Chicken Parm Tacos Are a Thing at This Week-Long Pop-Up
You only have a week to try the Italian-fied, French-Mexican eats by Taqueria Franco and Noodle Lab.
by JJ Yulo
Published on Sep 20, 2025
(SPOT.ph) Makati's Taqueria Franco isn't just known for its already eclectic menu of French inspired tacos—it also happens to be a cradle of playful culinary creativity. The number of collaborations over the past year or so are particularly telling, involving chefs far removed from anything even remotely French.
The Noodle Lab is no exception. Married couple Ally and Nico Gonzalez started down the way of the nood in the pandemic, trying (and failing) to make soba, an elusive but ever-beckoning goal. Shifting to the more attainable pasta, Noodle Lab started by selling fresh noodles, and snowballed into collabs, which eventually lead them to decide to open their own brick and mortar sometime soon. At the heart of their business is a certain playfulness—and ethos—that just seems so complimentary to Franco’s.
What to try at the Noodle Lab pop-up at Taqueria Franco
From September 22 to 28—just for a week—four special Noodle Lab dishes will share billing with Franco favorites. These dishes have been dreamt up by Ally and Nico as part of their future lineup, with their spins on Italian street flavors expanding Franco’s eclectic, borderless menu.
It is, at the end of things, fun food. Do yourself a favor and get them all! Starting with a ‘Shroom Quesadilla (P850) filled with Benguet mushrooms, mozzarella, gorgonzola, balsamic onions, and parsley cream. It's a bit earthy, a bit sweet, and tangy, and overall highly satisfying stuff. Move on to a rather corny pasta dish (in the best possible way, as you will discover), called It’s An Elote (Php 550)—sweet corn agnolottii in a popcorn infused mornay, witn feta cheese, grilled corn, and… corn flakes. It's nutty in more ways than one, but trust us, it works.
The most relatable dish will probably be their Chicken Parm To Table (P360)—two tacos filled with a chicken cutlet, a frico of mozzarella, pomodoro, pesto, arugula, and grana padano. Franco's tortillas work as a great vessel here, delivering the flavors of the classic Italian chicken dish in two to three bites. Dessert is a crunchy, creamy Cannoli (P320), inspired by horchata, filled with whipped ricotta, rolled in rice puffs, and dusted with cinnamon and roasted almonds. It tastes as good as it sounds.
You may even get to meet the two Noodle Lab masterminds—a term we don't use lightly. It's rarer opportunity than one might imagine to see a unique food idea actually take off, especially when success even with the tried and true can prove difficult these days. But with their approachable yet out-of-the-box dishes, big energy, and unhindered vision, Noodle Lab has a fighting chance to fly, with Taqueria Franco playing a big part in its lore.
Taqueria Franco is at G/F LPL Center, San Agustin Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City. For more information, check out the Instagram pages of Noodle Lab and Taqueria Franco.
JJ is a curious eater who loves trying and learning new things. He especially champions places that provide value for money, and who seem to genuinely care for their guests. The best part of food culture for him, though, is how it can bring people together.