152 – On Kindred Palates: Hermanos Taco Shop, New Manila

(AUTHOR’S NOTE: According to an acquaintance and upon checking the place’s Zomato profile, this particular branch of Hermanos Taco Shop is permanently closed. Timestamp: 11 December 2018, 11:26 am.)

Oh, Mexico.

This Central American nation has introduced many things to the world. From chocolate and chilies in the past – up to telenovelas and lucha libre in the present. Unfortunately, unsavory elements like the narcotics cartels and drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman have emerged from Mexico – so much so that United States President-Elect Donald J. Trump has declared that he will be building a wall at the border of the two countries.

Enough of that, and let’s move on. Mexican cuisine has been in the forefront of the dining scene in the Philippines, ever since the Mexican boom of the 1990s that gave us restaurants like Tia Maria’s, Chilli’s, and Mexicali. While today’s featured restaurant may not have been established during that time (it was set up in 2008), it doesn’t fail to deliver authentic Mexican cuisine. In fact – I consider it a part of the second wave of Mexican dining establishments that have popped up in recent years. Located along the stretch of Granada Avenue, tucked right in a service station; I present to you Hermanos Taco Shop.

I first heard of Hermanos Taco Shop from a college batchmate who had written about the place some years ago. CJ and I had been frequenting the New Manila area sometime last year, specifically Robinsons Magnolia. I suggested one Sunday that we should try out the place—which we did. Hermanos Taco Shop has changed since my college batchmate’s review, and one proof of this would be the wall design. What used to be a display of wooden logs has now been turned into a mural of Mexico. Still, it didn’t change the fact that we were both anticipating a culinary tour of the Central American nation.

Hermanos Taco Shop is owned by Cathy Mora, a former actress, who named it after her brothers. Señora Mora’s stepfather helped make the taco shop a reality by contributing his experience as a chef in the United States. Now that’s solid proof that Hermanos Taco Shop serves Mexican dishes in the same manner as how you would try it out in California or Arizona. If you happen to be far from the New Manila area, fret not. Hermanos Taco Shop has a branch in Alabang and another at nearby restaurant strip Tomas Morato.

The view from inside.

Citations from various offline and online food publications.

A mural of Mexico on the wall.

The low chairs add a touch of warmth.

Coupled with the tables, it gives diners a feeling of dining in an actual Mexican home.

Some of their specialties.

Hermanos Taco Shop also sees some frequent celebrity customers.

Their menu (first of two).

Their menu (second of two).

I’ll end here to show you pictures of Hermanos Taco Shop’s culinary offerings. Do check out their Facebook page and Twitter account to stay abreast with their latest promotions. Until the next review, buen provecho amigos!

Horchata (P95): This rice and cinnamon milk drink was too sweet for my liking, but it tones down the savory taste of Mexican food.

Chicken Quesadilla (P260): Shredded chicken and cheese sandwiched between two fourt tortillas, served with salsa and topped with chopped tomatoes and sour cream.

It’s a good meal on its own, if you ask me.

Cheese Quesadilla (P220): A combination of cheeses sandwiched between two fourt tortillas, served with salsa and topped with chopped tomatoes and sour cream.

A perfect teaser to start the meal.

Shredded Beef Quesadilla (P275): Same as the two previous quesadillas above, however this one has a shredded beef and cheese filling.

Probably the most filling among the rest of the quesadillas we tried out.

Surf & Turf Burrito (P350): Chopped skirt steak and shrimp mixed with rice, vegetables, and spices wrapped in a flour tortilla.

The accompanying salsa brightens up the savory explosion from the seafood and steak.

Fish Tacos (P225): Fried cream dory fillets wrapped in corn tortillas, served with lime wedges, salsa, and sour cream.

I found this rather heavy, but the oiliness overpowered everything. Maybe I’ll try this another time?

Chili Con Carne (P295): A combination of beef and beans cooked in spicy sauce, served with Mexican rice and tortilla chips.

CJ ordered this one, and she was absolutely happy. It was a full meal on its own, according to her.

Beef Tamales (P360): Corn masa with shredded beef, topped off with cheese, sour cream, and chopped tomatoes and peppers.

Incidentally, there is also a Filipino dish called tamales – but the only similarity it has with this one is its being wrapped while cooking and made of grains (rice in this case).

I apologize if I had to destroy that beautiful setup; this is to show the meat inside the tamales.

Cinnamon Crisp (P95): Tortilla triangles deep-fried and sprinked with a dash of cinnamon, served with caramel syrup.

The crisps had a slightly burned flavor due to the frying process, but the caramel sauce tones it down.

Churros (P95): Three pieces of deep-fried pastry sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with caramel.

I would have appreciated these churros if they were softer, but kudos to them for serving it the way they do it in Mexico.

Hermanos Taco Shop
#27 Granada Avenue corner Jose O. Vera Street
Brgy. Valencia, New Manila
Quezon City 1112

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(This was the last post I was working on before my laptop gave up on me. I had to re-type the entire content from scratch, from what I remembered reading in the earlier draft of this entry. My laptop’s still not fixed as of this time, and I’m typing this out in my office.)

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