Cucina ni Bunso... A surprise find... Nice ambiance and good food. For this one, hubby agrees with me that the food really tastes great. The best sinigang I've ever tasted in a restaurant. We really enjoyed our time eating. The staff are really accommodating and nice and the best surprise of all, the chef and owner of this resto is Chef Mel Martinez. For the homey appeal, efficient service, and delicious food, the price is reasonable. I will definitely recommend this to friends and family.
Super sarap lahat ng inorder nmen - ung appetizer platter, Mel's chicken, pakbet with bagnet ba un..seafood kare-kare..and yung desserts na buko pandan & fruity turon chorva..nalimut ko na names haha.. da best ang food & service & ang bait ng mga tao lalo na ni Mel Martinez :)
The food was great, the service was great and the owner Chef Mel's personal touch made the event extra special. ���������� Keep it up �
I am not exaggerating, but their Beef Bone Nilaga is the best I've had in my life so far.
The staff is very warm and pleasant, excellent service. The menu needs improvement, too small fonts and photos do not give justice to the food they serve! Will definitely bring my friends and family here! PANALO!
A must place to visit in QC sobrng relaxing ng place, nice and sweet ng mga staff, and the food sobrng sarap hnd ka mapapahiya
The service at Cucina - Superb! The food? Awwww the food?! Yumeeeeh! I fell in love with Mel's Chicken and Halo halo turon for dessert! Our guests from overseas enjoyed the food as well from Pata, Sinigang na Salmon, KareKare, lahat ng food na sinerve, MASARAAP! Super sulit and we will definitely going to share and promote this to people we know! Thank you Cucina ni Bunso!
Lapidez Gallardo Jhane Jhane
+5
Nice food nice place
Everybody welcome every food is so yummy
Food - Outstanding (Awesome!!!)
Ambiance - Very Good
Staff/Service - Outstanding
With additional surprise to celebrants and personal involvement of Mel Martinez ���
Yesterday we celebrated mother's day at Cucina ni Bunso and we are very satisfide with all the foods that we ordered.Kc ba nman eh c Mel Martinez pla ang chef noh at npa accomodating ng mga tao nya.Thank you very ksi we enjoyed our dinner w/ my family .I will recomend to my friends and we will be back again.
Awesome foods & accommodating staffs.. Thanks for the very warmth treatment to all of us Chef Mel.. �
The food was delicious and original. The staff were friendly and accommodating. I felt so important when the owner himself gave me a call to greet me personally and it was Mel Martinez from HALF SISTERS :-)
EsOr De Guzman Dionisio
+5
excellent service, yummy foods���sulit sa budget. for sure babalik kme with my relatives..
Ang sarap lang sa feeling na parang matagal na kayong magkakilala tapos pinagluto ka pa niya. Hehe. You're the best, Chef Mel! Salamat po ng marami sa napakasarap na food, sa mababait na staff at sa magandang Cucina! Sa uulitin po. God bless! ;)
Jennifer Philip Magdaraog
+5
Highly recommended...i was not there during my dad's 70th bday but my family jst loved it.
Thanks for the delicious food
We love it ��
The best nilagang baka is undeniably Chef Mel's fresh take on an ol' time favorite. The halo halong turon is amazing! Must try!
napanuod q sa kris tv na na-feature itong cucina ni bunso...grabe sa tv plng naka2tulo na ng laway sa sarap lhat ng food na pinakita nla...
BEST food everr ! Remember to bring your family!!
food is great! you can even adjust the level of asim in your order sinigang. the place is nice and mr mel martinez is very friendly and makes you feel you are home :)
Romel De Castro Rodriguez
+5
A filipino food with a twist! we will surely back again and again!♥️
Great food! Nice place and friendly staff!
Quick service and tasty food!!!! Can't wait to have another memorable experience at Cucina ni Bunso! :D
Carlo Jose Dialogo Cabrera
+5
Great food! Great People! :) #iLovecucinanibunso
Divinagracia L. Buenaventura
+5
Sarap na babalikbalikan! Value for money indeed. Highly recommended.
Jenny Dela Peña Brigino
+5
Great food and cozy ambiance..we enjoyed much!
hands down!! food is crazy good!!!
Michelle Aquino-Datuin
+5
Good service. Nice Ambiance. Best Food.
Enjoy!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
FOOD DELIVERY WAS LATE!!!
I ordered food delivery from Cucina ni Bunso from Zomato. It took about 3 hours for the food to be delivered :( Had I not called for follow-up after the expected delivery time (which was 80 mins after I placed the order), I would not know that there was a rider problem. I was informed it would take another 45 mins for my food to be delivered. I ordered around 7:30pm, my food was delivered at around 10:30pm :(
I couldn't cancel since there was no food prepared in our house and I couldn't order at that time already. The supervisor offered 50% discount for the inconvenience. It was a good gesture but I hope that this incident would not happened again. It was more important for me to get my food delivered as expected. This was not the first time Zomato delivered my food order late.
FOOD REVIEW
Now for the food review. I ordered Meliton Spring Rolls, Beef Kare-Kare, and Heavenly Trio. All were good! The Meliton Spring Rolls is like a Vietnamese fresh spring rolls. It has Vermicelli noodles, lettuce, and mango with peanut sauce on the side. The beef in Kare-Kare was so tender. I also love the sauce. It was "malinamnam". For our dessert, the Heavenly Trio was also good but a bit sweet for my taste.
Tried this with my family. It was value for money. More than the servings being big the taste was great as well. A bowl of sinigang is too much for a family of three. But we were happy to bring home what we couldn't finish.
The staff were friendy. But parking can be an issue though.
It was a chance to visit Quezon City to spot amazing dining experiences. My friend is from the area. I should continue to explore Tomas Morato vicinity most especially. Other Zomato users made no mistake when they rated this restaurant as one of the top picks. We got three dishes and they all rated high in my opinion. My friend, Anne shares the same sentiment.
Cucina ni Bunso could be considered a hidden gem to some who don’t frequent the area since its signage isn’t very noticeable and it is located close, yet not on the main road of Tomas Morato. The interiors are very simple yet charming. The staff are overly friendly, emitting positive vibes while you order.
Upon trying the Appetizer sampler, we liked the cheesy turon most. We didn’t enjoy the Seafood chowder much as we found it overly thick and salty. The binagoongan is good yet more on the salty, sweet side. I personally prefer the salty, spicy variation. We really liked the roasted chicken ni Mel and appreciated the generous serving sizes.
Though I’m not as ecstatic to return since we had more misses that hits the last time, I’m not averted to trying more things on their menu.
Halo halo and turon are 2 of my favorite foods and the thought of the 2 in one dish sounded very appealing. :) The amount of food is definitely for sharing. Please keep this in mind when eating here. :) Halo halo turon is kinda a deconstructed sort of dish in its presentation. i loved the ice cream! Sweet and i taste a balancing bitter as well. The halo halo turon is a bit sweet for me. The ice cream should be eaten with it. The bipolar iced tea helped refresh the taste buds. Loved the iced tea - lemony and minty. I think the price is very reasonable for the serving size. I may go back to try the main dishes. The place is ok but it did not have that really homey feeling as I think it was aiming for.
Had their Appetizer Sampler, Beef bone Nilaga, Chicken ni Mel, Five spice Pork, Pakbet with Lechong Kawali, and Halo-halo Turon. The nilaga was a hit! As in home run!.. The chicken was tasty although it was a little dry. Their pork was a dud, as in it lacked seasoning and you can't even taste the five spice. They should also rename the pakbet as binagoongan. The only redeeming element of the turon was the sugar beet ice cream. Overall, the ambience was nice and homey. It was a hit or miss on the dishes though and the biggest downside is they don't have parking. The service was great, the staff are attentive. Maybe it also has to do with the day and time of our visit- we were the only customers at that time.
It was a chance to visit Quezon City to spot amazing dining experiences. My friend is from the area. I should continue to explore Tomas Morato vicinity most especially.
Other Zomato users made no mistake when they rated this restaurant as one of the top picks. We got three dishes and they all rated high in my opinion. My friend, Anne shares the same sentiment.
What's best is their aldente Seafood Carbonara. It had generous portions of toppings on a well seasoned cream sauce.
Another must have is their Chicken Pesto Kare Kare. When pesto collided with peanut sauce, it's almost like curry. It's a really nice strong taste. No need for alamang on this version.
Our server, Shine also made our total experience memorable. He was with us on our journey, it's like having another companion. Thanks to him, we even got a free ice cream dessert.
This restaurant is one of the hidden gems in the Tomas Morato area. Their Mel's Chicken is an absolute favorite of mine. Perfect for dates as well as small events. You will love the interiors and even their toilets.
Pro tip: Do not give them your cellphone number unless you are prepared to receive texts about holding events at their restaurant. Hahahaha! Very annoying but I still like the place.
I love finding cute and dainty restaurants in the metro. Found Cucina ni Bunso via zomato and the food didn't disappoint at all. The ambiance of the place was very welcoming and homey. We ordered the appetizer platter for starters. Then had some Seafood KareKare, Chicken ni Mel and CNB Liempo. Loved the presentation of the food but what really won my heart was the Liempo. It's probably one of the bests I've tasted so far. 👍🏻
(AUG 20/16) Hey chef Mel Kuliti Martinez! THANK YOU for a very WARM welcome everytime i dine in with friends and family.. You're a GREAT person indeed inside and out 💋 and you treat your guests and staff as your family.. thats what i like about you... Sa CUSINA NI BUNSO, Its NOT JUST your GOOD FOOD, GREAT PLACE (So Homey) Great staff but as YOU! How you WELCOME and TREAT everyone and be a FAMILY... How you make your guests so comfortably comfortable 😊❤❤❤
A RESTAURANT that makes a DIFFERENCE!❤😊👍👍👍
KEEP IT UP and the good Lord will surely BLESS YOU😊 @cucinanibunso
Perfect place to Dine in if you wanna be comfy and homey...
GOOD FOOD, GOOD FRIENDS with GOOD PEOPLE to take care of you and AWESOME CHEF Mel around you... :-)
(Feb 11/14) I had a WONDERFUL TIME here last night Feb 11 2014 ♥♥♥
See you Cusina ni Bunso again and again and again☺☺☺
GOD BLESS!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Finally! An invite that fit my schedule and location. Super thanks to ZomatoPH and their partner Manila Bulletin & Cruising Magazine for this event entitled Taste: Travel For Food, in celebration of the magazine's 16th Anniversary. 🎉🎊
Place:
Cucina ni Bunso looks so refreshing with it's white and green design, I love the white fence and interior of the place as it gives a homey vibe. I was actually a bit surprised when I entered, from the outside it kinda looks so small, but they were able to accommodate all of us (around 30-40 guest).
Food:
For the appetizer, they served us the Meliton Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce. I'm not into veggies that much but I really liked this dish. The vegetables were fresh and the sauce was a perfect add-on. For the main course, they prepared Chicken Kare-Kare with Pesto, It has thigh and breast part then eggplant, petchay, spring beans and banana bud. I was actually looking for any sign of pesto sauce in the dish but didn't find any, I was really amazed that the pesto flavor is more empowering than the peanut sauce, Loved it! 👍 They also served us Pork Binagoongan topped with ripe mango. The meat was tender and well marinated with the sauce however this dish was a bit salty for me, though I'm guessing that the mango is there to balance the taste. As for the dessert, they served us the Halo-halo Turon in Sugar Beets Ice Cream. This one is my favorite! Imagine all the halo halo ingredients wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, dusted with brown sugar then fried until golden brown then served with handcrafted ice cream and leche flan. yum! 😋 perfect finale for the night.
Cucina Ni Bunso definitely deserve the "Filipino cuisine with a twist" label. :)
P.S. A special thanks to Zomato Family esp. to Trish! And to my fellow foodies, KC, Hannah, B, Brie, Angel, Gel, Jody, Giselle and Nerisse (hope I spelled everyone's name correctly). ☺️
Many thanks to Zomato and Cruising Magazine for the invite to the 11th leg of the Taste: #TravelForFood project! Cucina ni Bunso does serve Filipino food with a twist! :)
We first had the Meliton's Spring Rolls, which had crisp greens and sweet mango slices. They reminded me of the Vietnamese spring rolls I have tasted before. I's prefer vinegar to peanut sauce, though.
For our viands, we had two: kare-kare with pesto and pork binagoongan. I prefer the former because it's such a surprising twist to a Filipino classic. Even if it lacks the peanut-y flavor of kare-kare, the pesto more than makes up for it. It's not overwhelming, and it went well with the bagoong. The binagoongan, on the other hand, was like others I've tried, save for the mango slices on top. I felt like eating mango with bagoong basically.
Lastly, we had the halo-halo turon with home-made sugar beet ice cream! WINNER!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I was surprised when I opened my email account. I received an invitation from Ms Elaine, a Community Manager at Zomato Philippines. The invitation was all about Cruising Going Places- Manila Bulletin x Zomato. The restaurant that was featured on its 11th leg was #Cusina Ni Bunso which is located at 117 Scout Lozano Street Sacred heart, Quezon City.
Though the restaurant is out of my way, I gladly accepted the invitation. Alam mo yung feeling na excited ka talaga cause it’s your first time to participate in this kind of event/meet up. From Ortigas (the place where I am working), I rode in a bus heading to North Bound and descended in GMA. I hailed a jeepney going to Tomas Morato and asked the driver to drop me in the nearest point going to Scout Lozano.I asked random people regarding on the directions going to Cucina ni Bunso so I can make it at 06:00 PM. Luckily, I made it.
Let us have a run down on the foods that we have experienced.
• MELITONS SPRING ROLL (Vegetarian Delight with Mango and Basil )
Upon seeing the presentation, I quickly grab my phone and took a picture of it. The appearance is really good. It’s not messy. I liked the freshness of the vegetables. The Mango, which gives taste to the Spring Rolls is surrounded by a fresh Basil. It is a perfect complement to its dip.
• PORK BINAGOONGAN and CHICKEN KARE-KARE
Those were the main courses that were served to the foodies. The Chicken Kare-Kare is the best. The chicken is well-cooked. I would love to have this all day.
The Pork Binagoongan is also good. Typical Filipino Dish. Tender Meat.
• Halo-Halo turon Sugar Beets Ice Cream
What you gonna do with the dessert?
Picture that, Dip that and Eat that. Hahahaha. LOL
It was so good. Yung Halo-Halo ay nakabalot sa turon. O diba, Pilipinong-Pilipino ang datingan. It can be dip in the Sugar Beets Ice Cream. Actually, I was thinking to request for another round of dessert kaya lang nahiya naman ako. Hahahaha
Unfortunately, Chef Mel was not able to attend on the event. But still the staffs are good. They are really accommodating. Wow, what a wonderful dining experience it was.
Thank you Zomato Philippines. Manila Bulletin. Cruising Magazine, who celebrated their 16th year with us. Thank you. Globe, Kudos. Furthermore, thanks B for the ride.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Thanks to Uber, didn't get lost going to Cucina ni Bunso. It was a privileged to be invited by Zomato - who teamed up with Manila Bulletin & Cruising Magazine for the latter's 16th year anniversary. It was the magazine's 11th leg (out of 16 restos they'll go to) and they chose Cucina ni Bunso as the perfect venue - everything's complimentary! Mini program was held prior the dinner.
Got excited when I saw their facade, it's too cute! I loved the white walls, chandeliers and mementos. Some chairs were uniform, some were not. Even their plate designs were not all the same and it's not bizarre at all, it added character in the place.
The Main Event
Meliton's Spring Roll
Pork Binagoongan
Chicken Kare-kare in Pesto
Halo-halo Turon
Sugarbeet ice cream
Iced Tea
The spring roll reminded me of viet/thai cuisine versions. The peanut sauce complemented the rolls. We were thrilled when the kare-kare was served! How can a peanut-based viand go along well with Pesto? I dunno how they did it, but their kare-kare tasted more of basil than of peanuts. It didn't taste strange, in fact, everyone in our table agreed that it was superb -- a twist in one of our local favorites! To be honest, it tasted good on it's own, no need to add bagoong. This dish is something I can recommend to friends. I had a little hesitation when choosing what part of chicken to get, well, there ain't too many to choose from - saw thigh and breast parts only. Thighs were good, but less chicken meat. While breast part has more meat than skin, but is usually dry.
They served the Pork Binagoongan with ripe mango garnish shortly, the dish came in too strong for my palate. Superb idea though, because the ripe mango extinguished the salty flavor in my mouth.
Others said that the strawberry iced tea was too sweet, I'd say not. It even tasted like the real fruit!
Dessert time! We went gaga over the ice cream and it was nice to know that the sugarbeet ice cream was something they've whipped and churned in their own kitchen. Halo-halo ingredients were wrapped like turon and best eaten with ice cream, perfect way to cap off the night.
Time of visit: 22 Oct 2015 18:00
Every dish they serve is the best. The staff are all nice and accommodating. A must try place. A good cozy place to dine. I have never rate a resto a five but this one is worth it.
First off, it doesn't have the best location so it's easy to miss. We ordered Meliton's spring roll, creamy tinola soup, beef kare-kare and american adobo. The spring roll lacks color and variety in taste, could use some cucumber or maybe carrot? The peanut sauce is its saving glory, but you have to pour a lot to enjoy the meal. We loved the creamy tinola, we just wished it had more chicken chunks.
The kare-kare is okay, i'd choose oxtail anytime though. The american adobo's really good. The special sauce reminds me of the street sweet barbecue sauce i used to have as a child. The chicken was tender but my friend said the pork wasn't. I didn't eat the latter though so it's okay. A good place to try. But is the food enough to make me come back? I don't think so.
Jellybeans In The City
+3.5
Our office barkada held our first adventure lunch in this resto. While the menu was very interesting (Filipino food with a twist), we found it quite pricy. We all ordered variations of the All-Day Breakfast: mine was the tuyo. The food was tasty but the staff had a difficult time coping with all of us. The orders took a long time getting to us. They made up for it by giving us free dessert, though.
UPDATE!!!
I attended my first ever foodie meet-up here so I was able to sample more of the resto's dishes along with my fellow foodies. We were served spring rolls, chicken kare-kare, binagoongang baboy and for dessert, halo halo turon with sugar beets ice cream.
I wasn't too crazy about the kare kare (IMHO, nothing beats my mom's kare kare; sorry, Chef Mel!) and the binagoongan was too salty but the bookends of the meal - the spring roll appetizer and the turon-ice cream dessert combo were winners. The tasty fresh spring roll is stuffed with crisp greens and ripe mango slivers. I was able to identify the minatamis na saging, red beans, yellow beans and jack fruit aming the turon's fillings. Add the bright pink sugar beets ice cream and you've got an exciting take on a classic Pinoy sweet.
This has a very nice homey interior that would make you feel like you are eating at your own home. The decorations are really artsy especially the different types of plates on the wall. Their food are also good. You should really try their Pakbet with Lechong Kawali and Beef Bone Nilaga as well as their Bipolar Iced Tea.
Eat here with my family last july 26, food taste great its like ur dining at home..plus the chef the brother of maricel soriano did great..
Zomato introduced this to me because of the GC and the place did not disappoint. We tried their appetizer platter which consist of 5 dishes that were all sooooo good. I really really like their Bomba(their own version of dynamite) and the Sisig turon which are so flavorful. Their Crusted Fish Fillet and Pakbet with Lechong kawali is not bad either. I just have concerns with the squash which is a bit hard still and was not fully cooked but I think the cook just don't want to overcook the veggies. But most of all, I AM INLOVE with their BIPOLAR ICED TEA. It tastes sooooooooooooooo delicious with chopped I-don't-know-what-those-herbs-are that made it so distinct from other drinks that I've tried. That definitely left a mark in my palate.
Finally, we were able to use my gift certificate here at Cucina. The place is small but its pretty and dainty. I also love their plates which comes into different shapes and sizes. Food is affordable and its for sharing. I particularly love Chicken ni Mel and their Beef Bone Nilaga and so far, they have the best iced tea that I've tasted, their Bipolar Iced Tea is the best.
Dining here feels like coming home again. New dishes without any banality. Every dish gives a gustatory delight. I best love the chicken ni Mel, it was full of flavor and tenderness. Will definitely bring my friends and family here, and I'm sure the place great for special occasions. #yummiez
Some of my friends raved about this restaurant in their FB posts, so I brought my family to dine here in our weekly food trips. Since this was our last stop, we didn't order much as we're still full from our previous food hops. We have the appetizer sampler, chicken pomelo salad, crusted fish fillet and sinigang na salmon. Everything's so delicious and servings are quite generous. Prices are very reasonable. Servers are friendly and accommodating. The only downside is I just can't appreciate its interiors, others may find it homey and unique, but I find it unattractive and gave me an impression of being dirty and cheap. I'll rate the food and service 4.5 star and the place 2 stars only. But will definitely go back for their yummy food maybe next time I'll make it to go.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Received a txt msg from Elaine of zomato ph last week asking if I would be available for a foodie meet up in QC which I gladly joined since my art gallery is just near the said venue. Arrived at Cucina ni Bunso at around 5:30pm which was the first time I've seen and heard of this restaurant.
From the outside, Cucina ni Bunso looked like an ordinary small eatery that can seat about 20 guests at a time and got surprised when i entered the restaurant.... Awesome interiors, clean, well air-conditioned and a smiling staff who welcomed me... To my surprise, the MAIN dining in the inside which cannot be seen from Sct. Lozano street -unless you enter the establishment- can easily seat 50 or more guests...
As I approached our designated table, I was greeted by a very familiar face in a chef's uniform, he's an actor turned chef and restaurant owner, Mel Martinez Soriano... Chef Mel was very warm and pleasant - not to forget, funny - in telling us his and the resto's history :)
When our food were served, it showed me that NOTHING is small in this restaurant... Simple food presentation that will give you that none pretentious and homey feel, with wait staffs serving each dish with a smile... And mind you, each serving is really huge and you'll salivate at first sight.
We had the following:
1. Appetizer Sampler : BOMBA (called dynamite in other restos), Spring Roll, Sisig and Chicken turon (fried lumpia), and crackling. Every thing in the sampler tasted good with the BOMBA as my favorite.
2. American Adobo - mixed of chicken and pork (which guests can also choose if its just chicken or pork) with mashed potatoes. Chef Mel's twist in this popular Filipino dish is great, different from our traditional adobo but great... And it's actually my favorite in the line up.
3. Beef Bone Nilaga - Chef Mel's version of Bulalo but with super creamy and thick soup... This is a must order when visiting Cucina ni Bunso.
4. Daddy Spicy Tahong - I'm not really fond of tahong but I ate plenty of this... The tahong was fresh and the noodle was firm and add the excellent flavor of its soup... Definitely yummy!
5. Chicken ni Mel - the restaurant's signature dish that made this restaurant famous...
6. Pakbet with Lechon Kawali - excellently cooked veggies with crunchy and flavorful lechon kawali or deep fried pork.
7. 2 kinds of dessert - an ice cream cake and turon halohalo w/ ice cream... My apologies, again, I'm not a fan of sweets so you have to taste this by yourself :)
Though I heard that the turon halohalo is the favorite of multi-awarded actress, Maricel Soriano :)
Another thing that make this restaurant awesome is that it caters to family, group of friends or any large group. Again, each dish they serve is good for sharing and one person will have a hard time finishing the food by himself/herself kaya don't visit the restaurant alone...
Cucina ni Bunso is Chef Mel's tribute to his mother who encouraged him in his love and passion for cooking - and yes, he is BUNSO... He see's the restaurant as not just another food establishment, but a PLACE FOR FAMILIES to dine and bond...
My AFS comments:
Ambiance: homey, clean, cool and none pretentious...
Food: Well conceptualized, big servings, flavorful, cooked properly and dishes that would make you come back again and again...
Service: friendly but respectful, well trained... BTW, valet service is available at night so don't worry about parking...
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Awesome! Daebak! Delicioso! That's the three words, for now, I can describe after eating at Cucina ni Bunso. The warm interior of the place, which i love so much and decided to copy how he put the displays/knick knacks on the wall (if Chef Mel won't mind) as well as the warm welcome of the staff and Chef Mel as if you are his long lost cousin just added to the ambiance of the super delicious meal he prepared for us. I super love the Krisy Cheezy Turon and the Meliton Spring Rolls. The Bomba is the bomb! and it's not as oily as the ones i used to order in other resto.
But when the Bulalo/Beef Bone Nilaga was served and then i tasted it, wow! as in Wow! The soup is creamy and tasty and the beef is cooked well that it melts in the mouth. Yum. My Nanay would super love it. (If only i could order a take out and send it to Quezon ASAP, she would be very happy esp if she knows that its her favorite "Venus" the one who cook it!) I think i forgot to eat rice with the Bulalo.
Another soup is the one with Tahong, i'm not much into seafood but it taste like it come fresh from the sea/ocean and i tasted its kind of spicy, maybe because i saw the tanglad or lemon grass but it was altogether yum.
And then the Chicken ni Mel and the American Adobo was served. It's time to eat it with rice. My favorite of them all is the Chicken ni Mel, the gravy with the apple and everything is just so good to eat, i actually want to eat more, nahiya lang ako :-)... The American Adobo, meat and chicken served on top of Mashed potato is a different kind of adobo cooked with cane vinegar (am i right) but it's still the adobo i love to eat. The pakbet with Lechon Kawali and its sauce would be loved by many gulay lovers. The liempo is still crispy even if you let it swim in the pakbet sauce.
Thank goodness for the Bipolar Iced Tea because somehow "nakakawala ng umay" this drink. And i was super waiting for the halo-halo turon. And it did not disappoint. So delicious, i could eat more, may be next time. The Heavenly Trio is really a heavenly dessert, i just want to mixed all three and make it into a trifle...
To quote MacArthur: "I shall return" with my Nanay and Tita and family... Thanks Chef Mel.
I accidentally ended here since I was initially planning on trying out manongs bagnet, anyway I tried this rice meal they have since I was tight on the budget. 5 spice if I'm right. It's like a deep dried battered pork loin or something, it was ok until you deep it with the rescindedsauce. The free soup was so tasty as well.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
After a tiring enrollment from school, we had our lunch here. I've been eyeing for this place since before and I really wanted to try it. And finally we had the time and chance to dine in. The minute we enter the place, the warmth ambiance automatically gave me the homey feeling. Nowadays, it’s really hard to find a place like that, because for some reason, other restaurant gave you this awkward feeling when you are dining alone as if it is a crime. But here, you could be just YOU, enjoying your alone time with a good food. But don’t get me wrong, the place is perfect for “Me Time” but it is also perfect for some bonding moments with family and friends, just like what me and my friend did.
My friend ordered caldereta, a Filipino favorite with a touch of Italian. It really looked like spaghetti since it has cheese on top. The taste was really perfect! I ordered adobo pasta. I always order foods that is unique to my imagination. I never heard or tasted adobo pasta before! When it was served, I was really excited to taste it. You really could taste the touch of adobo and crunchiness of the toppings which I don't know how to call it. It was also served with toasted bread. For dessert, we ordered halo-halo turon. Halo-halo turon because instead of the usual banana inside the lumpia wrapper, it’s those halo-halo ingridients, then you have to dip it in you favorite flavor of ice cream. Super sweet!
We really enjoyed dinning in here. We wanted to try having dinner here soon since I saw when we passed by at night, they have this very cozy lightings.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
It's our third time to enjoy Cucina ni Bunso tonight, and I feel I should finally write them a proper review. Because, really, it deserves one.
They say "third time's the charm". Well, I say: if you go for thirds, must mean you really like it. And we really do.
In all the three times we dined at Chef Mel Martinez' Cucina ni Bunso, we experienced great food and great service in a quaint, warm, home-y place. Gotta give them +points for consistency there.
The restaurant, although it looks small up front, is sufficiently spacious. The country-esque decor was very South-of-France, home-y and welcoming and comfortable. The very relaxed ambience makes for a very good dining experience. I just have a bit of a problem with the harsh lighting. I feel like it's too bright... but maybe that's just me.
The restaurant staff is attentive, friendly, and I feel like they're well-trained... or maybe they just know how to hire the good people. Either way, the service was never a disappointment.
And the food... ah! The food... where do I begin?:Having already dined there thrice, we' ve been able to sample several of their offerings.
Here are some of my favorites:
- Zucchuni wrapped in Bacon - it's bacon! You can't go wrong with bacon even if it's zucchini... and the sauce to this appetizer (I forgot what it's called) is perfect for the dish.
- Longganisa Salad - I'm crazy about longganisa! Mixed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce, it's one wicked salad.
- Seafood Karekare - yummy peanut sauce and perfectly cooked mussels, shrimp, and squid.
- Pakbet with Lechon Kawali - the perfect pairing of fiber and cholesterol. The sauce is deliciously salty-sweet, vegetables crisp and not overdone, and it has perfectly crispy lechon kawali!
- Halo-halo Turon - this marriage of two traditional Filipino desserts makes for one not-so-traditional, but absolutely, ingeniously delicious.
Also worth mentioning are the "Chicken ni Mel" - the Chef's take on how fried (or was it roasted) chicken is served, the Adobo Pasta - topped with adobo flakes fried to crispy perfection, and the Grilled Pork Liempo.
The only things I didn't enjoy much were the beef karekare (since I'm not really a beef-eating person), and the pork chops. The pork was a bit dry for my taste, but the combination of the ampalaya sauce and cucumber sauce -- yes, ampalaya and cucumber -- is a very nice twist to an otherwise boring dish.
All in all, I'm giving them an almost perfect score.
P.S. We were fortunate to have met Chef Mel tonight and took a picture with him. Unfortunately, the photo mysteriously disappeared from my phone... well, at least they also took a picture with their camera so I'm sure that photo's gonna pop up somewhere (and I'm hoping Chef Mel reads this **big grin with innocent eyes**)
Food Chronicles Of Sparky&Noggy
+4
One day, I got an email from Zomato inviting us to eat in Cucina ni Bunso. We weren't able to go but I promised to drop by on a different day.
Here goes:
Place: Homey feel, unpretentious. I personally like the restroom. Un-tiled but clean, with pics on the walls. I'm going to do that on my own house one day. (First time ko ata nagcomment sa restroom haha!)
Food: we tried:
Appetizer:
Sisig turon (sisig wrapped in small lumpia wrappers, to be dipped in oil with vinegar): sinful, yet satisfying.
Veggie lumpia. Vietnamese spring roll with a twist: may mangga. (So.. Viet-thai?) From Sparky's words: Since the mango they used was near-ripe, it offset the strong flavor of cilantro (we aren't fans of cilantro). The soft wrap and vermicelli noodles contrasted with the crunch of the lettuce and the cucumber. Dip it in peanut sauce, and you have a well-balanced appetizer. (Naks.)
Main dish:
American adobo: We asked why it was American. Because it was on top of a bed of just the right amount of mashed potato. Soft pork in sweet adobo sauce.
(At bagay sya sa)
Rice:
Pesto rice!!: masyado kaming natuwa sa kanin. We have never thought of cooking rice in pesto and garlic. So, we're planning on cooking pesto rice in the future. Yay! (Masarap, dude, masarap).
Drink:
Bipolar iced tea: "Lemon iced tea with attitude." It has shredded basil leaves. The taste was interesting. :)
A great food with a great people! It is a highly recommended restaurant and leading to a good food service! The place was nice and you will not feel regret in dining in CUCINA NI BUNSO!
Service is really good! Staff are very attentive and friendly. A bit pricey for the serving size. Bangus ala pobre was really nice. Pesto rice could use a bit more flavor and beef kare kare was okay, beef was a bit tough but the sauce tasted nice. Overall good experience.
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