, spiced vinegar aioli, and their signature barbecue sauce. Other tacos that quickly stand out are the OG Pork Sisig, the grilled steak Tapa Carne Asada, Compañeros Quesabirria and the Crispy Fish.
Yes, they all taste as good as they sound. All of the taco offerings at Compañeros also come in rice bowl variants. And they all taste even better with Compañeros’ signature salsas which aside from the aforementioned Salsa Verde, it also has the Salsa Roja and the Lacto-Fermented Fruit Salsa, both spicy.
As for beverage options, worth trying are the housemade signature Agua Frescas which consists of the refreshing Melon Horchata and the Watermelon Dayap Agua Fresca. There are also cocktails like the Margarita de Sandia and the Cream Chata while more traditional drinks like Cervezas (beer), soft drinks and even Tequila and Mezcal are also available. IN TERMS of aesthetics there’s a lot to like about Compañeros’ interiors that pay homage to street culture, particularly graffiti and street art, modern luxury street wear and the similar hole-in-the-wall restaurants of Harajuku and Itaewon.
The brand’s colors are blue, red, white, and yellow are also subtle nods to the colors of the Philippine Flag, a reflection of the owners’ love of country. The overall ambiance is meant to create a place where the guests would feel as if they are transported to a taqueria in Mexico or they are dining at some street taco place in California or New York. The resto drew inspiration from the culture, fashion scene, and the hole-in-the-wall restaurants of Harajuku and Itaewon.
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