Classic Savory Chicken
April 29, 2009
photo from gourmandtales.wordpress.com
Tancho Boy, a former boss, used to tell stories of how he, as a young man, would immediately make a beeline to the Savory restaurant in Escolta every payday. Hearing him tell it, eating at Savory Restaurant was an in thing to do. His tastes may have changed somewhat over the years but Savory restaurant still (according to him) makes excellent chicken. Personally, I hated Tancho Boy and thought him a humbug but to his credit, he does eat well.
A few years after Tancho Boy, and just this Monday, I was at Ali Mall in Cubao with my neighbor and BFF, B. We were both hungry and wanted to take lunner (late lunch and an early dinner) and I didn’t want to go far as I am about to board a bus in an hour’s time. I chanced upon Savory Restaurant in Ali Mall and Tancho Boy came to mind. “What the heck, let’s try this one” I said to B.
The place only had a few patrons as it was around 5pm. Our waiter, when handing us the menu, placed it on top of the plate. We ordered at set meal of 1/2 chicken, pancit canton, lumpiang shanghai and plain rice. Our order arrived promptly, within ten minutes. The rice was cold, the pancit so-so. The lumpia was indifferent and the sauce unremarkable. The chicken - the house specialty, from which the reputation of the restaurant rose, the msot excelent chicken according to Tancho Boy- was a big disappointment. It was moist and the skin was sort of crispy and had a lovely color and that was it. It had no flavor and the gravy was hohum. My friendly sidewalk vendor sells better chicken than this. The service wasn’t that good either. While we were eating, a waiter was lounging near our table as if waiting for us to finish.
Overall, the meal was so-so. It wasn’t expensive as I think I paid less than P500 for the meal. At least it filled the hunger. The experience didn’t improve my opinion of Tancho Boy.
Previous Comments
sumagi din yan sa isip ko. or baka lang talaga di na nila na-maintain ang standards nila.
nung naga-aral pa lang ako, di ko rin afford yung aristocrat. Aristocart lang. heheh. Dream ko din noon kumain dyan. Nung nakakain na ako, parang hindi naman ka-heavenly kasarap ang chicken barbeque. masarap din naman pero hindi masarap na masarap. Or maybe kailangan ko lang kumain dun uli. heheh
Posted by biyay at November 18, 2009, 7:00 amAll comments are moderated. Your comments will not appear here unless approved by the blog owner. Thank you.
oh yeah, yan din ang palaging binabanggit banggit ng aking lowla nung araw na ang savory fried chicken ang the best but i was also disappointed nung kumain sko dyan sa my binondo, ang tigas na ng chicken nila at di gaya ng sabi nya na napaka juicy at ang chura nung savory restorant e mukha ng turu turo, since wala ng matagal si lowla, 2 things ang sumagi sa isip ko na reason.
1. baka naman nung araw e talagang masarap at dahil sa tagal na dina nakuha nung mga sumunod na generation yung recepin pero imposible naman diba?o kaya nagtipid na sila kaya affected ang lasa at quality.
2. o baka naman sa dami na ng masasarap na fried chicken na naglalabasan e masyado nalang mataas ang standard ng ating mga dila sa ngayon dahil sa dmi ng pagpipilian at pagpapatalbugan sa sarap nung mga fast food na kilala sa recepi ng masarap na chicken.
ganun din ang naramdaman ko sa aristocrat na super sikat nung araw, so try ko yung resto dyan sa my baywalk sa manila,bukod sa mukha ng mumurahing resto e masarap pa yung mga luto natin sa bahay, nung araw kasi e wala nga kaming makain e savory at aristocrat pa (hanghang panaginip na alng hehe) kaya nung magka trabaho ako yung mga yun ang una kong pinuntahan and talaga namang dismayado ko.
Posted by lee at November 17, 2009, 8:26 pm