DOES your Kuya (older brother) cook? In Filipino households where most of the meals are prepared by Mom and Ate (older sister), Kuya seldom cooks, but whenever he does, it’s always a special and joyous occasion — even if it’s just for breakfast on a regular day. I don’t have a Kuya, but my dad, when he was still alive, cooked. We looked forward to Sunday breakfast because he made really good fried rice and turned a can of sardines into a gourmet viand, and even his sunny side up egg was a work of art. He was the Kuya in his family, and he used to cook a lot for his parents and siblings. My husband Raff’s kuyas, Kuya Floro and Kuya Junior, both based in Sta. Cruz, Marinduque, also both cooked, and we got to taste enjoy their cooking whenever we were in Marinduque. Somehow, it’s special when Kuya cooks for you.
Kuya’s cooking. This is the concept behind Kuya J Restaurant, a casual dining restaurant chain that is set to take the local culinary scene by storm. Already with branches in SM City Marikina, SM City BF Parañaque and SM Sta. Mesa, it recently opened a new and big store at SM City Novaliches recently and is set to open a number of other branches in Metro Manila and key cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Kuya J specializes in Filipino gastronomic fares using quality ingredients, with its chefs constantly thinking of ways to add a different spin to classic dishes, and serves these in a homey and comfortable setting — just the way Kuya would if he’s the one preparing the meal for you to enjoy. Kuya J promotes family gatherings and a common love for food, and he values meaningful family bonding moments above anything else. This is why when it recently opened the doors of its SM City Novaliches store to the dining public, it had as special guests two celebrity siblings — TV host-actress Camille Prats and his Kuya J or John (John Prats), and football celebrity Phil Younghusband and his Kuya J or James (James Younghusband. The two celebrity siblings talked about how they bond over food, and they happily donned the yellow Kuya J T-shirt and did the honors of cutting the ceremonial ribbon that signaled the start of yet another successful branch of the Filipino restaurant.
The ribbon-cutting rites came after a sumptuous lunch was served, family style, to the guests. Top favorites or specialties of Kuya J were served, including Grilled Scallops (Php210), grilled scallops with cheesy buttery topping; Lumpia Presko (Php95), sautéed crabmeat and bamboo shoots stuffed in rolled malunggay-infused wrapper and served with sweet garlic sauce; and Kuya J’s Crispy Pata (Php485 for the regular size, and Php650 for the family size). Being a lumpia monster, I loved the Lumpia Presko the most. I’ve tried almost all lumpias offered by restaurants, and this is definitely one of the best. Its twist comes in the use of crabmeat to go with the bamboo shoots and other lumpia vegetable ingredients, and I loved the specks of malunggay on the lumpia wrapper. It reassures me that I’m eating something healthy.
Other appetizers served included Chorizo Dinamitas with Garlic Dip (Php170), pastry-wrapped deep-fried Jalapeños with Cebu chorizo and cheddar cheese, served with garlic mayo; Tokwa’t Baboy in Soy-Tuba Sauce (Php190), fried pork belly and tofu with tuba vinegar-infused soy sauce, served piled on a plate like a tower then drizzled with sauce and topped with fried leek shreds; and Mangga Tuna Salad (Php165), a healthy and tasty salad of fresh lettuce greens tossed with ripe mangoes and tuna flakes.
For the main course, the bevy of dishes served included Guinataang Monggo (Php185), mung beans sautéed with pork and cooked in coconut cream, simmered gently for a smooth texture; Kare-Kare (Php399), Kuya J’s take on the traditional Kare-Kare with reinvented peanut sauce; Ampalaya con Carne (Php190), stir-fried ampalaya and tender beef strips, nicely seasoned and cooked in thickened brown sauce; and Pochero (Php375), slow-cooked beef shank in a rich, savory broth with corn, saba banana, sweet potatoes and Baguio beans.
These paired well with the different kinds of rice that Kuya J offers, such as Cebu Danggit Rice (Php175) fried rice with danggit bits and chives and fried danggit topping; and Binagoongan Rice (Php165), rice cooked with bagoong alamang, topped with chopped binagoongang baboy, green mango strips, bell pepper and red onion.
To end the meal on a sweet note, Kuya J recommends its two signature desserts, Tablea Coffee Flan (Php85), Batangas tablea flavored flan with coffee caramel topped with dried coconut meat and cream; and Mango Pandan (Php80), a creamy dessert that combines mango and pandan instead of the usual buko and pandan pairing. The restaurant also has the classic Leche Flan (Php50), served with caramel sauce; and an exciting Fried Halo-Halo with Vanilla Ice Cream (Php135), which is ube, white beans, corn, nata de coco, langka and brown beans wrapped in batter and flash-fried, then served with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream on top.
