Lugawan Republic Unassuming Comfort Food

After watching the 98 degrees-A1-Blue concert last Saturday at the big dome, which ended pretty late, we drove around the Q.C. area to look for a place to have dinner. At 11:30 PM, I figured there wouldn't be a lot of options and if there was, it would probably be in a "happening" area. 10 minutes later, we found ourselves at the Tomas Morato/Timog area, in a place called Lugawan Republic. 

A friend introduced this place to us a couple of years back. The branch he brought us to, then, was in Metrowalk but I think that place had closed down since. Recently though, while looking for a nice place to have lunch (lunch = 3 in the morning), he brought us to that branch in Timog. Fortunately, the place is open 24 hours. 

Sandwiched between a spa and another establishment I can't remember, it's easy to miss especially since the lighting outside was not too good. A landmark we use is the arcade of small eateries across it and Zirkoh (or some other comedy bar). It's also fairly close to the Timog/Morato rotunda.

The place was pretty packed with only one table available, destined for us. Inside and out, the place was anything but fancy. It's a notch above your typical carinderia...in the same league as Goodah and Goto King. And since it wasn't my first time eating there, I already knew what I wanted to eat. 

Pilugaw. The specialty of the house. Their take on rice porridge, only much, much better. I don't know where the orange color comes from, but I'm guessing it's "achuete". The pilugaw has the usual requisites like sticky rice and tripe but they take it a few notches higher by adding glass noodles, black mushrooms, chopped chicken, quail eggs, chicharon and some fried shallots (might have missed one or two ingredients, but the point is that it's chunky). A complete meal on its own, the pilugaw is very filling and a perfect companion to a rainy evening. The addition of the glass noodles (aside from the orange color) adds an interesting character to the dish. Aside from the thick consistency, the crunch from the chicharon, and the medley of other ingredients, there's a nice chewiness from the glass noodles. 

The other dish that I order whenever I eat at Lugawan Republic is the Chicharon Alete. Initially, I thought it was chicken skin but it turns out that it's made of pork, jowls probably. Very thinly sliced, lightly breaded and deep fried. Not exactly the healthiest dish but probably healthier than fried chicken skin. Naturally, anything that crispy can only go perfectly with an accompanying vinegar dip.

And because meals end better with dessert, we got a serving of leche flan. It doesn't look like much, but it's one of the best I've had and it's prepared just the way I like it...with a mildly burnt sugary top that resonates the flavor of the lime (or dayap, I can't tell).

A meal for one will start at about P150. Not bad at all. It's a very simple joint, that serves unassuming comfort food that doesn't burn a hole in the wallet. 

~Troy