The tiny Fishpond, 4416 N. Clark, in Uptown has this amazing seafood menu ranging from Escabecheng Tilapia (fried fish with sweet and sour sauce) to Halabos Na Hipon (steamed shrimp or prawns), and while the $10 price points were affordable I wasn't in the mood for that tonight. In fact, I wasn't sure what I wanted but the helpful server guided me, pointing out what American diners typically enjoy as well as dishes I might see locals enjoing in Manila.
In the end I went for the very simple, very traditional, the server says, Chicken Adobo. The dish is essentially cut up chicken simmered in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and red pepper. Did I mention the vinegar?
Oh yeahhhhh. Except for the skin, this tangy almost tart bone-in chicken dish has to be figure friendly, although the side of white rice is probably not. That said, the rice provides a service: it catches all that suck-your-cheeks-in sauce in the well of the dish. Everything about this meal was an end-of-day celebration. No, this place is nothing to look at, but the food is decent and because there's work involved -- that chicken isn't coming off the bone by itself -- you take a little more time to enjoy it. And at $8.95, it could feed two if you got some soup and an appetizer.
The hubby and I will return to try out the bargain breakfasts, including a $5.95 steak and egg dish and the more traditional Filipino tapsilog (meat, garlic rice and eggs) breakfast for $4.95.
In the meantime, check out this Cooks.com Chicken Adobo recipe:
1 whole chicken (cut into eighths)
1 whole garlic (chopped)
olive oil or vegetable/corn oil
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 whole black pepper cloves
3 dried bay leaves
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup vinegar
**7up/sprite
**1 whole lemon (cut into 4
Remember to wash your chicken very well. We recommend using the lemon (in ingredients) to scrub all over the chicken parts and rub some salt into it as well.
Heat oil and add all of the garlic, and cook until garlic is lightly browned. Add chicken and saute until the chicken is beginning to tenderize.
Add ground black pepper, whole black pepper cloves, soy sauce, and vinegar, and let simmer for 25-35 mins or until chicken is done.
Make sure to add more vinegar or soy sauce until it suits your taste (should be a bit tangy). When chicken is tender, add some 7 up if you want a sweeter taste, and let simmer for 5 more mins.
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