Chopsticks & Spoon

On Monday we went to another market mall at the base of a high rise residential building and discovered some of the best food in Manilla. Rommel's Uncle Jose takes fine dining food and serves it up in a "fast food" format. Chopsticks & Spoon is an offshoot of a fine dining restaurant Jose owned which was very successful. His newest idea is to use those recipes and presentations in a more relaxed setting. It isn't completely fast food since all dishes are cooked to order. He uses the kitchen in his stall as well as a remote kitchen in a van outside. This allows him to offer charcoal grilled items and items which take more prep than the usual offerings in this setting.


Uncle Jose invited our group for lunch and much of the family joined in. There were brother's, a fiancé, a cousin and mom along with the brood we brought. Once we were all gathered together the food started arriving and the feasting began. 


We started out with hot and sour soup followed by lettuce wraps and green beans with dried shrimp, broccoli and carrots. The veggies were cooked to perfection and the sauce yummy.

A favorite of mine (and everyone else) was the charcoal grilled grouper with shredded mango salad. I have to say, this was the best grouper I have ever tasted and the best presentation.

Pineapple fried rice was followed by warm prawn salad. It was quite a toss up as to which I liked better, the grouper or the prawn salad. The prawn are perfectly cooked and piping hot when mixed in with a cool fruit salad. The dressing is light and tasty and the overall effect is out of this world. Jose also told us that this dish is a favorite of Imelda Marcos who orders it every time she comes (which is quite regularly). I can see why she considers it a part of her top foods list.

It was Cuong's birthday and in honor of his Vietnamese roots we hard a yummy noodle dish as well.

With each dish surpassing the others it was a true feast. We all sat around the table getting plump...

...except for the grouper.

Soon he was nothing but bones and a little shredded mango. But his sacrifice was greatly appreciated.


At the end of the meal we gathered with our host, Jose Toh, his daughter Johanna and others of our group for a quick photo. (Notice Ken and I were so full we couldn't move.) Jose told us that several of his U.S. friends are trying to talk him into expanding his concept to some of their home cities. We would love it if he did. Thank you to Jose and Chopsticks & Spoon for a memorable feast.