Tosilog in Chicago: The Search is Over!

I think it was the name -- Uncle Mike's. Or it could also be the rave. Be it online or word of mouth, I hear a lot about the restaurant.

One afternoon, I decided to just go. It was chilly and snow piles were on the road but it was not enough reason to stop me from my intention. I went anyway. Armed with GPS on one hand, I trod until I reached where it sat. Right at the corner of an intersection lobbied the famed Uncle Mike's Place. I almost ran in excitement but I decided I'd keep it cool. Sadly, I was greeted by a closed shop. It was unwise not to check the store hours (5AM - 3PM) beforehand. My mistake for having thought of Chicago like Philippines where most, if not all shops, are open at the same time - from sun up to sun down.

Was I bitter? No. Motivated? Yes! Someday, I'll arrive to an open shop.

Finally, today, I made it! When you are in a foreign country, you can't help but crave for food that reminds you of home. Silog (a concatenation of sinangag at itlog) is a Filipino's fast food. Not because they are ready made like the usual sandwiches, but because fried egg does not take too long to cook. Match it with tocino, longganisa, ham, or bangus, and you go crazy with names like tosilog, longsilog, hamsilog and bangsilog.

I was mentally ready when I got there. I knew they serve complimentary lugaw (Filipino congee) and their meals are hefty. Without delay, I ordered their Tocino breakfast for dine-in and a 3-stack pancake to go. You would think I was greedy and famished but understand that the place is just not that accessible from where I live, hence, the need to order the must-trys. 

Just as I expected, the congee was served. What I didn't know is that it came with boiled egg served separately. It was already a meal by itself. By the time my tosilog came, I was already half full. Now, remember, I said I knew the reviews said their plate is huge, but nothing prepared me for reality. It didn't look like a plate. It was a PLATTER with garlic rice, tocino pork strips, twin eggs (conjoined.. lol), tomato salad, and stalks of parsley laid neatly on it. A feast was literally set in front of me. And the challenge began. First a deep breath, like you would for a lap-long swim, then one spoonful led to another until the finish. Just as you thought you are done, they make sure you don't leave empty-handed. You go home with a take-away champorado in a small container.

Although I would say that there are better versions of tocino in the Philippines but Uncle Mike's certainly did the Filipino food representation really well in Chicago. I looked around and the Americans were digging it too. I overheard one say to the waiter, "I like the soup" (referring to lugaw). Another one dashed to the cashier saying "Was it you who cooked it? I have gotten full". I was listening and quietly felt proud for the crew. The cashier was a Filipina and by the time I signed my payment receipt, she had the Mexican waitress tuck a key chain for me after hearing it was my first visit. I would go back for the marinated skirt steak the Google reviews rave about and for their other silog entrees. Next time I'd share the plate with friends. Now.. --- I eat the pancakes!!

The owner is Polish-Ukranian married to a Filipina.

Uncle Mike's Place
1700 W. Grand Ave., 312-226-5318
unclemikesplace.com
Hours: 5 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Saturday,
6 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday

Menu:

Third at the Kuizine

You've probably only known Jo's Chicken Inato and Jollibee across The STRIP in Osmena Blvd but what you are unfamiliar of are the nearby small dining hole-in-the-walls. One of which is Kuizine. There is nothing aesthetically fancy about the restaurant except their brand that is sophisticated and painted or glued like a wallpaper. I have to be honest that I, like most, have glanced, once or twice, then just walked past it many times before, except one time when I and Laagholic ran out of new finds around Capitol site.

We entered the restaurant with a little hesitation fearing that we might be disappointed because there were no other customers besides us. We sat at the corner thinking and browsing through the pages of the menu slid in plastic page holders. I am always uncomfortable at the slightest sense of pressure which is why i dislike waiting attendants standing at the back. I think it is really self-induced. I understand that it is part of their job but my melancholy always gets the best of me. I overthink and sometimes, even assume their thoughts. In order to free them from getting irritated by slow customers like us and also save myself from "overthinking", I engaged them into a chat, went straight for that one question that narrows choices down to just 1 or 2 ---- "What are your bestsellers here?" It works 90% each time I visit a restaurant for the first time. The very patient waitress said: Tinabal and Baby Back Ribs.

Baby Back Ribs is the younger generations' pop choice. And because I am young (not lying), i took that while my friend ordered tinabal. A few minutes passed and the orders came one after the other.

Tinabal is famous in Philippines' Visayas region, particularly in Leyte. This is no easy cooking because preparing it involves a delicate process and not to mention hours of waiting. Parrot fish is scaled, eviscerated, split (maybe deboned too) and soaked in brine solution for 2 hours. Afterwhich, it is removed from the solution, re-salted, and then put in a plastic pail for 24 hours. Remove the fish and dry by patting salt onto it again. Ferment by storing it in room temperature for 1 or 2 weeks.

I wonder how they do it in restaurants when orders keep coming in. Perhaps they ferment several kilos of fish ahead of time to make sure they wouldn't run out of stocks.

I couldn't, for certain, say that Kuizine's version resembles the authentic ones but even if it didn't I would still say with much delight that theirs did not run short of "wows" and "oohs" from us. I particularly like how the fermented fish was cooked such that the outer layer is crisp while the inside was still juicy and tender. The presentation of the dish looked well thought off. The color was festive and vibrant. It was salty but I guess it wouldn't be tinabal if it wasn't marinated in salt. Sauteed tomatoes, ginger, onion, and garlic gave it superb flavor. It was very evocative of my dad's cooking except that his version used sun-dried salted fish.

Baby back ribs, on the other hand, has invaded Cebu quite vastly. It is spelled in bold and sometimes italics in almost every restaurant. It has gone too mainstream such that they almost just taste alike. Kuizine's version certainly has joined the awesome band wagon and sits well in it.

For me, however, tinabal definiteIy makes Kuizine distinctive. And I will remember their chef and crew for serving that indisputable delicious treat.

First visit: with Laagholic

Second visit: with my Baby

Third visit: with tinabal (solo)

I've come face to face with that parrot fish (tinabal) thrice this year: first with Laagholic, second with my baby, and the latest, by myself. Each time, meaningful: laughter, love, reflection. The last being introspective and spiritually boosting. Other than Jeremiah 29:11 and Psalm 37:4 (scriptural verses on flower pots), I caught sight of a wall piece that read:

I left thinking when my 4th will be. Just crazy!!

Kuizine's owners are from Leyte and they also sell their homemade "Bahalina" - the type that could take down "sukang Pinakurat" (which now sadly tastes very commercial).

Wallet Watch: P165 to P250

Kuizine
The Art of Comfort Food
Centero Arcade, The Boulevard Complex,
Osmena Blvd, Capitol, Cebu City

Tel. No. 2544640

2Story Delight

Formerly Noriter, now 2 Story Kitchen, this coffee bar and restaurant seems to be unrelenting when it comes to persisting to survive and succeed.

A few months ago, while driving along Sta. Catalina St., I noticed that AVON office was already closed, however, its adjacent space looked like there were construction works going on. It was interesting because the once plain concrete walls of the building are now accentuated with wooden elements.

 

Just last week, I had the chance to pass by the area again and this time, it looked like the construction was complete. I shrugged the fact that just across it, Noriter, once flocked by customers, was already closed. It was disappointing but we were getting used to shops opening then calling it quits a year or two after.

 
I, my sister, and my nephew decided to walk into the new shop and something struck me too familiar, too quickly. She couldn't be a twin, so I asked, "Weren't you the cashier of Noriter?" which she answered, "Yes". It was also then that I realized that the old location was shut because the owner had other plans for the building. I tried seeking for information about the re-branding but she knew too little about it. She did, however, share that the owner of the restaurant is Korean and is also the person behind the artistic interior design. You can't help but notice the owners fondness of collecting artifacts from very old posters and drawings to interesting toys. All play the part of adding to the warm but playful ambiance. The mint green color kind of pulls the childish mood in you.

When we were about to order, the cashier cut our thoughts by offering that we go up to the 2nd floor to find a spot and then decide what items to buy. We understood her insistence to usher us upstairs because the store indeed had something more to showcase. Colorful string curtains hung to hide the cozy wooden cubicles which served as students and friends' effective hangout. Some cubes have tables in the center equipped with a buzzer to get waitresses' attention when making an order. Beyond the 2nd story enclosure, is a veranda designed for smoking customers. We didn't stay long upstairs because our 1 year old companion loiters just about everywhere, including the stairs.

 Food was surprisingly good too. I couldn't get over their avocado shake that was not only affordable but done with the right sweetness and consistency. My sister ordered a winter melon shake and we shared the vegetarian pizza (P170) and American style burger (P155) which came with a handful of french fries. I think I may have gobbled the food too fast that I regret not having taken a picture of it before it completely disappeared from the plate.

Is it worth a repeat? Definitely!

2 Story Kitchen
Sta. Catalina Street, 6200 Dumaguete City
09156451995

Cafe Noriter (Cebu)
One Acacia Unit 10&11,
Arch Bishop Reyes Ave
6000 Cebu City

Opens Everyday: 9:00 am - 11:00 pm
Phone    0927 364 7138
Email    karma789@nate.com

More reviews here:

Proudly Dumaguete
TripAdvisor

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Finding Joed's

I only wanted California Maki but it got me a friend's company and a pancake-like food entree. It was right after work and I remember hurrying my way from the office to get to McDonalds at Escario St. to meet Bee so we could hit Joed's for a sumptuous Japanese food trip.

At McDonalds, we hiked our way to Juana Osmena St. to get to Joed's. As you may know, jeepneys do not pass through this street as it is quite a narrow access road to Mango Ave. unless you hire a taxi. Joed's restaurant is formerly located at Mabolo and used to be just an extension of a house. Minus the hanging banners of Japanese images and drawings, one would find it as just an ordinary "carenderia". I remember being brought there by a former housemate for his despedida party. The beef teriyaki was so delicious and plentiful. This time I was all set to taste their California Maki in their new location beside Sacred Heart Girls High School.

California Maki

that Pancake-Pizza hybrid!!

We arrived at the place and I am delighted to finally find it after its unheard transfer from Mabolo. From the outside, you will begin to hear the sound of a live band playing and some people chattering from the tables set up outside the shop. Upon entering the premise, we were sure about our orders - a plate of California Maki for me while Bee ordered this round pancake sliced in four like a solo pizza (Okonomiyaki). I enjoyed my maki which I always associate for a healthy food due to its cucumber, tuna, and mango ingredients. It was served in an eye-candy presentation making it look all the more tempting. Okonomiyaki, on the other hand, which I had the privilege to taste had the texture and flavor of a pancake topped with chopped onion leaves, salty-sweet dark sauce, and mayonnaise. It was surprisingly delectable and I would gladly choose it over plain pancakes if given the choice.

That Joed's visit was truly an answer to Japanese food craving. We had to walk again from the restaurant to go to the Capitol - and guess what? To hunt One Claypot, the next food destination.

Price Peek: Joed's has their menu price range from as low as P45 - P250 and it is guaranteed to get you full after the last spoonful. See more details by visiting their Facebook page, Joed's Lutong Hapon.

Further Readings:
Cebu Food Spot
Everything Cebu

Location:
Joed's Lutong Hapon - Branch 1
G/F Enmore Residence Hall
257-A Don Jose Avila St.,Capitol Site, Cebu City
For Delivery, contact 09173100885.
OPEN: Monday- Sunday from 11AM-1AM
 

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Joed's Lutong Hapon - Branch 2

F. Cabahug St. Cor. Pres. Quirino 
Ayala Access road (Panagdait, Mabolo),  
Cebu City, Cebu 6000, Phiippines

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