Louie has just dined here a few days ago, and he swore everything’s good, so good that it deserved a return visit right away. Empacho is a two-storey restaurant/bar offering Filipino food with a twist. Its menu is packed with so many interesting dishes served with portions to share family-style. How do Triple Bypass, Pitik Pitik Rolls, Sisig Bruschetta, Crispy Soft Shell Crab Pinakbet, Slow Cooked Beef Cheek with Adobo Sauce, and Balut Tempura sound?
If you find yourself caught in Tomas Morato without a plan and with a group of friends in tow, head on over to Empacho for lunch or dinner and you’ll have a perfectly decent time. Their food will give you a lot of pleasure. And a lot of calories! Better be warned: If on a strict and serious diet, you should probably skip it for the sake of your health. 😛
Review of Empacho (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)
Ambiance:
Empacho is a stunner. With exposed brick walls, wood surfaces, high ceiling, and comfortable seating for small and large groups, the space screams sexy. It’s a gem in the area. Successful and sweet use of polished cement on the floor gives it a natural and classy look. They may look incomplete without colors, but the actual beauty lies within the raw texture of cement being exposed to the interior. The suspended cage pendant lights with edison light bulbs are also eye-catching. All these attractive elements in the restaurant make the place more elegant with a rustic vibe that’s welcoming and appealing.
Food:
In for an exotic gastronomic adventure? Get Balut Tempura (PhP 350) on your table. Known as a tasty aphrodisiac, balut is that terrifying hard-boiled duck embryo that’s been popularized in Fear Factor. Battered tempura-style with micro arugula salad and salted egg aioli, the fertilized duck egg was soft and tender, dissolving in your mouth almost like a mousse. Just leave the albumen—the white part of the egg—behind, as it has the flavor and texture of a pencil eraser.
Cooked with Empacho’s scrumptious and rich annatto peanut sauce and served with bagoong, the Crispy Pork Kare-Kare (PhP 395) was delivered in spades. The spicy deep-fried salted pork belly was juicy and properly seasoned. The exterior was salty and extra crispy, while the interior remained tender and moist. It’s a rich combination that paired surprisingly well with the nuttiness of kare-kare. Two thumbs up!
We tried both the Aligue Rice (PhP 65) and Tinapa Rice (PhP 65), and liked the latter better. It’s every bit of delicious you could imagine it to be and every mouthful will get you satisfied! Aligue rice consisted of garlic and aligue topped with fried chili, while tinapa rice was made with tinapa flakes topped with salted egg and tomato.
Price for Value:
Empacho literally translates to indigestion. Whoever named this restaurant must be a genius. Dishes here are so indulgent and sinful. Every bite tempts you to eat more, and thus make you feel like your stomach would be bursting in fullness. Usually, that doesn’t sound good. But in true Empacho fashion, this just proves how much you enjoyed their food. Price for value is quite fair, considering the creativity and ingenuity of their offerings. Names of the food are also clearly well thought out of. This restaurant/bar in Tomas Morato is a must-try!
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