Kuya J collaborates with Chef Gino Gonzalez for a fine dining experience that won’t break the bank

It used to be that when we hear “fine dining”, a lot of us find it automatically intimidating and expensive. Lately, the triumphant revival of our local cuisine has led to an outpour of support for Filipino restaurants within and outside the country. This also started a wave of start-up restaurants, including fine dining establishments, celebrating the unique deliciousness and boldness of our local flavors.

With this in mind, Kuya J Restaurant partnered with renowned chef, culinary consultant, and instructor Gino Gonzalez to reimagine Kuya J from being a casual dining restaurant and elevating its cuisine by providing a chef-driven five-star dining experience without costing an arm and a leg.

“At the end of the day, we want to make our customers happy no matter what background or lifestyle they come from,” shares Mr. Roy Quejada, Group COO of Kuya J Restaurant. “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.”

Chef Gino, who is also the son of the equally talented and famous chef Gene Gonzalez, used his expertise as the Culinary Arts Director and head of the Research & Development (R&D) Department at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies (CACS) to develop a new selection of dishes that you can enjoy with your friends and family.

For the new appetizers, Chef Gino created Pataron – pata and chicharon in one sinfully delicious bite – featuring crunchy pieces of Kuya J’s signature Crispy Pata served with Chili Tuba Dip, whose perfect level of tanginess will complement the Crispy Pork. The Patis Chicken Skin is another perfect way to start any meal. The marinated chicken skin is fried until delightfully crunchy and served with a fish sauce-infused dip to complement its deep-fried goodness.

For the mains, the intoxicatingly aromatic Pinandan na Manok features chunks of boneless chicken marinated in his proprietary concoction then wrapped in pandan leaves to impart the freshness of the leaves before being fried ‘til golden, juicy, and fragrant; the Spicy Hipon sa Aligue is an indulgent seafood affair with pieces of shrimp swimming in mouthwatering aligue sauce with a hint of spiciness before being topped with crispy garlic, fried shallots, and spring onions; the eye-catching Tamarind Squid is Chef Gino’s way of combining the timeless combo of sweet and sour flavors with just a little bit of heat; lastly, if you love Kuya J’s Sinigang na Tadyang ng Baka, you’ll love Chef Gino’s Crispy Tadyang ng Baka served with house-made sweet potato chips. This new must-try dish uses beef ribs slow-cooked to juicy perfection before being deep-fried until delightfully crunchy, making it the ideal partner for warm steamed rice. This unique dish will surely satisfy any craving and impress any diner.

Aside from Chef Gino’s exclusive creations, Kuya J Restaurant has also revamped their iconic Crispy Pata. While improving on perfection is nearly impossible, their team managed to make it juicer and crispier than before. Enjoy more crunch with every juicy bite of their best-selling Crispy Pata with its usual house-made atsara and soy sauce-based with tuba, sugar, and local chili on the side.

A meal wouldn’t be complete without ending on a sweet note. That’s why Chef Gino pulled out all the stops to create sweet treats for groups as well as solo diners.

For those who are looking for desserts to share, diners can enjoy the Banana Turon con Leche, which takes turon on a whole new level – filling it not just with bananas, but with creamy leche flan as well. The crisp turon sits next to a scoop of coconut milk shaved ice drizzled with peanut butter cream and served with muscovado syrup on the side. Another dessert that’s good for sharing is Coco Ginumis, a light and refreshing treat made with coconut milk shaved ice topped with gulaman (jellies), muscovado syrup, and crispy pinipig. Lastly, Chef Gino also made Lecheroon, every dessert lover’s dream realized in 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.

“We want to help change people’s minds. We want to offer elevated Filipino food, a better dining experience, without sacrificing people’s budgets. With this collaboration, we hope more people will realize that you don’t have to spend a lot to enjoy great food at a chef-driven concept like this,” explains Mr. Quejada.

Starting November 16th, foodies can enjoy Chef Gino’s new Bida creations in all branches of Kuya J nationwide for dine-in or to-go. These dishes will also be available for delivery through www.central.ph/eats.