I'm not going to be a snob and pretend I've had ceviche prior to dining at Patricio's, because I haven't. I have, however, a great fondness for kinilaw, after a trip to Davao in 2009 where I had the freshest, most delicious kinilaw (made with tuna, of course) in my entire life. So when Patricio's Cevicheria opened, imagine how happy I was! Patrick Roa, proprietor of Patricio's (like my alliteration?), has traveled extensively around the Philippines and collected regional recipes for kinilaw, some of which he adapted to the menu.
Aside from the kinilaw, the Ahi Poke, the Hawaiian counterpart of our kinilaw, is hands-down, the best in Manila. The flavors do not battle for supremacy, and the soy sauce, ginger, nori and what I imagine to be miso paste, all complement the freshness of the tuna. Patricio's also serves delicious rice meals, like the Chicharrones, which is similar to Pinoy lechon kawali.
I recommend the Ahi Poke and the Binakhaw, which is a style of kinilaw from Dumaguete, made sour with dungon (a fruit endemic to the region), chicharon, manggang hilaw and sili. It's always nice when you dine here and Patrick, as well as his wife Pia, is around. They have so many wonderful stories to share about kinilaw, and food in general!
My main annoyance with Patricio's is the obscurity of its location. If you're a commuter, good luck trying to get here without difficulty. read more