It was an unexpected detour, our visit at The TapsiShop in Binangonan Rizal. I rarely go to the area, but after much prodding by some friends and recently my mother who saw an online advertisement of this hole-in-the-wall, I figured why the hell not. After all, KingSilog doesn't sound bad at all and they even have this QueenSeaLog meal to boot. Cute, eh?
I cannot remember the last time I have written about a roadside eatery here on the blog or if I have ever written one for that matter. Perhaps I had, albeit in some other publication, I am not really sure.
So instead of heading back home one day, I decided to finally meet the KingSilog they have all been raving about. After couple of bites of their much lauded Tapa, I sensed a tinge of regret for not having my camera with me because in my mind there was a little voice that says "Damn! This is so going in my blog."
Thank heavens for Smartphone. So, here we are.
Enroute to The TapsiShop, friends who I have asked direction from thru SMS fired some heads-up; Dress the hell down it's a roadside eatery, There is no AC it can get too hot so wear something comfy, Go early as it can get crowded at night time, Ask if you can park in front of the school, Forget everything and go for KingSilog.
It turned out that all these things are true.
The TapsiShop is a hole-in-the-wall diner and is literally by the roadside of the the busy Binangonan street. Its appearance when viewed from the outside can be liken to a local carinderia, at least during my visit. But when you take time to notice the decors, this eatery has its own charm.
Splashed of quirky decors, artworks on the wall, and the lack of parking
slot even remind me of the small restaurants prevalent in Kapitolyo Pasig.
The menu comprised mostly of SiLog (Sinangag/Fried Rice and Itlog/Fried Egg) meals and some grilled items thrown in for a good measure. What sets The TapsiShop apart from other tapsi shops however aside from their famous mighty fine tapa dish is their KingSilog meal - I heard they even trademarked the KingSilog name alongside some of the other dishes on their menu.
KingSilog is a meal which got tapsilog as its base made all the more satisfyingly good by adding two additional viand choices depending on the diners' preference and another serving of rice and fried egg. For a measly price of Php120+, KingSilog in its generous proportion is said to be a meal fit for a king.
I tried their KingSilog meal and opted for their Krispy Sisig and Lechon Kawali as my add-ons. It may not be the best looking dish as the meats were haphazardly laid on the big plate but the taste was really impressive.
The beef tapa was really tender thanks to the perfect balance of lean meat and fat in a single serving. It has the sweet-savory flavor profile I love in my tapa dish. It is a little saucy and not dry at all which made me love it all the more because I am not really big on dry meat. Safe to say that it is my kind of tapa dish - it won my heart.
I would have loved the entire lot if only the Lechon Kawali could have been crisp enough. The flavor is good, it just fall short on the texture. The Sisig on the other hand was definitely impressive. It is crisp and tender all at the same time. And its savory-spicy flavor was just perfect. It somehow reminded me of the one they serve at Sisig Hooray but this one is a lot chunkier.
Now the QueenSeaLog. The name was a dead giveaway that you will be dealing with seafood here so it is perfect for those who are trying to dodge meat. The components are pretty much staple in this dish - fried bangus belly, buttered tahong, and calamares. It also has two servings of rice and fried scrambled egg.
One can never go wrong with bangus belly so it is a given that it is good from the get go. The buttered tahong was also good I wish it is more than six pieces. The fried calamares was flavorful but it could be crispier. I love seafood in general for sure, but this one may not be my cup of tea especially when there's a band of meat I could feast on with my KingSilog.
We also tried their CalmSilog, a silog meal with fried calamares. Same calamares we got in our QueenSeaLog - nice flavor but it could be better if its crispier. After feasting on the generous proportion that was the KingSilog meal, I find a single serving of CalmSilog a bit lacking. But for Php45, who would complain?
Blue Lemonade served in Mason jars look mighty fine so that's what we got. And it is only Php18 which was a sweet and refreshing deal.
Now, the KingSilog meal especially the tapa and the sisig really impressed me. All the other dishes were also good considering the affordable price tags. But another thing that I find noteworthy about The TapsiShop is the warm and welcoming service from its staff. The service was fast, but most of all, it was heart-felt and sincere.
I wasn't really expecting too much from the service because hey, it's hall-in-the-wall eatery after all. I was under the impression that chances are, staff would deliver mediocre service just like any other hole-in-the-wall eateries I have been to. But lo and behold, one of them even asked me where we are from and started a friendly small talk.
The place may not be much, truth be told. It is not the place to go to if you are after some hip and classy ambiance you could boast in your social media. Instead, The TapsiShop is a place to go to if you got some hankering for really good tapsilog meal. Bare faced and dress down - all you need here is a good appetite and perhaps an open mind to start a small talk with kind strangers.
The TapsiShop
National Rd., Calumpang
Binangonan Rizal
Landmarks: Opposite of Child Jesus of Prague School,
near Iglesia Ni Cristo Calumpang
Store Hours:
Mon. to Thurs - 3pm to 1:30am
Fri. to Sunday - 11am to 1:30am
Facebook: The TapsiShop Binangonan
National Rd., Calumpang
Binangonan Rizal
Landmarks: Opposite of Child Jesus of Prague School,
near Iglesia Ni Cristo Calumpang
Store Hours:
Mon. to Thurs - 3pm to 1:30am
Fri. to Sunday - 11am to 1:30am
Facebook: The TapsiShop Binangonan
