Mister Kabab

April 6, 2013. Saturday.

We left the cold comfort of our homes, and braved the very hot weather the country has been experiencing the past few weeks. You would think we were crazy for doing so. But I'd brave the heat anytime if it means a food date to Mister Kabab!

Mister Kabab has been around for as long as I can remember. But it's not in the form that most people know today. People are familiar with the new West Ave. and Ayala TechnoHub branches, which are both nice and modern (-ish, I guess), but once a upon a time it was a little hole in the wall joint in Delta West Ave. It didn't have most of the modern amenities that the new branches have today. It was al fresco dining. It was a little dingy but the food was always great! My friends and I used to walk a good 3 and half kilometers from our high school just to eat there! That's how great the food was! That and we were still living off our measly allowances and needed to save every peso just for a taste of that heaven set garlic sauce and for that important extra rice.

That old place is now gone, and in its place now stands a supermarket. Mister Kabab has since moved on down the street in West Ave, and they also have a branch in Ayala TechnoHub. Both places are not as charming as the original one for me, but at least both offer better ventilation. The West Ave branch is still not air conditioned, but it has more fans and better exhaust than the old one. On the other hand, the TechnoHub branch would look like a Michelin starred restaurant if you compare it to the old, dingy joint. For starters it has air conditioning. It is also very well kept and has great charming interiors. Which is why we chose to eat in this branch.

But enough about the changes that Mister Kabab has gone through in the past years! The food has always been great and that's what's important. We ordered the following:

Keema with Eggplant

In Mister Kabab's version of the keema, you can order it plain or with eggplant. We ordered the one with eggplant as it offers a very subtle taste that blends in nicely with the minced meat. I've always liked their keema because it tastes a little richer compared to most other keema's. If I didn't know better, I might think this actually had some liver in it. Just like with most dishes on their menu, this one goes very well with their very popular garlic sauce.

Special Beef Chelo Kabab

This is one of Mister Kabab's best seller! I guarantee you that most who frequent this establishment has ordered this on at least one occasion. The meal consists of one strip of tenderloin, a strip of ground beef, grilled tomato and buttered rice. All of those combined is like the perfect storm of ingredients coming together. The rice is served steaming hot, easily melting the butter in it. The kabab strips are cooked just right, tender and still very much juicy. And just like above, this is best eaten with their garlic sauce.

Lamb Chelo Kabab

Kim has been on a lamb craving lately, so she ordered this one. The ground lamb was tender and juicy, but it didn't have that distinct lamb flavor to it. But Kim was fine with it that way, since lamb sometimes has too much of a mutton taste to it. This plate also comes with buttered rice and grilled tomato.

Extra Fried Egg

Cause everything is better with fried egg on the side.

Watermelon Shake.

Since the summer heat is in full bloom, we ordered watermelon shakes to quench our thirst. It was really refreshing! Kim said she thinks it has milk in it, but I'm not sure. It was good though.

One constant knock on Mister Kabab has always been how it is not authentic in taste. For me that doesn't really matter. Yes it might be a little watered down in taste compared to authentic Persian restaurants, but I think what they serve is just right for the Filipino taste. The prices have about doubled since I first started frequenting the original Delta location more than a decade ago, but it is still more than affordable! A good meal here would be 200-300php, and the serving sizes aren't bad either.

Mister Kabab
UP Ayala TechnoHub,
Commonwealth Ave., QC
(02) 332 - 3935