tittos latin bbq & brew

if it wasn't for zomato, i wouldn't have found tittos latin bbq & brew. i was planning on eating around the kapitolyo area, and saw it listed in the 'best of manila' list. and as the saying goes, 'the rest is history.'

upon entering the place, loud latin music and colors greet you. the place was pretty full, but i managed to maze my way to the single corner table that the waitress led me too. in some cases, i would mind the mazing. this time however, i didn't. i was very excited to try the food out, and i was able to eye some dishes of other customers as i passed by their tables. seeing the food made me start to drool. lol! 😜

i was pretty torn as to what to order. but with the chef recommendations marks on the menu, along with the waiter's recommendation, it didn't take long for me to decide what to order.

soup:
sopa de ajo - i love mushroom soup. i love truffle oil. this had them, and i didn't even have to think twice to order it. umami on umami flavors. it was the perfect way to start my meal. admittedly, it was also fave dish of the night.

platittos:
elote - corn with a whole lot of goodness on top. more than the standard butter. it's got all flavor components from sweet, salty, sour and spicy. a must try!

street tacos:
beef barbacoa w/ black tortilla - their bestseller taco! beef was nice and chewy soft, not a melt in your mouth soft. loads of beefiness in such a small serving. the black tortilla was a tad bit different. a little tougher than the standard white, no floury taste. the toughness isn't bad. even with a double tortilla, you will need something strong and stable than the standard tortilla to be able to hold its heftiness

salted egg shrimp w/ white tortilla - the salted egg hype has hit the taco-scene too. not as salty as i expected like other dishes at other places, but that's a good thing. cannot overpower the delicatetasteof shrimp.

postres:
dulce de leche cheesecake - dulce de leche, ultimate latin dessert, fused with a cheesecake? yes please! it may have seemed rich and too sweet on the menu, but not as much as i thought. it wasn't 'nakakaumay' which is good. i honestly hate things disgustingly sweet. sweetness level here was just right. the strawberry puree was obviously made from a syrup or jam of sorts. i would have preferred fresh ones, but then again, strawberries are seasonal.

food: 5.0 - best latin cuisine that i have had. enough said!

price: 5.0 - things may seem pricey. but the quality and serving sizes are really good.

service: 5.0 - quick service. attentive and friendly staff. food was served pretty fast even with the dinner rush.

ambience: 4.5 - i love the loud colors and music. place is very bright, atmosphere feels lively. downside, the place is cramped with chairs and tables. i think they tried to fit in as much as possible. still, there's just enough space to walk in between tables, just dont spread your arms.

surely without a doubt, i will be coming back. still plenty of food that i want to try. highly recommended. no doubt, tittos is one of the top places to eat at in town. 👍

good day for my fellow food lovers, i can say that this is one of the unique restaurants that you don't want to miss, you can definitely have the experience that you want if you are looking for a mexican food here in the philippines.

there is no question for the food quality that this restaurant serves, thetasteof the food  and the ambiance of this place will surely take you to a different world for the moment that you spend this great time together with your friends and love ones.

the crew is very accommodating  and i love that about us filipinos that will never change and is a mark of our culture. i give this review a 3.0 though since there is one thing that i really did not see fit for this restaurant, and that is how this manager treats her subordinates. she shouts at them in front of the customers like she is embarrassing them on purpose, which really gave out a bad vibe during our stay, but all in all this is a good restaurant that i will surely visit again. ( hopefully the manager is already replaced when that time comes... lol, kidding.)

i love the food. it all tastes good and the presentation is nice. the latintasteis legit. service is good too. the only thing that disappointed me was that when we weren't able to finish our food, we had the waiter pack the food so we can take it home. when we got home, i was actually pissed off when i unpacked the food and found out that they did not pack the leftover sauce that actually came with the wings that we ordered. the sauce wasn't even half finished.

first time to the place, finding the place was easy, parking is an issue. reservation recommended, croquets and gambas for starters were amazing, also ordered the octopus which was good but would have been great if served hot, for mains i ordered the signature chef steak , again was disappointed that it was not hot,tastewas great, sauce was great just need it hot. for desserts we had the frozen brazo, it was amazing combination of many textures. for drinks i tried the pineapple and ginger , it's a must try although you can ask for less sugar. staff were friendly and service was quick. bill out was quick as well. i will be back for round 2 soon.

one of my favorite cuisines yet: latin american. as long as there's latin & bbq on the name, i'm definitely down for it!

for the appetizers, we had the tuna tirataki, nacho el gigante, and elote. their nachos really lived up to their name (which is giant) and overloaded with toppings. i love their cheese sauce. meanwhile, the elote also caught my attention since i love all things with corn in it.

for the mains, chiquitos, truffle pork pizzadilla, and pollo asado was presented. the pollo asado smelled so good (like the one i had in gringo). it comes with 2 choice of sides, mexican coleslaw and papas bravas. i love their truffle pork pizzadilla! the pork belly strips and melted cheeses are definitely dreamy. the chiquitos has an overpoweringtastefor me, or maybe it was dipped in too much amount of salsa taquera.

and lastly for the desserts, we had the dulce de leche cheesecake and frozen brazo de mercedes! i liked the frozen brazo more. for the refreshments, i tried their pineapple ginger juice. i find thetastereally cute and gingery, but sweet-- not tastes like salabat tea.

would love to try their paella de carne and costillitas soon!

actual rating:

4.3/5.0

we had the pesto and mushroom pizzadilla as a starter. it used a tortilla wrap which contributed in making the dish light in general. the crisp factor could be improved though. flavor-wise, it was on point. the flavors of cheese, pesto, mushroom, were altogether savory with a kick from the cherry tomatoes adding balance to the dish.

the salmon croquettes were okay. it was fried to crisp, with the inside truly hot throughout. the amount of salmon was also generous. however, in my opinion, it was a bit dry. perhaps some cream or cheese might lessen the dryness of the dish. also, the cauliflower puree could be improved by making it more concentrated.

the steak burrito was good. it was filling, beef cuts were not fatty at all. the meat and its contents complimented each other well. i’m not a fan of bell peppers, but the peppers here blended well with the dish. you cantastethe beans with the kick of smokiness of the burrito. the garlic sauce that came with it was also yummy, since flavor was balanced. chips were crunchy also, though more seasoning could improve it.

the pollo asado was delicious also, flavor can be likened to that of s&r. however, there were some pink spots of the protein, so i think it needs further cooking next time. it was also juicy, though could still be improved.

i’d go back and try more of their dishes next time.

my husband likes ordering nachos in almost everywhere we visit, and he didn’t skipped on this one. we shared an order of el gigante nachos (php 275, medio for 3 pax; php 545, grande for 6 pax). the nachos were topped with a trio of cheese, tomato salsa, chimichurri, mexican crema, jalapeños, and chunks of beef. truthfully, it was not one of the best versions we’ve had. though it didn’t quite reach the same lofty heights, it was still a gratifying dish. conveying beefiness and creaminess for the most part, it had just the right amount of crunch and chew.

sisig chicharrones (php 155) was a hit with crispy pork mask and pork chicharrones leading the way. the onions and pimientos made up for a little bit of spice, while melted cheeses and quail egg served as great accompaniments, all wrapped up into one soft flour tortilla. the familiar flavors here definitely worked!

beef barbacoa (php 155) arrived with the beautiful house-made squid ink tortillas, meaty heft of shredded beef barbacoa, and chimichurri sauce which gave a great depth to the dishes. all these were tied together by the creamy mexican crema, crunchy slaw, and potato strips. to elevate the course further, squeeze half of a lime for a nice citrus and zesty twist. a must try!

chiquitos (php 155) also did not fail us that night. we got a really satisfying back-and-forth between the deep-fried tacos and the tasteful salsa taquera. sprinkled with crumbled queso fresco and mexican crema, this appetizing dish was spot on: moist on the inside, but still crispy on the outside.

for pizza, we ordered the best-recommended truffle pork pizza (php 345) as seen on the menu. while the torched pork belly strips made a strong showing, it did not quite match how it looked. this pizza was shy on thetasteof truffle and didn’t impart much of the latin spices i expected for it to have.

i was partial to giving it a 3 cause i really like the food here but the service is just so slow. i've been here several times and have ordered different stuff from the menu and everything i've had has been really good: whether its appetizers, tacos, rice plates, pizza, etc. except for the sangria. the sangria doesn'ttastelike sangria and it also doesn't have any kick. they should rethink the mix. i would have also taken more photos of the food we had for this visit but we got too hungry waiting for almost 30mins, considering they were only waiting on 3 tables of less than 6 people per table at that time. i also noticed that the wait staff would joke around with the kitchen staff a lot, which made them miss out on orders from the bar or simply forget that there were people waiting for their food at the tables.

tittos has recently celebrated their second anniversary and along with it are new dishes on the menu. . my friend jen  sand under my feet  was invited for the anniversary celebration and i was just lucky to get tagged along. i have dined at tittos a couple of times before, as well as in their speakeasy bar, rm-16, because it's just a few blocks away at my office. i would say that their dishes dotastegood, as well as their cocktails in rm-16. no wonder why they are now celebrating their second year.

we had a feast! let me tell you what we enjoyed the most first:

- horchata : i have no idea what real authentic horchata tastes like but this one was creamy and sweet.

- elote : we thought that the mix of flavors on the corn were bursting with flavor, and exactly the kind of food we wanted that night. certainly a good first impression.

- salpicao : as someone who is now open to non too garlicky salpicao, this dish made me happy. however, they didn’t use a steak part so i somehow felt it was more adobo than salpicao. it was good nevertheless. oh and the onion crisps could have been crispier. it felt like they were left overs from an earlier meal. hard to chew.

- the two soft tacos : sisig and beef. my son, who had both said it was super flavorful. i had a littletasteof both (tried what was inside the taco) and i had to agree. these were runaway winners!

- sopa de ajo : i loved that it came out very hot. i was expecting it to be garlicky but it tasted more like mushroom soup that we’ve tasted elsewhere. i liked it though as i like soup like that. there was a bit of disconnect lang with the name and what i expected to taste.

- chori burgers - i will not order this dish again. it was super cute but the buns were tough and dry. the burger was well, so-so. i was expecting a stronger chori taste. and there was some crunchy (but not really) thing as part of the burger that was weird to me. i eventually took it out as it was hard to chew.

- paella : the toppings were good and flavorful!! it would have been better if they had more. the paella alone is unimpressive. should be eaten with the meat.

- duo panna cotta and key lime pie : this started off as strange tasting (had panna cotta first) and then it grows on you! the subtle flavor of baileys is tasted in the panna cotta! they could add more key lime though to the pie. don’t get me wrong. we loved the pie. but it needs a bit more tartness in my opinion.

we went here for dinner since this restaurant is near to our place. super dope menus and foodies. mexican or espanol style foodies. he he he.

we ordered steak burittos, and my first impression was super big and smokey. nice in amount. thetasteis okay nothing crazy, but the steak in it was really has a smokey flavor. which was dope.

the chorizo with cheese was also okay. super nice and i liked it.

the street tacos, i would say thetastewas fine. nothing crazy. the size was okay, normal size.

we ordered chicken with rice, sorry i couldn’t remember the name. thetastewas okay, i liked the skintastelike it was barbequed or something.

over all we did enjoy the meals.
maybe next time we will try their lunch adores, looks interesting. :)

their crispy pata comes with 3 sauces: sweet soy sauce, vinegar, and chimichurri. i never thought i would prefer the chimichurri over vinegar for a crispy pata! but it went well with the dish. alhtough it was a bit of a let down, as it was bland and not your typical garlicky and really crispy pata we pinoys are used to. or maybe because it came was served after the cesar salad which was surprisingly very yummy! i wish there were more lettuce though. the addition of pesto on the salad was a good idea.

their batata frita or sweet potato chips were also really good and the serving was hefty. the frozen brazo de mercedes was too frozen for mytastethough. the panna cotta didn’t have that wobble and was too rich. but i can’t complain as it came free with my booky reservation.

the place was too loud (it was the young(er) customers). the service was fast.

lomo saltado (php 425.00): their thickly cut fries partnered up with slices of beef. the perfect starter for a hungry appetite. i liked the fries even though they weren't crispy. it wasn't oily and cooked just the right way. the beef was tender and savory that it goes well with the fries, as beef always does.

nacho el gigante (php 475.00 for 6pax): i think this was what everyone was bragging about before we came here. it is indeed worth coming back for, can you imagine the perfect combination of nacho ingredients? tittos managed to master it on this one.

elote (php 245.00): as a sucker for sweet corn, i was immediately attracted to this one. thetastewas, however, very suprising for me. it had that overwhelming, sweet barbeque, and paprikatastethat just kind of explodes in your mouth. i'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's actually good. they managed to add anothertasteof sensation that sweet corn already provides.

chori-burgerittos (php 280.00): their adorable little cheeseburgers, 3 pieces of it. i was afraid totasteit at first because of how thick the meat is; i've had various experiences with thickly cut beef that's so undercooked that i only order fairly sliced ones nowadays but i'm glad that the chef did well with this one. from the buns.. well to the buns, everything went really well together.

pollo asado (php 695.00 for a whole chicken): roasted chicken with mango relish and chimichurri. despite the normal roasted chicken, the relish and chimichurri are actually what makes it different.

tittos chicharoon (php 650.00): tittos' version of crispy pata. this is yet another crispy pata i would recommend. it's sweet and salty but when combined with the vinegar or/and the soy sauce, it just improves so much more that you'll find yourself wanting some rice. or for the titos, this would make a great pulutan.

i also had their dulce de leche cheesecake (php 195.00/slice): ughh. this was my absolute favorite. eventhough the cheesecake was soft or almost melted, thetasteand quality did not decrease at all. the caramel wasn't too sweet but the cheesecake and the cornflakes were a great contrast to the sweetness it provides. i would also absolutely come back for this one as well.

frozen brazo de mercedes (php 195.00): i feel like i've already had a great one with the cheesecake but i still enjoyed this one almost the same. i definitely prefer the brazo frozen now because it decreases the "egg" flavor that i wasn't just a fan of before. i don't know if it's the same for the others but i think that's what it does.

venue: kapitolyo doesn't have a lot of latin american/mexican cuisines around and tittos is one of the first (if not the first) to establish such kind of restaurant. ever wonder where the name came from? well, as we were told, the story is that the owners and partners of the restaurants have viber group with the name "titos" and it just kinda grew from there. where the extra 't' came from, i have no idea as well.

tittos interior is so beautiful, it's home-y and comfortable. it makes the perfect hangout place for friends and family. there are 2 floors and on the second floor, there is even a whole room dedicated for smoking. 

i definitely see myself coming back here because there's a lot more i haven't tried and a lot of dishes i have to try again.

i always pass by tittos along kapitolyo and always wanted to try their cuisine, but unfortunately i was always with people who prefer a different kind of dish. although i tried naxional, i had something to compare it to. from the outside, it already attracted me with their large windows that you can see through the murals, and decor from the outside. it even has a 2nd floor and appropriate number of staffs, so even on a busy hour you'll surely get accomodated with your order.

we had the following from their menu:
nacho el gigante(p245)
sisig tacos(p155)
beef barbacoa (p155)
paella de carne (medium/p445) (good for 4-5 person)
elote shredded (p245)
costillitas (p425)
tittos wings (p245)
dessert:
frozen brazo de mercedes (p195)
dulce de leche cheesecake(p195)
drinks:
mango vanilla (p160)
almond cinnamon (p135)
tittos iced tea (p95)
cucumber elderf lower (p110).

their nacho el gigante, was a staple appetizer, the nachos texture wasn't stale and the beef, tomato salsa and a trio of cheese was abundant with the dish, though it gets soggy after a while due to the abundance of sauces, so you better eat it fast. their was no nacho left untopped while we devour the dish which is a good thing. i specially loved how beefy and cheesy their nachos were. their sisig taccos was a delight! pork maskara, onions, chilis, liver sauce and chicharonnes on top of a white tortilla topped with melted cheese as a finishing touch. the beef barbacoa was a unique taco experience all throughout. the black tortilla, slow cooked beef belly, chimichurri which enhances the flavor, pico de gallo, pickled onion, coleslaw, and tortilla chips. the main point of the dish is the slow cooked beef belly combined with the chimichurri and pico de gallo. the two tacos proved that one is never enough per order.

next up was the paella de carne, a good paella dish to which the rice sealed in the flavors of the chicken juices. although i find the toppings a bit lackluster, but it still worked. a perfect pair would be the costilittas, big slab of tittos ribs that were delicious, juicy and fall off the bone, it was an explosion of flavors in the mouth when i combined both dish in one mouthful as i thoroughly chew with delight.

the shredded elote was savory good. smokytasteof the sweet corn, squeezed in some lemon to pair with the tamarind spice. it has achieved that addictingtastefrom the pairing, it may also be good with a few beers in between eats. another dish perfect with beer are the titto's wings. removing the wing bone for easy eating was easy to do and finger licking good. the sauce was mildly spicy but a bit on the salty and savory side too. the chicken meat was tender and the wings was still crunchy at the time of eating.

their unique drink was their tamarind cola, the puree tamarind and cola syrup was a surprise twist, my favorite was the cucumber elderflower. the cucumber elderflower was healthy and delicious at the same time. doesn't compromies taste.

finally the desserts came and i am a sucker for desserts. the frozen brazo de mercedes was good but i liked the unique ness of dulce de leche cheesecake was crunchy because of the cereal topping add on which begs to differ its uniqueness separating it from ordinary cheesecakes.

favorites: frozen brazo de mercedes (p195)
, dulce de leche cheesecake(p195), sisig tacos(p155)
, beef barbacoa (p155), elote shredded (p245).

p.s. do check out their hidden speakeasy bar behind it.

after a stressful day at work, my officemates decided to hit kapitolyo to unwind and eat. one of our friend recommended titto's which is new to our ear.

the service is great as the servers were prompt and approachable. the food however is remarkable as it gives you a uniquetasteand a slice of what it's like in mexico. been from other mexican themed restaurant but they are mediocre and trying hard.

the price is very affordable and the servings are generous.

let's rate them shall we?
food: 5/5
ambiance: 4.5/5
service: 4/5
value for money: 3.5/5