Kuya J Restaurant gets a menu upgrade as it partners with chef Gino Gonzalez for the former's Bida creations: Filipino dishes added with better flavor and presentation for foodies and the IG-hungry crowd.

"Five-star dining experience at two-star prices," Gonzalez said at the recent launch of the reimagined Filipino dishes.

"We want to change people's mindset by offering elevated Filipino food, offering a better dining experience, without sacrificing budgets. With this collaboration, we hope more customers will realize that you don't have to spend a lot to enjoy great food at a chef-driven concept like this," Roy Quejada, Group COO of Kuya J Restaurant said.

At the launch, guests had a taste of two new Bida appetizers, Pataron and Patis Chicken Skin.

A mishmash of two well-loved pork dishes — pata and chicharon — Pataron was inspired by Kuya J's signature Crispy Pata served with Chili Tuba dip, which has the perfect level of tanginess that cuts through the fatty taste of crispy pork. The crunch as one bites into its crispy skin completes the delightful experience.

The Patis Chicken Skin, marinated chicken skin fried to a crispy perfection and served with a fish sauce-infused dip to complement its rich taste.

For the main dishes, Kuya J x Chef Gino offered three filling entrees: Pinandan na Manok, Spicy Hipon sa Aligue, and Tamarind Squid.

The Pinandan na Manok, reminiscent of the famous Thai chicken dish, features chunks of marinated boneless chicken wrapped in pandan leaves, fried till golden brown, its meat juicy and fragrant.

Spicy Hipon sa Aligue consists of pieces of shrimp swimming in indulgent aligue sauce with a hint of spiciness and topped with crispy garlic, fried shallots, and chopped spring onions.

According to chef Gino, the Tamarind Squid is made from the timeless combo of sweet and sour flavors, with just a little bit of heat thrown in to add depth to its taste profile.

Kuya J's Tadyang ng Baka is served with sweet potato chips. Its beef ribs is slow-cooked to juicy perfection before being deep-fried until delightfully crunchy, making it impossible to ignore the steamed rice also served on the table.

Besides Chef Gino's exclusive creations, Kuya J Restaurant has also revamped its iconic Crispy Pata. While improving on perfection is nearly impossible, their team managed to make it juicer and crispier. Eat with atsara (pickled papaya relish) and soy sauce dip with tuba (native organic vinegar), sugar, and local chili on the side.

To finish the soul-satifsying meal, three desserts were served: Banana Turon con Leche, Coco Ginumis, and Lecheroon.

The Banana Turon con Leche was filled with slices of bananas and leche flan. The crisp turon became a decadent dish when topped with a scoop of coconut milk shaved ice drizzled with peanut butter cream and served with muscovado syrup on the side.

The Coco Ginumis was light and refreshing, with coconut milk shaved ice topped with gulaman (jellies), muscovado syrup, and crispy pinipig.

Definitely every dessert lover's dream, Lecheroon includes a layer of house-made macaroons nestled on a bed of house-made vanilla sauce then topped with a generous layer of
calamansi-infused flan.

"At the end of the day, we want to make our customers happy no matter what background or lifestyle they come from," Quejada said.

"Everyone is welcome at Kuya J and we are glad to have found the perfect partner in chef Gino who understood and executed our vision exceptionally well," he added.

All dishes will be available for delivery through www.central.ph/eats. For updates, follow Kuya J Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram (@KuyaJResto).