“Not Your Mama’s Adobo” will bring inventive new perspectives to this quintessential Filipino sauce!
If you’ve spent any time in the Bay Area, you’ll know that Filipino food is absolutely everywhere. There are dozens of ways to prepare classic Filipino dishes, and the San Francisco food scene knows how to get creative! That’s why Kapwa Gardens, a brand-new garden and wellness space in SoMa, is featuring 8 talented local chefs at an exciting adobo cook-off this Sunday, June 13.
Adobo is a delicious type of sauce every Filipino household knows how to make. Its base flavors are soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and bay leaves. According to Kapwa Gardens, there are plenty of different takes on how to make adobo, which is why they’re challenging these chefs to bring a Bay Area perspective to this classic sauce. You’ll find everything from a French dip sandwich to Birria tacos!
Here’s what’s on the menu this weekend:
- Chef Coco’s Adobo Spare Ribs: These pork spare ribs are marinated in a secret adobo sauce and served with pickled cucumber achara.
- Barya Kitchen’s Pork Belly Adobo Dilaw: Chef Rod Reyes will slow braise cuts of pork belly in his adobo mixture, served with garlic java rice and pickled vegetables.
- Chef Dominic Ainza’s Adobo Bolognese: This pasta is served with a thick pork adobo ragu and topped with shredded chicken.
- Chef Tim Luym’s Birria Adobo Tacos: Birria is a traditional Mexican meat stew, which will be extra delicious with the addition of adobo and served on a corn tortilla.
- 7 Mile House Adobo Paksiw: This popular entree at 7 Mile House consists of pork marinated in adobo for 3 days, making it extra tender. It’s served with Jasmine rice and sautéed garlic.
- Tita Pearl’s Sitaw Shrimp or Kalabasa Adobo: This take on adobo from the Visayan region brings us 2 options: first, a shrimp and coconut adobo with ginger, and second, a vegan version served with kalabasa, AKA kabocha squash.
- Ube Galore’s Bagoong Adobo: This unusual take on the traditional sauce adds fermented shrimp paste, served alongside slices of green mango and tomato.
- Jeepney Guy’s Flip Dip: A Pork Adobo French Dip Style Sandwich: These pork adobo sliders are delicious alongside an au jus adobo sauce!
- Dessert: Chefs Paul Barrera and Kevin Pelgone are bringing us some delicious dessert options, including an inventive ube banana pudding with ohtap crumble and a classic strawberry shortcake.
Yeah, that all sounds great to us! Not Your Mama’s Adobo will happen this Sunday, June 13 from 12pm to 6pm. Your $30 Half Passport will get you entry and 1 tasting from 4 of the chefs. If you want to try all 8 dishes, you can purchase a $55 Full Passport or buy the dishes on the spot, although quantities are limited. Drinks and desserts are sold separately, and a portion of proceeds will go to help maintain the nonprofit venue, Kapwa Gardens, which is located at 967 Mission St in SoMa.
Be sure to reserve a spot at this adobo festival, as event coordinators are limiting capacity to 60 people per hour. See you there!
Featured image: @kapwagardens via Instagram