0:00:00.123,0:00:02.611 - When it comes to stews,[br]Filipinos are the ones 0:00:02.611,0:00:03.996 who are good at it.[br]- Why is it noisy there? 0:00:03.996,0:00:06.748 - [Martin] I'm doing my spiels[br]for my outdoor shoot. 0:00:06.748,0:00:07.617 - Me too. 0:00:07.617,0:00:09.591 Why are you doing it here?[br]Go to some other place. 0:00:09.591,0:00:11.610 - [Martin] Who came here first? 0:00:11.610,0:00:12.798 - I don't have a rebuttal[br]for that. 0:00:12.798,0:00:13.822 Let's leave here. 0:00:14.102,0:00:15.557 - Just kidding.[br]We love each other. 0:00:15.557,0:00:16.494 (laughs) 0:00:21.300,0:00:22.154 (grunts) 0:00:23.102,0:00:23.892 There. 0:00:30.045,0:00:31.085 (grunts) 0:00:34.087,0:00:34.991 Go ahead. 0:00:35.242,0:00:37.088 You don't have anything [br]beside you. Just continue. 0:00:41.218,0:00:42.280 You got anything for me? 0:00:45.415,0:00:46.444 There's still some stuff[br]in this. 0:00:46.509,0:00:48.265 So today we're going[br]around the metro 0:00:48.276,0:00:51.121 to find out which kare-kare[br]is the best. 0:00:51.791,0:00:53.211 In my opinion, anyway. 0:00:58.580,0:01:00.481 All right. So today[br]we're going around the metro. 0:01:00.614,0:01:03.134 Maybe we'll go [br]to three establishments 0:01:03.153,0:01:04.572 that serve kare-kare, 0:01:04.578,0:01:06.240 but then different personalities. 0:01:06.240,0:01:07.600 Like the first one[br]we're going to go to 0:01:07.600,0:01:10.652 would be an establishment[br]that made it as far 0:01:10.652,0:01:12.170 as London. 0:01:12.170,0:01:14.778 Imagine, our stew [br]has become international. 0:01:14.778,0:01:16.457 The second one [br]is homegrown. 0:01:16.737,0:01:18.993 It's a small home business. 0:01:19.014,0:01:22.458 The last one, they've been[br]around for a very long time. 0:01:22.458,0:01:24.255 So yeah. I'm very excited. 0:01:24.255,0:01:26.181 So we're going[br]to Romulo Cafe. 0:01:26.181,0:01:28.567 Now it has three branches here[br]in the Philippines— 0:01:28.567,0:01:31.166 QC, Alabang, and I think[br]in Makati. 0:01:31.166,0:01:33.216 But did you know[br]that they also have 0:01:33.216,0:01:36.259 a branch [br]in Kensington High Street 0:01:36.259,0:01:37.351 over at London? 0:01:38.051,0:01:39.020 Classy! 0:01:40.954,0:01:45.120 So Romulo Cafe actually[br]is run by third generation already. 0:01:45.139,0:01:47.065 If I had to describe [br]kare-kare to you, 0:01:47.065,0:01:50.069 I'd say that [br]it's a rich and creamy stew 0:01:50.069,0:01:52.406 that has a very prominent[br]peanut flavor 0:01:52.406,0:01:54.156 and that strong broth[br]that we used 0:01:54.156,0:01:56.512 to tenderize,[br]our ox tails, our tripe, 0:01:56.512,0:01:58.927 and whatever beef part[br]you put it into. 0:01:58.981,0:02:01.046 And of course,[br]there's the steamed vegetables 0:02:01.062,0:02:03.507 and bagoong,[br]'cause that really compliments 0:02:03.507,0:02:06.310 the savory [br]and peanuty flavor. 0:02:06.310,0:02:08.356 And usually, kare-kare[br]is eaten with rice 0:02:08.356,0:02:11.522 since it's already packed[br]with meat, veggies, 0:02:11.522,0:02:13.432 and a thick soup. 0:02:15.172,0:02:17.224 As you can see,[br]it's not as smooth 0:02:17.248,0:02:20.046 as your usual kare-kare,[br]and that's 0:02:20.046,0:02:22.715 because they actually grind[br]their own rice 0:02:22.715,0:02:24.461 and that's what they use[br]as thickeners, 0:02:24.461,0:02:26.380 which is what we use[br]traditionally anyway. 0:02:26.419,0:02:29.591 And so at first,[br]I saw the prices on the menu, 0:02:29.601,0:02:33.587 you'd think it's a bit much,[br]but then 0:02:34.447,0:02:39.342 when they served the food,[br]it was packed with tripe 0:02:39.363,0:02:40.480 and ox tail. 0:02:40.480,0:02:43.630 This is what a family serving[br]really means. 0:02:45.710,0:02:49.666 Standard beans, cabbage,[br]and eggplant. 0:02:49.777,0:02:50.692 Wow. 0:02:50.862,0:02:53.224 This is their bagoong. 0:02:53.252,0:02:55.455 So let's taste it first[br]without bagoong. 0:02:55.474,0:02:58.602 That's usually what I do[br]whenever I eat kare-kare outside. 0:03:02.422,0:03:04.819 To be honest,[br]the fact that it's not smooth 0:03:04.844,0:03:08.680 actually reminds me[br]of the more traditional kare-kare. 0:03:08.680,0:03:13.098 Well, obviously my preference[br]is a smoother sauce 0:03:13.098,0:03:14.233 or smoother soup. 0:03:14.233,0:03:15.603 Some people would really[br]love this. 0:03:19.873,0:03:22.483 I think it's time to move on[br]to another place 0:03:22.502,0:03:24.604 that serves an heirloom[br]kare-kare recipe. 0:03:24.754,0:03:27.096 This business was started[br]by two couples 0:03:27.103,0:03:28.195 during the pandemic. 0:03:28.195,0:03:30.514 And they are called[br]Iya's Kare-Kare. 0:03:31.099,0:03:31.944 Let's go. 0:03:33.344,0:03:34.656 Oh my, my back. 0:03:35.943,0:03:38.498 We're on our way[br]to Iya's Kare-Kare. 0:03:38.598,0:03:42.207 They are an online business,[br]but they're nice enough 0:03:42.207,0:03:43.814 to let me in. 0:03:47.584,0:03:51.452 - [Iya] It was April 2020,[br]my husband and I 0:03:51.452,0:03:52.735 just kind of craved kare-kare. 0:03:52.735,0:03:54.997 And then at that time,[br]I asked my grandmother 0:03:54.997,0:03:56.385 to teach me how to cook it. 0:03:56.385,0:03:58.131 - [Martin] So it's really[br]an heirloom recipe. 0:03:58.131,0:03:58.910 - Yes. 0:03:58.910,0:04:01.454 Then, I cooked one[br]and she said 0:04:01.454,0:04:02.501 that it's good. 0:04:02.661,0:04:06.262 I even posted in Facebook[br]without having any idea. 0:04:06.270,0:04:09.466 My caption was like,[br]"It's my first time cooking it 0:04:09.466,0:04:11.195 and it tasted good." 0:04:11.202,0:04:12.587 So I posted it. 0:04:12.827,0:04:16.445 We were living then[br]at a condo. 0:04:17.376,0:04:19.096 At that time,[br]marketplace is common 0:04:19.096,0:04:20.266 in condos. 0:04:20.462,0:04:21.902 - [Martin] Oh, yeah.[br]The Viber groups. 0:04:21.902,0:04:23.055 - [Iya] Exactly, right? 0:04:23.175,0:04:25.048 So I offered it[br]without thinking 0:04:25.071,0:04:26.797 of anything. 0:04:26.797,0:04:29.879 I was surprised[br]that someone ordered. 0:04:30.408,0:04:33.105 Never in my wildest dream[br]did I imagine 0:04:33.105,0:04:34.968 that this would evolve[br]into something 0:04:34.968,0:04:37.683 like up until now,[br]two years have passed... 0:04:37.683,0:04:41.514 It's still small,[br]but now there's more people 0:04:41.514,0:04:42.657 who knows this. 0:04:48.167,0:04:49.816 - We're not saying[br]that we're already there. 0:04:49.820,0:04:52.285 But hopefully one day[br]we can reach it. 0:04:52.445,0:04:54.459 - Actually, this guy [br]over here, 0:04:54.488,0:04:58.402 he's one main critic[br]when it comes to kare-kare. 0:04:58.402,0:04:59.637 That's automatic. 0:04:59.637,0:05:02.324 When he says that it's good,[br]it's really good. 0:05:02.424,0:05:06.001 For me, this is the perfect[br]tenderization of meat, 0:05:06.011,0:05:07.989 when it still keeps its form. 0:05:08.191,0:05:09.380 - [Iya] Chef, bagoong. 0:05:11.255,0:05:13.295 - They also make the bagoong. 0:05:13.359,0:05:14.985 How many times[br]do you have to make 0:05:15.009,0:05:17.195 your bagoong,[br]since you make it by batch? 0:05:19.275,0:05:21.283 - [Iya] Maybe I do it[br]once a week. 0:05:22.896,0:05:25.068 Honest feedback, okay? 0:05:28.140,0:05:29.058 - It's so worth it. 0:05:29.084,0:05:30.113 (laughs) 0:05:31.034,0:05:32.306 It's really good, man. 0:05:33.857,0:05:34.903 That's without bagoong yet. 0:05:36.368,0:05:37.603 - [Iya] Thank you! 0:05:37.748,0:05:38.677 That's how I usually eat.[br]- You know what, 0:05:38.677,0:05:39.861 I don't believe[br]that you've just started 0:05:39.861,0:05:42.116 cooking in 2019. 0:05:42.196,0:05:43.220 - Oh, you! 0:05:43.304,0:05:44.810 (laughs) 0:05:48.268,0:05:49.179 - But it's really true. 0:05:54.769,0:05:56.218 There will be nothing left[br]for you, Julius. 0:05:56.855,0:05:58.257 I'm sorry. 0:06:00.010,0:06:01.436 It's so good. 0:06:02.813,0:06:05.559 So you guys can order[br]from Iya's Kare-Kare. 0:06:05.578,0:06:08.708 We'll just put that[br]in the description somewhere. 0:06:09.958,0:06:11.624 It would be weird[br]if we mention 0:06:11.655,0:06:13.237 any Facebook or number. 0:06:13.494,0:06:14.584 So we'll do it later. 0:06:15.844,0:06:17.629 So I'm not going to wait[br]until we get back 0:06:17.648,0:06:18.392 to the office. 0:06:18.427,0:06:21.228 This is really one[br]of the best kare-kare 0:06:21.236,0:06:22.329 that I've had. 0:06:23.499,0:06:24.937 Trust. Trust. 0:06:25.317,0:06:27.080 Even though this is not bread,[br]trust me. 0:06:36.584,0:06:37.584 It's beautiful. 0:06:38.734,0:06:40.581 So we are here at our last stop. 0:06:40.606,0:06:42.912 This space is called[br]Cafe Juanita. 0:06:43.199,0:06:46.323 It's full of trinkets.[br]The place is very interesting. 0:06:46.323,0:06:49.508 And you know,[br]this place is actually described 0:06:49.508,0:06:52.243 by Time Magazine[br]as a place where the food 0:06:52.243,0:06:56.330 is as close to home cooking[br]as it can get. 0:06:56.330,0:06:58.922 And also, another thing,[br]it's proudly Filipino, 0:06:58.922,0:07:01.609 naturally home cooked,[br]but made contemporary. 0:07:01.609,0:07:03.603 I'm very excited[br]to try the kare-kare, 0:07:03.603,0:07:06.061 especially since it was mentioned[br]to me that they have 0:07:06.061,0:07:09.456 the main focus on the trinity,[br]where I also feel like 0:07:09.456,0:07:11.289 it should also be the main focus[br]of all hospitality business 0:07:11.289,0:07:14.455 which is service, food,[br]and the ambiance. 0:07:22.385,0:07:23.570 Wow, it's so soft. 0:07:23.780,0:07:25.376 It's so tender. 0:07:25.387,0:07:27.519 Of course, we have[br]different favorites, 0:07:27.519,0:07:29.216 but of course,[br]it's perfect when there's 0:07:29.216,0:07:32.880 a balance of vegetables,[br]ox tail, tripe. Right? 0:07:33.320,0:07:35.979 And of course, this bagoong. 0:07:36.004,0:07:38.480 And what's great [br]with their bagoong here 0:07:38.480,0:07:40.770 is that, like the others[br]we've went to today, 0:07:40.770,0:07:43.201 they actually process it[br]themselves. 0:07:43.201,0:07:45.402 They cook it here,[br]they get the raw materials, 0:07:45.402,0:07:49.210 and have their own formulation[br]or like own recipe for it. 0:07:49.210,0:07:50.744 Let's taste it as is. 0:07:54.034,0:07:55.576 This is how tender it is. 0:07:55.586,0:07:58.708 Now this is what [br]you call fork tender. 0:07:58.708,0:08:00.720 It didn't separate [br]into pieces, 0:08:00.720,0:08:03.144 its mass or shape[br]is still intact. 0:08:03.144,0:08:05.253 But you can use[br]the back of a spoon 0:08:05.253,0:08:07.316 or even just your fork. 0:08:09.064,0:08:10.432 It's so solid. 0:08:17.491,0:08:18.691 It's so delicious. 0:08:20.514,0:08:22.285 This is the food [br]that you can bring 0:08:22.294,0:08:24.739 to any potluck [br]and it'll be a winner. 0:08:24.979,0:08:27.063 The ox tail is so soft. 0:08:27.090,0:08:29.166 The flavor of the sauce[br]is delicious, 0:08:29.166,0:08:31.161 there's a bit of sweetness[br]and savoriness to it. 0:08:31.161,0:08:33.255 Its seasoning gets completed[br]when you eat it 0:08:33.255,0:08:35.133 with their bagoong. 0:08:40.983,0:08:42.508 I won't share this,[br]this is all mine. 0:08:45.736,0:08:48.461 So we've gone through three [br]of the best kare-kares here 0:08:48.473,0:08:51.149 in Metro Manila[br]according to our sources. 0:08:51.509,0:08:53.357 And I'm about to give[br]my verdict. 0:08:53.375,0:08:54.480 But before that... 0:08:57.980,0:08:59.127 Don't get mad at me,[br]Erwan. 0:08:59.127,0:09:01.354 Julius and I [br]are really just like this. 0:09:06.284,0:09:07.899 Iya's Kare-Kare[br]is the best one. 0:09:09.317,0:09:11.261 Kare-kare will always be[br]one of our go-to 0:09:11.274,0:09:14.049 Filipino dishes,[br]and I can definitely see why. 0:09:14.049,0:09:16.859 Savory, comforting,[br]loaded with meat 0:09:16.859,0:09:17.684 and vegetables. 0:09:17.684,0:09:20.201 And best of all,[br]it will always remind us 0:09:20.201,0:09:22.389 of our mom's[br]or our grandmother's cooking. 0:09:22.389,0:09:24.613 Iya's Kare-Kare wins[br]this one for me, 0:09:24.613,0:09:26.351 but do give the others[br]a try as well 0:09:26.351,0:09:27.730 and let us know[br]whose kare-kare 0:09:27.730,0:09:28.999 is the best for you.