‘Yelo palang masarap na’: Filipino restaurant rolls out Lenten, summer specials

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MANILA, Philippines — In time for National Food Month, Filipino casual dining restaurant Kuya J recently launched its new offerings for summer and Lenten season.

While the restaurant has been a go-to for its Crispy Pata, Bulalo, Kare-Kare and Caldereta, those on a red meat sabbatical for Lent can try Sizzling Pompano sa Gata, Fish & Chips (Tawilis and Kamote or sweet potato chips) and Cebu-style Chicken, a nod to the restaurant’s origins as a Cebuano brand, said Caren Aguado, the chain’s Senior Marketing Manager.

In an interview with Philstar.com, Aguado said the Cebu-style Chicken was launched also during a religious event early this year, Cebu’s Sinulog Festival honoring the Sto. Nino de Cebu or the child Jesus.

“This year, we want to focus on regional favorites,” she declared.

Apart from these, Aguado vouched for their other non-red meat options for Lent, such as Grilled Scallops, Grilled Mussels, Aligue Rice, Pinoy-style Fried Chicken, and Squid Sisig.

For summer, the chain introduces new twists to its best-selling Halo-Halo. First, there is the classic vanilla Halo-Halo Espesyal with seven ingredients. Then, there is the Ube Halo-Halo. A third variant is the Duo, a combination of vanilla and ube. The latest is the Cheesy Ube Halo-Halo Espesyal with a cheese layer in the middle, and grated cheese as toppings. All Halo-Halo variants are topped with Leche Flan.

What sets their Halo-Halo apart, said Aguado, is its finely shaved, flavored ice with a silky refined consistency that complements the various textures of the add-ins, from jelly nata to crunchy cornflakes.

“The unique selling proposition is ‘Yelo palang, masarap na’,” Aguado said of the restaurant’s signature Halo-Halo, with its unique ice mostly sourced in-house. “We know that the ice of the Halo-Halo can make or break the product.”

Besides Halo-Halo, the restaurant touts for its shakes like Buko Shake, Frozen Maja and Trio Kakanin as sweet happy endings.

“We want other regional dishes to come into play, so in the next few weeks, we are also highlighting desserts from the Visayas region,” Aguado announced, adding that besides the menu, they are also elevating their brand’s whole look while still giving customers value-for-money.

“And then somewhere toward the latter part of the year, we also have mga Southern flavors from Mindanao that we’re highlighting also. Para hindi lang s’ya your regular favorites. We will also introduce flavors na kailangang bigyan ng ingay…” — Photos, video by Deni Bernardo; video editing by Geraldine Santos