It was unplanned and unexpected. Today I ate at Mang Inasal! I had been very vocal about disliking the timpla of their chicken inasal because of the overwhelming taste of ginger in their first inasal I sank my teeth into. From then on, anywhere but Mang Inasal was my "motto". But still, I am very proud of what has Mang Inasal become now only a few years after they had their first branch at Robinson's Place Iloilo.
My late lunch: pecho with unlimited rice and liver plus crispy kangkong and iced tea
I had a late lunch today and one of the reasons why was I can't seem to decide what and where to eat. Most often my blog dictates my gastronomy whenever I am out of the house and gives me these dilemma. First I wanted KBL and sio mai combo (lol) at a foodcourt only to know there was no KBL at the foodshop I was eyeing (Ocean City). Then I thought of having a club sandwich and a cake at Dulgies, since it was already 3pm. A sio pao and sio mai combo at Kongkee crossed my mind. Finally, I decided to eat inasal but not Mang Inasal. But the resto I was eyeing was closed (can't be sure if it was closed like just for today or closed like it won't ever open again ) so with a sigh with my stomach already grumbling, I "settled" for the nearest inasal house, Mang Inasal!
Chicken inasal, grilled liver and Mang Inasal's signature rice wrapped in banana leaves
A little over a year ago, I decided to have a quest for the "Best Chicken Inasal in the City" and I started with the nearest and most convenient inasal house at that time, Mang Inasal at the Marymart Center. Read about it.
Mang Inasal's pecho up close (and gastronomical)
It was no deja vu even though I was back at the same branch, ordered almost the same items and seated a table away from my original place. My order promptly came except for the crispy kangkong but when it came, I then knew why; it was fried upon order. It was "no-words-can- describe-it" delicious (lol).
Served with crisp you can actually hear; kangkong leaves
For a food blogger, the rule of the thumb is "shoot first-eat later" no matter how hungry you are, it's got to be this way. At least when the food doesn't satisfy you, there are always the photos. Anyway, I spent around 15 minutes taking photos (getting the right angles, the right settings, the right food arrangement, etc.)
A closer look at Mang Inasal's crispy kangkong
Finally I got to satisfy my hunger, first with some crispy kangkong dipped in mayonnaise. Then a bite of the chicken liver had me float over the clouds and hear the angels sing (i.e. felt like in heaven-lol). And finally, the chicken inasal itself. I had to taste it five times unadulterated (i.e not dipped in my soy sauce-calamansi-vinegar-chicken oil concoction) savouring the taste since it didn't taste like the one which I "detested" (i.e. gingerly yours). At last! It was a timpla of an inasal I (really) liked that I sort of lost count of the number of times I called the unlimitied rice guy to my table. Three? Four? It seems I am lost because of the newfound liking to something I almost detested before...
Pecho with unlimited rice PhP 79
Grilled chicken liver PhP 39
Crispy kangkong PhP 18
Large iced tea PhP 30
Discovery and satisfaction over the "new?" timpla of Mang Inasal PRICELESS