M.K. Permejo

Name: Habanero Kitchen Bar Location: Cubao Expo, Quezon City Hours: 11AM-10PM

Being a regular participant in food-related threads welcomes you to a plethora of places that people, like you and I, can rave about. Brands are picking up on this fast as influencers continue to tarnish their credibility—rating their non-consumerist experience as the general treatment for all is rather weighted, and shows that it is compensation for the perks they get. The common man no longer trusts the opinions of the paid, but instead relies on their fellowmen’s recommendations who simply want to share it to the world wide web. This is one of the places that’s been on my radar for a long time. And when our momma arrived back in the motherland for a vacation, our family dinner was held at Habanero Kitchen Bar located at Cubao Expo in Quezon City.

Habanero Kitchen Bar rose to fame because of their best sellers.

Habanero three-cheese pizza

When this crowd favorite got enough hype, it was natural to see some naysayers try to tip the balance. “Nasobrahan sa pagka-thin, lasang skyflakes yung crust!” People who say this aren’t wrong though; the texture does feel the same as skyflakes’. But that isn’t to say that the dish is already bad just because it resembles a staple cracker most households carry. It has its own identity and like most chefs would argue, if you don’t like how it’s prepared here, you are free to go somewhere else.

I personally like how light it is and how its impact changes when paired with their mango habanero sauce. It elevates the whole thing and gives it an entirely new life. My 3-year-old niece loved the texture and we had no problems feeding her with it.

Oyster sisig

You’ve had oysters, you’ve had sisig, but you haven’t had oyster sisig like how Habanero does it. It’s crunchy, tender, rich, and so confusing to the senses because… How did they make it taste like this?

It’s so stupid good!

Lechon Habanero

This is the motherlode! The skin is so crispy yet the meat stays moist and juicy. Match it with mustasa and buro, and you’ll have a brief visit to the inner cosmos of your taste buds. Everything about this marries together so perfectly and appeals to the Filipino palate, it’s unlike any lechon dish you’ll ever have. I don’t care what critics say about it being ‘just like any other lechon’. I still have dreams about this lechon. I want to have a reason to always have this lechon. When I die, I want this to be my last meal. Lechon Habanero supremacy!!!

Aside from their bestsellers, we also got a few outliers that deserve some love as they were quite the order too.

Tortang talong

If this is tortang talong, then most Filipino households’ tortang talong can just be rebranded to ‘tortang tamad’. This tortang talong is just so beautiful to look at, it almost seems like it’s not tortang talong at all. It looks like an okonomiyaki with the bonito flakes on top. But don’t be fooled by its aesthetic as it is filled with talong and other goodness that is a direct elevation to what we know as the humbly cooked and peeled eggplant mixed with egg, that is the tortang talong. It’s also so convenient as it is sliced like a pizza; everyone can just grab a bite!

Truffle pasta

If you are on the lookout for the best truffle pasta, this might come as a solid third on your list. It isn’t headache-inducing with a pang of truffle oil on top, like what most places think truffle pasta is supposed to be. This is just the right amount of richness, creaminess, and vigor.

More than the food, what really made the whole experience a highly positive one was how great their customer service is. Our server, Bong, was so attentive yet patient. It’s the right balance of being available enough for simple requests and letting us be a family who’s enjoying their dinner together.

I’m intrigued to try out the other stuff on their menu that we were already too stuffed to get, namely the balut takoyaki, lengua sisig, mushroom pizza, and turon habanero. So we’re definitely coming back!

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Things to expect before you go to Habanero Kitchen Bar:

• There are no reservations. You just have to come there during their open hours.
• There is a waitlist. Once you arrive, make sure to get listed. Many want to experience the food here and will line up for it, so be prepared. You can always hang out in the neighboring shops while you wait to be seated.