Fresh New Filipino Adobo Recipe Ideas from Cafe Juanita

A few weeks ago, I entered this quaint restaurant named Cafe Juanita in the Burgos Circle of the Global City in Fort Bonifacio. With much excitement and anticipation, I ordered what I believe were the house specialties namely, Two-Way Pork Adobo and Fried Lapu-Lapu with Tamarind Sauce. For obvious reasons, I resisted every temptation to order the Crispy Pata. It was a beautiful place, picture perfect for a romantic date in the heart of the busy metro. A sneak peek of this dining destination for duets is available below, taken from the archives of TopGear Philippines.

Cafe Juanita @ The Burgos Circle in Global City, Fort Bonifacio

I will NOT lie. The food reviews (raves) written about this restaurant is not all that reliable. It was not all THAT bad, but it was NOT all THAT good either. Fair enough, right? :) 

While this blog post has begun with a food criticism, it is NOT intended for that purpose. I am NOT a food critic. The most I could ever be (that is close to food) is either a voracious eater or a reliable home cook.

That visit to Cafe Juanita was, surprisingly, a "divine" appointment. Because I love to eat, I have developed this nasty habit of reading through a restaurant's menu over and over. Cafe Juanita's menu list ignited some new dish ideas which I plan to serve to my family. Of course, with some revisions suitable for the home setting. After all, I cannot feed chili fingers to an 8-year-old, right? If it is a success, as evidenced by my husband's and helper's raves (Yes, my helper is one of my best critics!), the dish shall join the glorious annals of my family's best-kept secret recipes. It is my hope and joy if generations after me will whip up my fresh food creations over an intimate weekend family gathering. THAT is the legacy I want to leave. :)

Cafe Juanita's Two-Way Adobo dish adds a fresh twist to the classic Filipino Adobo recipe. Instead of the regular pork cuts of "kasim," "pigue," or "liempo," Cafe Juanita made use of the pig's lean and meaty American-cut ribs, simmered in a melange of soy sauce, white vinegar, laurel leaves, whole black peppercorns, garlic, and onions. A photograph of the dish is displayed below, taken from the photo archives of Whiff and a Sip.

Cafe Juanita's Two-Way Pork Adobo Ribs

It is two-way because of the crunchy pork flakes added at the top of the rack of ribs. Frankly, I think that using fried shallots would add a better texture and flavor to the dish. This reminds me to hit the grocery for a rack of ribs very soon. I will create a revised version and share it with you all in the coming days. :)  Until the next post!