Ang Kan-anan Ni Kuya J

I discovered that Kuya J Restaurant was known before in Cebu as Ang Kan-anan ni Kuya J. But due to their mouthwatering food, Kuya J instantly became one of the well-loved restaurants not just in Cebu, but in the country that now holds around a hundred branches.

Ever since, my mom has a big crush on Jericho Rosales. And I guess, Kuya J made a right decision for making the Pangako Sa’yo star as their brand ambassador because when my mother heard about Kuya J Restaurant’s opening in the Metro, she immediately invited me to dine in the food house. 

As I first walk into the restaurant, I inmediately like its interior. It gives me a fine dining vibe that can be obtained by casual diners. I fell in love with the shelves of books hanging on the walls, although I can’t finish one here. I also noticed that all of their branches has spacious dining area, which is great. Their menu has wide selection of well-thought Filipino dishes.

Stuffed Grilled Squid with Barbecue Sauce

The idea of stuffing this grilled squid is just awesome. Usually, other restaurant only offers grilled squid alone. But there was so much in this Kuya J’s dish, which makes me think that I already got my money’s worth. The squid is stuffed with fresh tomatoes, onion and garlic. Plus, it’s drizzled with barbecue sauce. Just by hearing the description makes me hungry. I’m glad that what I saw was what I tasted. Absolutely delicious!

Kuya J Grilled Scallop 

Thinking that it would be good for his condition, dad ordered Kuya J Grilled Scallop. Of course, I had a taste. It looks like the scallops were topped with cheese, butter and garlic. However, the garlic flavor is so rich that my palate can’t find the cheese and butter anymore as well as the freshness of the scallops. It wasn’t like this when we first visited Kuya J so I’m assuming that it was just during that time.

Kare–kareng Bagnet

For Kare-kare, I already tried their beef version and the bagnet one. I find the Kare-kareng Bagnet small in serving. However, the pork belly is crispy and yummy. The combination is great since the sauce covers the fatty flavors of the meat. On the other hand, the beef isn’t soft but it isn’t hard, too. The beef is quite redish which suggests that it’s cooked well. The Kare-kare sauce is bland for both Kare-kare. I’m still looking for more peanut flavor.

Bulalo

I noticed that their Bulalo isn’t consistent. There are times that the beef isn’t as tender as the one I’ve eaten before. I don’t know if the problem is in the branch or maybe, it wasn’t just a bulalo time for me. It’s a good thing that the bone marrow and other stuff are there to save the dish. When it comes to soup, we also tried their sinigang. The acidity was spot on! Other restaurants should have their recipe. 

Sizzling Gumbo

Sizzling Gumbo is my favorite dish in Kuya J among the food I’ve tried there not because I’m a shrimp lover and I’m biased but because they totally gave justice to the seafood. The small shrimp meats were soft and its flavor blends well with the sweetness and spiciness of the sauce. They added egg in it as if it’s a sisig. I thought it would be inappropriate but surprisingly, the egg elevated the dish. I just hope it has more serving though.

Sizzling Sisig

Speaking of Sisig, of course, Kuya J Restaurant won’t be conplete without the Filipino’s all-time favorite bar chow. I’m sorry for the messy photo. Mom mixed it immediately before I got to take a shot. I think she was excited to have a taste because the smell is truly inviting. I’m glad that this one has a good amount of pork, which I guess, is just balanced to the other ingredients. The meat is juicy and flaky which makes it easy and fun to eat.

Chopsuey

I’m not really a lover of vegetable so don’t ask me about Kuya J’s Chopsuey. Ask my mother because she was the one who ordered and devoured it. According to her, the greens were natural and fresh, the sauce was savory and the pork meat and chicken liver were flavorful. As a watcher, I also appreciate the big cuts of these ingredients. I think that it’s unquestionably delicious because she cleared the plate all by herself.

Cucumber Juice

Before cucumber lemonade, Kuya J already have cucumber juice, which is healthier. I just don’t know why it tastes like watermelon shake. Kuya J tries to give the famous summer dessert a twist but it was too much for me. Kuya J Halo Halo Espesyal has a mountain of ice while the toppings only fill less than a quarter of the cup. Although the ice is created with milk or cream in it, the whole thing still lacks sweetness. It’s also viscous in texture, which is weird.