Best Crispy Pata!
"Must be overrated."
"I'm sure Papa's crispy pata (pork limb) is waaaaay better."
These are just some of the dismissive thoughts I used to have whenever my siblings and I get comments from Manila-based friends and acquaintances about this crispy pata place in Lucena. Perhaps, not strangely enough, I did not even think of trying it out in the many years I've been hearing about it.
All that changed a few days back when my parents suggested we try out Bubble's Crispy Pata after our usual Sunday mass. I don't feel strongly enough about it to agree or disagree with the suggested, so off we went.
The restaurant is a charming little place, converted from an old wooden house located by our city park and near the big provincial hall and the provincial museum. The front of the restaurant, a terrace, is almost hidden by lush greenery, and there are a few benches like you would see in the classic azoteas. The windows are large. I imagine that they have capiz windows, although I cannot be sure now, as I try to recall from memory.
The floor is polished hardwood, the ceiling supported by thin, aesthetic wooden posts. To our right are two big rooms, perhaps with huge airy windows. The entire area is filled with tables and chairs, and people.
When we asked for the menu, I was surprised by how simple the food offerings are. They are all classic Filipino comfort food--sisig, sinigang, camaron, and that famous crispy pata, are the ones that stood out to me. We ordered the sinigang na tanigue (Spanish mackerel in sour soup), camaron, crispy pata, and ensaladang pako (fern salad), along with rice and fresh ripe mango juice.
The fern salad was okay. It has a mix of salted egg, tomatoes, onions and green mangoes. I could have used more fern, less mangoes for this salad. I've also tasted better at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan. This one by Bubble's misses the sweet-sour flavor of the calamansi-honey dressing that really elevated Kamayan's salad.
The sinigang was flavorful, almost intense. I'm used to sinigang cooked with tamarind, but this dish used dried kamias (tree sorrel) so the tang and sourness was more stronger, and more woodsy. The tanigue is soft and delicious and fresh, and the vegetables complement its flavors well. My mom said it has an aftertaste that throws her off, which I did not notice. I love this, sipped my bowls of its soup even as I couldn't keep my eyes from wincing and my face from twitching for the sourness.
Meanwhile, the camaron was a surprise. Instead of the usual naked shrimp breaded and deep-fried, their camaron still has the head and soft shell attached. I would say this tastes like the average camaron, except with better crunch. It was quite an experience trying to un-shell or sip the shrimps before getting to the meat. Still a delicious viand, I think.
For the finale, we have the cripy pata.
Is it good? Does it live up to the hype? Is my dad's better?
The answers: yes, yes, and on occasion.
The crispy pata was so so crispy on the outside, and the fat is almost melting just inside the pork skin. And then we get to the tender meat underneath--yummy! The soy sauce dip could use more calamansi, but it's good as is. The vinegar sauce is as good as it gets. Everything comes together so well. Of course, I would say my Papa's is better on days when he gets the crispiness right--which is quite a lot of times.
Is it the best crispy pata? I will reserve that judgment for another time.
Try out Bubble's the next time you're in Lucena City. We spent about 1,600 for a group of five people.
"I'm sure Papa's crispy pata (pork limb) is waaaaay better."
 |
| Cripy pata, ala Bubble's. (Photo by Your City Promdi) |
These are just some of the dismissive thoughts I used to have whenever my siblings and I get comments from Manila-based friends and acquaintances about this crispy pata place in Lucena. Perhaps, not strangely enough, I did not even think of trying it out in the many years I've been hearing about it.
All that changed a few days back when my parents suggested we try out Bubble's Crispy Pata after our usual Sunday mass. I don't feel strongly enough about it to agree or disagree with the suggested, so off we went.
The restaurant is a charming little place, converted from an old wooden house located by our city park and near the big provincial hall and the provincial museum. The front of the restaurant, a terrace, is almost hidden by lush greenery, and there are a few benches like you would see in the classic azoteas. The windows are large. I imagine that they have capiz windows, although I cannot be sure now, as I try to recall from memory.
The floor is polished hardwood, the ceiling supported by thin, aesthetic wooden posts. To our right are two big rooms, perhaps with huge airy windows. The entire area is filled with tables and chairs, and people.
The fern salad was okay. It has a mix of salted egg, tomatoes, onions and green mangoes. I could have used more fern, less mangoes for this salad. I've also tasted better at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan. This one by Bubble's misses the sweet-sour flavor of the calamansi-honey dressing that really elevated Kamayan's salad.
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| Sinigang na tanigue. (Photo by Your City Promdi) |
 |
| Camaron (Photo by Your City Promdi) |
For the finale, we have the cripy pata.
Is it good? Does it live up to the hype? Is my dad's better?
The answers: yes, yes, and on occasion.
The crispy pata was so so crispy on the outside, and the fat is almost melting just inside the pork skin. And then we get to the tender meat underneath--yummy! The soy sauce dip could use more calamansi, but it's good as is. The vinegar sauce is as good as it gets. Everything comes together so well. Of course, I would say my Papa's is better on days when he gets the crispiness right--which is quite a lot of times.
Is it the best crispy pata? I will reserve that judgment for another time.
Try out Bubble's the next time you're in Lucena City. We spent about 1,600 for a group of five people.
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