Push Admin

Article (news)

Karen Flores

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Compañeros is located at Matheus Building in Poblacion, Makati. Handout" src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240729110716/9fc961b959cba3426561b30e2412af2c3579d2609d3632b74543538897699b47.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><figcaption>Compañeros is located at Matheus Building in Poblacion, Makati.<em> Handout</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>There&#x27;s a new restaurant in Makati&#x27;s hip neighborhood of Poblacion, and it promises to offer the best of Mexican and Filipino flavors.</p><p>Compañeros, named after the Spanish word for partner, is the first food venture of lawyer couple Philip Gonda and Regine Estillore-Gonda. The hole-in-the-wall&#x27;s name is also a nod to their day jobs -- lawyers are endearingly addressed &quot;pañero&quot; and &quot;pañera&quot; in the Philippines.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re lawyers by profession but food has really been a huge part of our lives. It&#x27;s our love language. It brought us together and it&#x27;s always been a passion of ours,&quot; Regine shared with ABS-CBN News during a recent food tasting. </p><p>&quot;In 2021, nangahas kami during the pandemic to have a franchise... But iba &#x27;yon kaysa having your own talaga. We get to put in all our creativity and we have more freedom,&quot; she added.</p><p>Philip, for his part, said they wanted to use tacos as a vessel to elevate Filipino cuisine. &quot;Usually ang popular na comfort food are burgers, pizzas, ramen, then tacos... &#x27;yun &#x27;yung mga go-to comfort food all over the world. Bakit Mexican? Kasi compared sa burgers and pizzas, &#x27;yun &#x27;yung tingin namin na platform na best na mapu-put out there &#x27;yung Filipino food. Our concept is elevated Filipino street food and Mexican street food,&quot; he said. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Compañeros hopes to make the world a better place, one taco at a time. Handout" src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240729110724/c4ca005cff8c8cbf15232a73b358258a43259be58f89880dbbf4daf0621ec51c.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><figcaption>Compañeros hopes to make the world a better place, one taco at a time. <em>Handout</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The vision of Philip and Regine was brought to life by Michelin-trained chef Kevin David, who moved to the Philippines from the United States two years ago. As consultant, Chef Kevin helped put together the menu of Compañeros using his background in fine dining and Mexican cuisine -- the result is a well-thought-out lineup of three appetizers and five tacos with rice bowl counterparts.</p><p>&quot;When they (Philip and Regine) presented the menu, they already had everything they wanted -- or at least the idea of what it&#x27;s going to be,&quot; he said. &quot;Mexico and the Philippines were both taken over by Spain, so when it comes to food we&#x27;re not too far away. So I just researched to see what else I could do with the food, more like reintroduce [Filipino and Mexican food].&quot;</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Compañeros owners Philip Gonda and Regine Estillore-Gonda (left) with chef-consultant Kevin David. Handout" src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240729110724/dba2828daf66d6c6e982ad59a17ffc87418c2c7faea5d64d3e9341fb8cf13cc4.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><figcaption>Compañeros owners Philip Gonda and Regine Estillore-Gonda (left) with chef-consultant Kevin David. <em>Handout</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The star at Compañeros is the restaurant&#x27;s take on the Al Pastor taco, which typically uses marinated meat stacked on a trompo or vertical spit. The Pinoy twist is in the sweet and savory marinade, which takes inspiration from our own humble pork BBQ on a stick, which is commonly sold on streets and night markets. Completing the taco is a spiced aioli with pinakurat vinegar.</p><p>Another best-seller (and a favorite among the owners and Chef Kevin) is the Compañeros Quesabirria, which comes with a cheese crust for added crunch and chewiness. </p><p>&quot;Second to Al Pastor, ito &#x27;yung pinaka-well received na taco namin,&quot; said Philip.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The pork used in Al Pastor (left) and the Compañeros Quesabirria (right). Handout" src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240729110724/7f4bd6e086eaf84229603525e3d7e9574d9362244a3d2a31317f2953ab4a9691.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><figcaption>The pork used in Al Pastor (left) and the Compañeros Quesabirria (right). <em>Handout</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The Tapa Carne Asada is fun yet familiar, with Australian ribeye carrying the flavors of Filipino tapa and Korean galbi. There is also the OG Pork Sisig with a soy sauce crema and mirin-pickled green chilis for added umami; and the Crispy Fish taco with Filipino beer-battered catfish and mangga ensalada pico de gallo.</p><p>All the tacos are served on a corn tortilla with a choice of salsa. Compañeros currently offers three -- the mild salsa verde and the slightly spicier salsa roja and lacto-fermented fruit salsa. There is also the option of having a taco flight featuring all five kinds in one platter, along with the three salsas.</p><p>The tacos are best paired with an appetizer (or two, or three). The Chilaquiles con Longgarizo is another example of Fil-Mex cuisine done right -- fried tortillas are topped with bits of Compañeros&#x27; own longganisa-chorizo hybrid, mozzarella cheese, salsa verde, and a sunny side-up egg.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s actually meant to be eaten with a spoon and fork,&quot; Regine said of their take on the popular Mexican breakfast food. &quot;You can break the egg yolk para mas runny siya.&quot; </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Crispy Fish taco (left) and Chilaquiles con Longgarizo. Handout" src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240729110724/5abfe67cede26553ed569a8baaae1ec70fec1c0647f72f17f2ecfb9dcbc6c1ff.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><figcaption>Crispy Fish taco (left) and Chilaquiles con Longgarizo. <em>Handout</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Another starter is the Chicharon Bulaklak and Guacamole, or deep-fried pork ruffled fat with an avocado-based dip (a combo that surprisingly works, although we did start to look for rice at one point). If you want to focus on the tacos, you can keep things simple with a side of chips with your choice of salsa. </p><p>Wash all the carbs down with Compañeros&#x27; beverages which also infuse elements of samalamig, its Filipino counterpart. There&#x27;s the Melon Horchata, which adds a refreshing twist to the creamy Mexican drink; and the Watermelon Dayap Agua Fresca with basil and local lime. </p><p>&quot;Our goal is to give a samalamig vibe. That&#x27;s what we&#x27;re aiming for,&quot; said Regine. &quot;It can also be a dessert drink.&quot; </p><p>Compañeros is located at Unit 6 of Matheus Building in Poblacion, Makati. It is open from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. from Tuesday to Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. every Friday and Saturday. More details are available on the restaurant&#x27;s Instagram page. </p>

<p>Its menu was made in consultation with Michelin-trained chef Kevin David.</p>

Its menu was made in consultation with Michelin-trained chef Kevin David.

New eats: This taco joint in Poblacion delightfully fuses Mexican, Filipino flavors

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Lifestyle

New eats: This taco joint in Poblacion delightfully fuses Mexican, Filipino flavors

Karen Flores,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 29, 2024 06:29 PM PHT

|

Updated Jul 29, 2024 07:32 PM PHT

Read More:

food

restaurants

new eats

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.