Foodies down South in Alabang have another place to discover: the new Chichario Peri Peri Chicken and Cocktail Bar.
Opened in late 2018 by the tandem of Moira and Marco, Chichario sprung out of their love for peri-peri chicken and boisterously vibrant fiesta culture of Brazil. Located amidst wine bars, family-centric eateries and cafes, Chichario offers the young adults – millennials, if you will – in the area a place where they can hang out with their friends and have a few drinks while enjoying good food and good music.
The restaurant’s name is a combination of the words of “Chicha” (from “chicheria,” the Pinoy slang for finger-food) and “Rio” (from the Brazilian capital Rio de Janeiro).
Upon entering its doors into its first floor dining area, you would get the impression that its a family-friendly barbecued chicken resto, but when you go up to its tropical-themed second floor bar area, aptly called “Chicha’s Hideout,” that’s where the party’s at.
Well, Chichario really did throw a party for me and my fellow foodies where we enjoyed a sampling of its fiery yet comforting Southern American home-cooking.
Nacho Carnitas. Crunchy nacho chips flavored with sour cream powder and generously topped with flavorful chipotle pulled pork, cilantro salsa and torched mozzarella and cheddar.
Soft Taco Carnitas. Two open-faced tortilla wraps stuffed with chipotle pulled pork, cilantro salsa and garlic aioli dip.
Pollo Asado Quesadilla. Tortilla wraps stuffed grilled peri-peri chicken, cheddar, cilantro pesto sauce and salsa. It is best enjoyed with its garlic aoili dip.
Salpicao Escobar. Hanger steak further tenderized via sous vide, then cooked salpicao-style and flavored with South American spices.
Chipotle Sisig. Instead of siling labuyo, this sisig is spiced uo with chipotle peppers.
Half Peri Peri Chicken. Sous vide is again employed to further tenderize these chicken pieces, which are then seasoned with South American soices and grilled to a smokey perfection which makes this dish the star of the show. It is served pre-cut for easy sharing with a trio of house-sauces: chimichurri, pepper sauce and garlic aioli.
And what’s a party without a few drinks?
After downing a couple of glasses of Chichario’s House Ice Tea, our group also had a taste of Chichario’s exotic cocktails.
Mojito de Janeiro. Grilled pineapple infushed rum, white rum, mint leaves and guyabano soda.
El Chichario. A mix of tropical fruits and dark and light rum.
Frozen Margarita and Mango Daiquiri.
Amidst the pulsing music, exotic locale and the fine fiery food of Chichario, my friends and I had a fun fiesta!
Chichario Peri Peri Chicken and Cocktail Bar is located at the Molito Lifestyle Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa, open daily from 11am to 2am.
Watch out: offshoots of Chichario’s might find their way in your hometown. Be on the lookout for “Chicha’s” outlets which will mainly serve ceviches and tacos.
Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Credit for the last photo: Eboy M. Donato of #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH
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