Kuya J and that tasty kind of love

It is a popular notion that men make good cooks. In your home, it may be your Kuya Juan, Kuya Juancho or Kuya Jun who cooks up a storm of gastronomic delights sprinkled with love.

Pretty much like Kuya J, a restaurant that recently opened in SM City Iloilo and is set to rival the cooking of the man of the house.

Kuya J’s signature dish. Crispy Pata, perfectly deep fried pork skin with tender juicy pata meat.

Kuya J’s Lumpia Fresko. It is made up of sautéed crabmeat and bamboo shoots filling rolled in malunggay infused wrapper with sweet garlic sauce.

"Iloilo City is a vibrant city and we believe it is ready for the cuisine of Kuya J,” said Winglip Chang, president of iKitchen Inc. which is based in Cebu. There, the business started as a carinderia which later became everybody’s favorite family bonding and dining haven and which seeks to maintain 60 stores by the end of 2016. Iloilo is their 26^th store.

“We serve home-cooked dishes. They are simple, delicious and heartwarming. We cook with passion. We are intense in giving you all the best and all the love," Chang added.

In addition to its tasty dishes, another reason why Kuya J has become so popular is its brand ambassador, Jericho Rosales. Many thought that he owns it and that the J stands for Jericho.

Well, he did become a real life brother for the brand. He served customers, made sure that everything is alright in the kitchen, treated his family, friends and co-workers for lunch, entertained his fans and the list goes on. Ultimately, he became the person that everybody looked up to – a Kuya (brother).

“They (Kuya J team) want to bring the family together. For me, celebrating my 20 years in the showbiz industry is about family, love and aspirations. It is easy to carry the character of the brand because we both work hard for the best,” Echo said.

His favorite dish is Sinigang na Baboy and that’s exactly what he ordered during the Iloilo branch’s opening. “It is my comfort food. It also has a sentimental value because of my mom. Da best ang sinigang ng mommy ko. Then, dumating ang Kuya J, so the best na ang Kuya J,” he said. He added that his second favorite Kuya J dish is Kare-Kare.

Kuya J has many signature dishes, Chang said. “But if you were to choose just one, then that would the Crispy Pata. It is near perfect.”

He is right about the Crispy Pata. Even without the soy dip, these lip-smacking crispy pork knuckles are savory and juicy. Additionally, dishes such as their Grilled Scallops with cheesy butter topping, Lumpia Fresko (and its cute-looking green colored wrapper!), Kare-Kare with reinvented peanut sauce, Crispy Catfish, Danggit Rice, Humbinagoongan Rice, Rellenong Talong, Mango Pandan and Coffee Flan were also served during their opening.

So, if you are searching for a must-eat treat, try Kuya J’s cooking./

Kuya J Restaurant

Location: Upper ground floor, Expansion Wing of SM City Iloilo

Phone: 321-6679

Kuya J website

Kuya J Facebook Page