Secret Menu: Benny's Place Gives Us a Taste of Kapampangan Tradition With Their Oxtail Menudo Sulipena
It can be hard to come by menudo Sulipeña in Manila, but you can catch it at this Makati establishment this month.
(SPOT.ph) To the average Manileño, menudo might involve thick chunks of pork, a savory-sweet tomato sauce, the optional green peas that people either hate or love. Now, throw this image out the window, and imagine oxtail, chorizo, and lots of paprika in its place. This is the combination that makes up Menudo Sulipena, a regional take on the dish from Pampanga that you can now find in cozy Filipino restaurant Benny’s Place in Makati—and this out-the-box take on menudo is an exclusive available on the SPOT.ph x Esquire Secret Menu.
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Secret Menu Item at Benny’s Place
Here’s a fun fact: Benny’s Place is named after Bienvenido “Benny” Tantoco Sr, the founder of Rustan’s Department Store, where the restaurant is not-so-coincidentally located. It was conceived as a place where there’s Filipino comfort food for everyone, and every dish tells a story. And while this would normally mean some kind of family anecdote, Benny’s Oxtail Menudo Sulipena (P680) is actually a comeback tale because it’s a returning favorite of Chef Mark Griffin.
“This was actually on our menu way back in 2020,” explains Griffin. “And we’ve brought it back, this time with stronger Spanish flavors than before. It’s now got lots of Spanish chorizo and paprika, and you can give the sauce an extra kick from the siling labuyo on the side.”
This take more strongly embraces the dish’s regional roots in Sulipan, Pampanga, and keeps things more peppery in the addicting sauce that coats that tender oxtail, chorizo, and chickpeas. Each serving is good for two people or one very hungry person, with the experience only really complete with a cup of rice to soak it all in.
Just be sure to try it while you can. Benny’s Oxtail Menudo Sulipena is only available for a limited time as part of the SPOT.ph x Esquire Secret Menu, a month-long partnership that lets you try exclusive items from top restaurants in the city using your UnionBank credit card. Just let the servers know your order, and charge the total amount of purchase to your UnionBank credit card—note that restaurant representatives might ask for proof of identification. Only one credit card can be used per transaction, and the promo cannot be combined with upgrade certificates, other promotions, packages, and privilege/VIP cards. These are available for dine-in and takeout; no minimum spend is required.
You only have until April 29 to try this and other Secret Menu items from participating establishments. Don’t forget to tag us on socials (@spotph), and use the hashtags #SpotTheSecretMenu #EsquireSecretMenu #UnionbankSecretMenu when you post!
Read more about the SPOT.ph x Esquire Secret Menu. Benny’s Place is at G/F The Marketplace, Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City. For inquiries and reservations, contact 0919-079-2256. For more information, check out Benny’s Place’s Facebook page.