In the alleys of Mother Ignacia in Quezon City, there is this hidden cozy little restaurant that offers a fusion of Filipino-Mexican cuisine at an excellent price. A dream project of Chef Stephen Gelacio who wanted to have his own restaurant one day, Antojitos opened its doors to the eating public last September 26, 2016.
A concept brewing since his high school days, Stephen was able to open his own restaurant out of his love for both Mexican cuisine and the Filipino comfort dish popularly known as “Silogs“. It started then with an idea of making a tapsilog or other Filipino dishes to a burrito or a quesadilla.
To start off the tasting, we had the Beef Nachos (PHP 89.00) and the very popular Buffalo Chicken Wings (PHP 15.00 each, minimum of 4 pieces). Yes you read that right, beef nachos which is good for sharing that is under a hundred pesos! The Buffalo chicken wings were very juicy, not too spicy, very easy to eat, and the best part is that price! Even with the minimum order of four pieces, it’s still way under PHP 100.00!
One of the favorite dishes of the chef, the Gelacio’s Quesadilla (PHP 119.00), is a fusion of the family beef mechado with cheese recipe, which I say goes great well with a cold bottle of beer.
A Mexican restaurant or at least a Filipino-Mexican restaurant will not be complete without a burrito! The Pulled Pork Adobo Wet Burrito (PHP 119.00) is just one of the available burritos at Antojitos. This is actually good for two or three people, or one very hungry individual!
Now, here are two dishes I think really make Antojitos worth visiting even more: the Salted Egg Fish Tacos (PHP 55.00) and the Crispy Cheese Tacos (PHP 99.00). The salted egg fish tacos is a refreshing take on the fish taco. Not only does it taste fresh, the salted egg does not give an overpowering kick. It gives off that pleasant salted egg aftertaste, instead. On the other hand, the crispy cheese tacos is an interesting dish as I’ve not encountered this type of taco yet. The twist? The entire shell is made from Queso de Bola!
Let me reiterate, every dish here goes well with a cold bottle of beer, and best of all, you might not even feel a dent on your wallet with the affordable prices.
So what’s next? In a few months, Antojitos will be moving to a food park in Poblacion, Makati City. I’ve been a resident of Poblacion my entire life. I have been a witness of how it became a food destination where brave chefs and restaurateurs experiment and are unafraid of not following the norms. Antojitos will be a good fit, for sure, and I will be waiting.
