The Reds are Taking Over

Who says joining the reds isn't fun?  In a unique twist, a relatively new, Commie-inspired Chinese restaurant changes the way we view Chinese cuisine.  It's fairly uncommon to find Sichuan and Hunan cuisine, but Komrad manages to bring forth another aspect of Chinese food.

Located at the Il Terrazo mall, which specializes in food, by the way (practically everything else gets booted out here), Komrad: Mao's Hunan and Sichuan Kitchen stands distinct with its fiery red markings and uniformly communal interior.

I wonder if Communist joints in China in the 50s were as classy as this

Despite the imposing facade, however, the look and feel is classy.  Numerous images of revolutionary Chinese dot the red walls, with an almost idolatrous altar of Mao himself right smack in the center of the restaurant. 

In loving memory of Mao.

Atrocities during the Cultural Revolution are documented in this section. Just kidding. 

But aside from the look, the other thing revolutionary here is of course, the food!  The menu is filled to the brim with things both familiar and curiously interesting.  Images are bright, colorful, and well-described.

Mao's Little Red Book. Full of insurgent food.

It took us at least 15 minutes to peruse the little red book.  Everything looked good!  Still, we had to pick a chosen few (because of our budget haha!).

Pork Dumplings, P125

+10% service charge

For starters, we got the pork dumplings.  Ubiquitous as it may seem, but this was really different.  Each piece was fat with pork meat, juicy with each bite.  The shredded green onion leeks offered a contrast, both visual and gustatory, to the otherwise common dish.  We didn't even need any sauce to complement this appetizer, but the chili sauce was a superb combination.

Sichuan Spicy Tendon and Crispy Pig's Ears Duet, P145

+10% service charge

A higher-end version of famous Filipino street fare, this duet was music to my ears!  Pig tendons drenched in Sichuan spicy sauce was perfectly tender and gooey at the same time, while the pig ears were crunchy with each bite, reminiscent of my favorite street food skewers. And at a reasonably affordable price, this dish stole the night!

Sea Bass in Blackbean Sauce, P85 per 100g

+10% service charge

A whole sea bass drenched in black bean sauce! The fish was oozing with flavor, fork-tender, and succulent.  The chili was an added kick to this well concocted dish!  This dish was also available for Lapu-Lapu, although more expensive at P165 per 100g.

Sauteed Kangkong with Squid, P198

+10% service charge

A side dish yet a viand in itself, this dish veered away from the common condiment of bagoong that used to go along with kangkong.  The chili sauce gives bold flavor to the crisp of the kangkong, while the squid is cooked tender.  Another winner for the night!

Tender Cumin Beef Slices, P288

+10% service charge

It's like Sichuan spicy short ribs.  Although this time, the beef takes center stage.  And cumin was generously added, kind of like spilt Milo powder.  This gives a distinct spice to the soft beef strips, and a little sour vinegar adds another dimension to the taste.  I personally loved this dish!

Sichuan Pata Tim, P535

+10% service charge

Ooops! Damn, this dish was so overwhelming that I forgot to take a pic! I immediately dug in on the succulent pork leg swimming in sweet spicy Sichuan sauce.  Although I had wanted it to be a tad crispier (like a Crispy Pata in sauce), the juicy fat was enough to put a smile on my face that day.  A bit pricey, but worth every piece.

Komrad was a different take on Chinese cooking, perhaps showing us that Chinese food isn't just pansit and chopsuey and fried chicken with kropeck.  Nope, it's a more complicated taste, a more complex art.  Sichuan cooking has captured my taste buds, all because it is almost entirely cooked in chili! I would definitely be coming back to try out the more exotic and interesting dishes here.  Although on the pricier side, it is definitely worth the adventure!

Komrad: Mao's Hunan and Sichuan Kitchen

Il Terrazo Mall

Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City