Taco 'Bout Delish: Drop By This El Nido Taqueria's Weekend Pop-Ups in Makati

(SPOT.ph) We've raved about El Nido's Ay Papito! and their flavor-packed tacos, which are made all the more special with their use of fresh ingredients and components made from scratch. Of course we'll take any excuse to fly to the island, but you can still get your fix right from our side of the country. The local taqueria is holding weekly pop-ups in Makati until next month!

Also read: Let's Taco 'Bout It: Great-Tasting Tacos You Can Feast on at Home

Catch this taco shop from El Nido in Makati:

Ay Papito! began in El Nido, Palawan, but was recently brought over to Manila. More than a taco shop, the venture is also owner Leon Araneta's way of paying ode to Mexico, where he grew up; and partner  Karla Delgado's avenue to give opportunities to women in need. "She is into permaculture farming and sustainability, and I am into restaurants and eating tacos!," Araneta explains in an exchange with SPOT.ph.

"My best friend from high school in Mexico City, Guillermo, was my CFO. One day I joked with him that he should come visit the Philippines and he did!," Araneta shares. At the time, the friend and his partner had a taqueria in Mexico—and though that has since closed, the two decided to move here to partner with Araneta and Delgado for Ay Papito. "They make all the delicious food that we serve." Ay Papito! takes the time and effort to make their taco components from scratch and "with love"—salsas (with chiles from Mexico), drinks, and more. 

As of writing, Ay Papito!'s pop-ups take place from Fridays to Sundays, 12 to 9 p.m., at New Deli by Kashmir at San Antonio Plaza in Makati. It's well worth dropping by on a free weekend and going for a plate or two of their signatures—beginning with the Quesadilla (P100) stuffed with cheese and salsa bandera, or the Chicharron de Queso (P350)—a roll of cheese fried to a crunch and served with an assortment of their salsas.

Of course, the star here is their tacos. "We only make tacos that we would proudly serve to our Mexican high school classmates," Araneta raves. Even basics—like the Pollo (P100) or roast chicken, Bistec (P100) or sirloin beef, and Al Pastor (P100) or marinated pork with pineapple, shine with their explosive seasonings. Not to be missed, though, are their specials, which include the Birria (P280/three pieces) with sauced-up chicken and Panella (P280/three pieces) with Mexican cottage cheese—all perfect downed with one of their drinks, like the Agua de Horchata (P150) spiked with cinnamon or tangy Agua de Jamaica (P150) with roselle.

Ay Papito!'s Makati pop-up is at New Deli by Kashmir, G/F San Antonio Plaza, McKinley Road, Makati City. For more information, check out Ay Papito's Facebook page.

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