I have been craving for some Latin-American food for months and when I say Latin food, I mean closest to the real thing. It was a pure joy when I heard that there’s this Latin place that’s just a stone throw away from my house, I got even more excited when I learned that they have Mofongo, Benny’s Seafood style!
Located in Burgos St. in Makati and open from 4 PM – 2 AM, the place is relatively small but has this inviting feeling. We got there by 10 PM on a weekday, so we had the place to ourselves, which is so much beneficial for me ‘coz I get to take pictures with no one staring lol.
Here’s the menu but I do apologize for the crappy photo, the place has low lighting to compliment the cozy ambiance.
For readable menu you can look at their site, here’s the link: Empingao Menu
SMALL PLATES.
We ordered a few for dining in and I (yes, only me) ordered a bunch for take-out, which I will not list here due to embarrassment LOL!! Anyhow, they served the nachos first as our appetizer.
Among the food that we ordered, we felt that this is one is a bit pricey for its size and quantity, they really do mean small plates. The taste is okay and nothing special. Then came the Cubano..
SALAD AND SANDWICHES.
This is a thing of beauty! It’s crispy and savory and when I say crispy, my take home Cubano stayed that way for about 2 hours or so, I mean who’s counting right? But yeah, it’s a big deal for me. It’s perfectly paired with banana chips that are lightly salted and their yellow mustard sauce. Definitely one of my favorite.
One of the reasons I wanted to try Empingao! is because of their plating, I read somewhere that people most likely to decide what to eat with their eyes. If someone sees a pretty plating, instantly it gives them this urge to try it out, even without the knowledge of whether it’s going to taste good or not.
This off-menu item is presented in this cool mug plating and has layers upon layers of pork goodness with a plantain at the bottom. When I say layers, I mean layers! There’s chicharon on top, pork belly after that, and to complete the oinky gang–bacon.
If you have a heart condition or high blood pressure, I swear do not eat this alone. Share, love, share, spare your precious heart.
DESSERT.
We had Purple Yam Pastel and Dulce De Leche Cheesecake. The Purple Yam is okay, it’s not too sweet and it’s soft but not that cream. The Dulce De Leche Cheesecake, however, is a whole different story.
It.is.so.good. Like It’s on my top 5 cheesecake that I ordered in a restaurant list, that good! The best cheesecake for me is the one my sister bakes, YES BAKE. With that being said, Empingao! cheesecake is baked, not too tangy but you can definitely say that there’s a hint of lemon in it, creamy and that dulce de leche is divine. Oh wait, the most important review of all, IT TASTE LIKE CHEESECAKE!
I mean you know that feeling of “ugh!” when you order a cheesecake in a restaurant and it doesn’t taste like cheesecake at all? You will not have that feeling in this one. So good that I took home three. Hey, no judging. The only problem with this is the price, too much for a small portion. Bummer.
Overall, we did enjoy Empingao! Are we going back? Probably. What’s holding me back? PRICE and few portions. Nestled in poblacion, where its competitor is all about good food with affordable price, maybe they can tweak the amount a tad bit if not have their portions big or add more.
The taste is awesome they aced it already, the place is small but it won’t stop me or the people from coming in for sure, combine those with a few adjustment in what’s mentioned above and I tell you, we might be looking at a restaurant that will be a perfect go to for family and friends.
Empingao!
Location: 5739 San Lucas Corner P. Burgos Street, Poblacion, Makati City
Contact number: 0915 725 7378
Operating hours: 4 PM – 1 AM
Connect with them via their facebook page: empingaoph
xoxo,
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