Everyday Filipino Fare Is Given the Chef Tatung Touch at This One-Stop Deli-Café in QC

(SPOT.ph) So you fly abroad to taste the best sushi in Japan and the cheesiest pizza in Italy. But when you come home, you’re probably craving your lola’s homecooked adobo or sinigang. Filipino food is simple yet comforting, a thought that celebrity chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou hinged on when he conceptualized his latest project that highlights the best of the Philippines in one stop. Introducing Tindeli, the three-in-one spot—cafe, deli, and pasalubong shop—in the heart of Quezon City.

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Here's why Chef Tatung’s Tindeli is not your usual Filipino deli cafe:

Chef Tatung is inspired by an unlikely pairing: the distinctive, humble Filipino sari-sari stores and the upscale Western establishment delicatessen (a.k.a. deli) offering high-quality, ready-to-serve food like cold cuts and cheeses. Out comes Tindeli, a one-stop shop at Gateway 2’s Palenque—the newest food-lovers' haven where Filipino cuisine is the star. Tindeli officially opens its doors to the public for lunch and dinner today, October 27.

Unlike Chef Tatung’s other premier restaurants, Tindeli is more of a cozy spot where you can bring the entire family or gang for expertly-prepared comfort food. Its warm interiors and the sunburst patterns of the solihiya or rattan weaving on its walls—along with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and warm pan de sal—are enough to transport you back to your ancestral home. His vision: for a visit to Tindeli to be a habit, not a one-time “you only live once” experience because it was heavy on the wallet.

“I do a lot of high-end pero I’m better known as Simpol which is mainstream brand, masa concept. I feel it was a disservice not to have something for my followers there,” Chef Tatung said in a sit-down interview during the grand opening of Tindeli on October 26.

“Tayo Filipinos we grow in sophistication but we don’t lose being Filipino. Babalik at babalik ka rin. Do you think kakain ka ng Italian pizza, hindi ka na kakain ng tapsilog? At the end of the day hahanapin mo si adobo at sinigang.”

Tindeli found its first home in Cubao, arguably the halfway meeting point for friends as it’s the home of major transportation hubs to the cities and provinces. By setting up its pasalubong store where you can take home the likes of giant ensaymada, peanut brittle, and lengua de gato, it supports—nay, encourages—the deeply-embedded tradition of pasalubong-giving before heading home.

The concept for Tindeli took 10 years in the making, even when it evolves around “Simpol” Filipino food that Chef Tatung is known for. What made it complicated is doing Filipino-style charcuterie when you want elevated flavors that conjure the memories of home. Think homemade, wood-smoked bacon, longganisa, sausages, chorizo, and other cold cuts which you can buy at the deli.

What to try at Chef Tatung's Tindeli:

One way to enjoy the best of Chef Tatung’s latest concept is by getting the Tindesal. Think of the humble pan de sal sandwiches your mom would prepare you as baon for school, but gone supersized and given updated fillings: Cheesy Chicken Salad Melt (P225), Tindeli Pride Chicken (P260), Galantina (P345), and even Christmas Jamon (P390) best paired with fries, side salads, or noodles.

Love meat? Try the Smokey Java Ribs (P580) that's cooked Filipino-style for that on-point sweet and smoky combo. Not to be missed is the Chicken Galentina (P680), an OG from chef’s family recipes, just in time for the holidays.

If you usually miss the breakfast menu, Tindeli also has All Day Almusal offerings served with fried garlic rice or pan de sal plus eggs. They make Filipino breakfast classics their own with homemade versions of typically processed meats—think homemade Smoked Bacon (P240), luncheon meat called Homemade Spam (P310), and even their own Beef Tapa (P420).

Of course, you can’t leave without a sip of their proudly Filipino drinks. Tindeli brings us to Sultan Kudarat and Mt. Apo with its coffee, and to Bohol for locally-sourced tablea from Dalareich Chocolate House. For refreshments, how about a Pink Guava Iced Tea (P145) or the classic Sago Gulaman (P85)? For dessert, a scoop of their carabao ice cream (P55) or maybe a slice of Ube con Leche Flan cake (P180) would do you good.

No Tindeli visit is complete without a take-home treat. Head over to the pasalubong stall for breads, pastries, and even some snacks you can munch on while on the road, or as gifts to your loved ones to make them feel the warmth of home. It doesn't get any more Filipino than that.

Tindeli By Chef Tatung at Palenque, Upper Ground B, Gateway 2, 255 General Araneta, Cubao, Quezon City.