Where's Lunch? Tara Dito. At Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen...

Nothing complicated, it's the pure, simple and uncluttered flavors you love and come back to time and again. Tara dito, kain na tayo. Savor these comfortingly familiar flavors with a contemporary spin at the newest restaurant along Don Carlos Palanca Street in Makati... 

Where's lunch today? Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen in Makati makes its case as your top pick when you're craving for homestyle local cuisine. From the same group behind Gringo known for their specialty chicken (more on Gringo on my previous posts, Potluck Picks: Gringo's Lechon Cubano and Original Whole Chicken from two years ago, Start the Season of Feasting and Say Hola! to the New Holaday Boards and Lechon Cubano from Gringo... from 2019 and Quick Bites: Head On Down to Gringo with Your Amigos, Now Open at O Square 2 Greenhills from four years back), Honeybon and Tokyo Bubble Tea, Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen showcases their homage to the food we love recreated in a familiar homespun yet refreshed modern culinary style.   

Food often triggers fond memories and emotions reconnecting you with a place or point in time, and good food always warms your palate like a comforting hug. Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen does that with each of their specialty dishes, drawing inspiration from the food we love. Authentic, hearty and sumptuous woven with a contemporary twist, fall in love all over again with comforting local dishes masterfully reinterpreted by Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen.

Originally scheduled to open two years ago, plans had to be postponed due to the onset of the global pandemic. But with the gradual easing of quarantine restrictions, Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen is now ready to share their specialty dishes. And there's an interesting story behind the name. Inspired by the local phrase "Tara, dito. Kain na tayo," Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen captures the invitation to eat with its wittingly coined name and it just makes sense the minute you enter Makati's newest restaurant along Don Carlos Palanca Street.   

Guests are greeted by a subdued palette of neutral and homey hues inside the bright and spacious dining area featuring two floors at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen. Wide glass windows bring in natural light, and guests immediately feel at home almost immediately. It's that vibe that tells you that you've picked the right spot for lunch.   

At the second floor, diners can pick more seating options whether for a large group or an intimate meal for two with tables that can easily be reconfigured. This is the place to reconnect with the food you love...

...starting with the Crispy Shanghai Hipon (P 385), crisp deep-fried spring rolls filled with succulent shrimps. Elegantly plated, it's the perfect starter to your feast at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen. Each bite is announced by an audible crunch followed by the savory richness of the filling, and your flavorful reunion with comforting Filipino favorites at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen is off to a great start.

The Tatatito Crispy Grilled Sisig (P 185 Small/P 380 Sharing) brings its flavorful weave of contrasting textures and flavors to the table for a tasty spin on a local classic. The savory notes of the crisp chopped pork with subtle smoky hints from the grill combine with the sharpness and bite of onions and the soothing heat from fresh chilis to temper the richness for that balanced finish. A fresh squeeze of calamansi adds even more layers of flavor to the popular local pork staple. The unctuous dish brings clean flavors to the palate, highlighted simply by the pork, onions and chili. Why complicate it, right?  

The Ten-Hour Beef Kansi (P 485) is their take on a regional southern classic with fork-tender beef and vegetables simmered in a rich and sour broth. Like butter, the beef just melts in your mouth draping the palate with its beefy richness. The vegetables remain crisp and sweet mellowing the vibrant tartness of the broth. 

It's that savory richness from the tender beef tempered by the bold tartness from the broth tingling on the palate after every sip that makes this comforting southern classic an all-time favorite. And Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen's version recreates all the familiar notes of the local dish.

The Classic Beef Kare-Kare (P 450 Small/ P 810 Sharing) is another local classic served daily at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen. The traditional stew of ox tail, tripe and fork-tender beef slathered in a rich and thick peanut-based gravy with vegetables makes you reach out for another bowl of rice. Still on soft opening, but the dishes served at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen showcases traditional local flavors executed at the highest level with no further tweaks needed.

Any local feast has to include a serving of a crispy slab of pork, and Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen has another winner with their own take on lechon kawali...

The Himalayan Salt Lechon Kawali (P 328 Small/P 665 Sharing) by Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen is a refined twist on another local dish, infused with indulgent hints from Himalayan salt and fresh spring onions pairing well with the savory richness of the pork. The usual lechon kawali is transformed with the subtle yet lingering sharpness of the premium Himalayan salt enhancing the rich flavors of the pork. Served with a dip, but the Himalayan Salt Lechon Kawali is great as is. Crisp and crunchy with nuanced notes, there's just quite nothing like lechon kawali perfectly executed. 

The Classic Crispy Pata (P 980/P 1,460) I hear is another must-try dish at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen. Other pork dishes include Sarsaparilla BBQ Pork Liempo, Roast Lechon Adobo and Dinuguan.

No Filipino feast is complete without rice, and Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen adds a creative and inventive twist with the Bamboo Rice Chicken Tinola (P 425). Soft and fluffy rice with the distinct hints of tinola with every bite, the Bamboo Rice Chicken Tinola is a novel reinterpretation of the staple. Imagine the delicate hints of chicken, ginger and papaya with each spoonful, and you get the picture. Other variants include the Bamboo Rice Squash and Crab (P 435), Bamboo Rice Pata Tim (P 425), Dilaw Rice (P 75/P 195), Garlic Rice (P 65/P 175) and Pandan White Rice (P 60/P 170). 

Don't forget to add vegetables to your feast at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen. The menu includes tasty options including Pinakbet, Adobong Kangkong, Ginisang Amapalaya and Mushrooms and Salted Egg Sitaw to satisfy your mood or craving. The Gising-Gising Sigarilyas (P 240 Small/P 385 Sharing) is the perfect side to any dish, with its fresh snap followed by the creamy notes and soothing heat from the chili. Simple, uncomplicated yet real flavors. And there's more from Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen... 

The elegantly plated Deep-Fried Lapu-Lapu Pomelo is another tasty play on textural contrasts and flavors with the delicate notes of the crispy fish complemented by the sweet and sour hints of pomelo. Each bite brings a complex weave of flavors without overwhelming the sweet and succulent local grouper.  

Light on the palate, the crisp outer layer and soft buttery fish delivers clean flavors. The use of the finest and freshest ingredients makes each dish stand out at Tatatito Pilipino Kitchen, elevating it for another classic rendition of local cuisine. Other seafood options include the Crispy Binusog na Pusit, Adobong Baby Pusit, Sweet n' Sour Camaron and Bistek Bangus. 

For the last course, why not enjoy it with a tempting sizzle?

The Sizzling Bulalo Steak (P 520/P 985) by Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen is an impressive dish, complete with the sizzle. Served on a hot pan, a rich gravy is poured by your tableside releasing a fragrant aroma. The tender chunks of beef and vegetables are draped in the smooth and buttery gravy for a double dose of pure savory richness.

The bone marrow, beef, vegetables and gravy combine in a seamless and balanced blend for a modern reinterpretation of bulalo, and it works. All the dishes served that day at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen represents just how far and creative local cuisine can be presented in a contemporary manner while maintaining traditional flavors. But at the heart and core of each dish are the familiar flavors we love. It's this winning formula and culinary approach to local cuisine that makes Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen a welcome addition to Makati's food scene. 

Other must-try beef dishes at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen include the Roast Bistek Tagalog, Beef Shank Kaldereta and US Short Ribs Pares Style. 

Wash it all down with the Tatatito Iced Tea (P 110 Glass/P 320 Pitcher), and prepare for another bite of Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen's wide array of local dishes. 

Cap your All-Filipino feast at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen with an indulgent dessert for that sweet ending... 

...like the Super Ube Turon with Ice Cream (P 175). Crisp and crunchy with layers of sweetness from the bananas and nutty notes from the ube plus the silky smoothness of ice cream makes this dessert the perfect finale to your dining experience at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen. 

And here's an insider secret. If you love coffee, you're in for a treat at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen with their extensive coffee selections like the Flat White... 

...or the creamy and sweet Spanish Latte. From tasty appetizers to savory mains and sweet desserts, Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen has it covered. 

Still on soft opening, the prices and menu at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen may still be subject to change but you'll see that the selections are quite extensive and prices quite reasonable. Simple and uncomplicated, that's just the way we like our comfort food and Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen clearly makes its case as the next dining destination in Makati's culinary scene. Where's lunch? Tara dito, at Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen...

Tatatito Pilipino Home Kitchen is located at the Ground Floor of OPL Building, 100 Don Carlos Palanca, Legazpi Village, Makati or call 0991 300 5000 for inquiries. You can also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Restaurant/Tatatito and IG Feed at @tatatito.ph for more updates. 

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