A lowkey pulutan and carinderia favorite finally gets a spotlight in a Filipino restaurant in BGC. Order your extra rice, because this dish definitely comforts the soul and is just as crave-worthy as the more popular sisig!
Friends & Family recently opened in Bonifacio High Street Central with the intention of letting its guests feel at home by serving Filipino comfort food. The restaurant is a tribute to old school eateries and your friendly neighborhood diner, the stuff Filipinos grew up loving, while also offering some modern takes and twists on all-day dining favorites. Included in their early top hits are unsurprisingly all the comfort food reliables, like sisig, pinoy bbq, crispy pata and tadyang, and merienda fare like arroz caldo and pancit palabok. There’s a lot of great food to choose from, so it’s good to come here with friends or with family to share everything. But aside from getting all your favorites, let your love for pork offal begin with their take on the humble carinderia and jollijeep staple, Spicy Bopis.
Bopis doesn’t get much love like sisig, but this restaurant proves that it really deserves a space on the menu because this spicy and tangy dish is highly enjoyable and could be the gateway dish for foodies (and foreigners) that aren’t too keen on eating off-cuts. While some may veer away from this item at turo-turo canteens, you’re assured that the restaurant’s version is, of course, restaurant quality. Chef Kalel Chan shares that he uses a family recipe for this particular bopis, pork lungs cleaned well and finely chopped and marinated. It is stir-fried with onions, carrots, bell peppers, achuete (annato oil), and chili.
The result? An extremely flavorful and potent ulam, piquant in every spoonful that enjoying this solo is not an option. Go grab yourself a bottle of cold beer, and forget the low-carb diet and just go for that extra rice. Anyway, if you’re feeling a little shy with indulging on starch, they always have that half-cup rice serving at Friends & Family, cheekily called a Dieta portion.
The Dish: Spicy Bopis (P195/Friends or 2 persons, P295/Family or 4 persons)
Where to Find it: Friends & Family, located at the ground floor of Bonifacio High Street Central (beside Coconut Club), BGC, Taguig. The restaurant is open daily from 11am to 11pm. Call 621-3222, and follow Friends & Family on Facebook (/raintreefriendsandfamilyph) and Instagram (@friendsandfamilyph).
