[title]
You might first glimpse Mama’s Kubo during a momentary pause at the traffic lights on the busy Finchley Road, but it’s worth stopping longer at this friendly, family-run Filipino restaurant. British-Filipino chef Rommel Bustarde previously worked with Alan Yau, of Yauatcha and Wagamama fame, and now he’s gone it alone serving dishes close to his heart. ‘Kubo’ is the word for a traditional Filipino thatched hut, and the restaurant carries the theme through with bamboo interiors and an intimate feel, with lots of dishes referencing family members.
Cold aubergine salad was refreshing, with shallots, fresh mint, fish sauce, a squeeze of lime and tangy vinegary dressing. The stand-out dish was Mama Kubo’s sisig: a sizzling, jumbled up hotpot of spicy pork, beef and onions with an egg on top, which left crunchy, meaty scratchings to fight over at the bottom of the dish. Braised tofu was beautifully intense, with squishy chunks of aubergine and fermented black bean sauce. Compared to these bold flavours, the pork-and-beef spring rolls were forgettable, but it was the briefest of blips.
Desserts were a sugar trip into the unknown. Taho is silken tofu, often eaten for breakfast in the Philippines, covered in a light caramel syrup and tapioca balls. Chef Rommel’s version of this favourite was impossibly soft and exceptionally sweet, almost dissolving with every mouthful.
Filipino cuisine is such a joyful blend of Malaysian, Spanish, Chinese and Indonesian influences, and Mama’s Kubo pulls them all together in one big, family-style hug of a meal.