In most cases, our version of comfort food is basic and simple. For some of us, it can be as simple as isaw. Also, I’m sure I’m not the only one that considers instant pancit canton with egg as a comfort food.
We have different versions of our comfort food, but generally speaking, it’s something that makes us smile at the mere sight or smell of it. Well, there’s a new restaurant in town, and it promises to serve us Pinoy comfort food…with a twist!
About CuePido Grill
CuePido is wordplay of the words kupido (cupid) and cue (barbecue). Just as the name CuePido Grill implies, they serve barbecue and other grilled items. With people being able to relate to anything love and hugot related, they decided to incorporate cupid into its name, along with its beating heart of a logo and tagline – #TusokSaPuso.
The restaurant is owned by partners Paul Samson, David Cruz and husband and wife Engr. Edmund and Armee Lanto. Paul and David are the restaurant’s chefs.
It’s one of the most welcoming restaurants we’ve visited.
It’s an open space restaurant with the smell of grilled meats complementing the cool vibe of the place that’s filled with repurposed materials like these Ginebra bottles.
Oh, and these glasses look cool!
The whole ambiance achieved a balance of hip and family-friendly. It’s a place where you can go and hang out with friends over some cold ones.
It’s also a place where you can go with your kids.
Pinoy Comfort Food with a Twist
Isaw, barbecue and similar grilled fares are usually enjoyed on the streets. This makes them cheap and in some cases, unsanitary. After all, they’re exposed to dust, smoke and other pollutants.
But even so, we can’t help but risk our health to enjoy them. After all, they are our comfort food. Do we really have to choose between giving in to them and our health? No, because there are establishments like CuePido that allows you to enjoy them in a more sanitary manner.
Let’s start with their bestseller, Isaw the Sign.
At PHP 14 per stick, it’s a bit more expensive than your neighborhood street isaw. But as far as value for money is concerned, it’s hard to beat that price. It tastes way better than the ones you buy on the street. It’s tasty, even without the dipping sauce. It packs in more isaw into a stick. Best of all, it tastes clean.
Another bestseller is the CuePido Pork Barbeque.
Pork belly is used so it’s tender and juicy. The soy sauce glaze levels up the whole barbecue-eating experience. Good thing it’s only PHP 27 per stick because it’s hard to eat just one. Mahirap mag stick-to-one.
You have 3 choices for dipping sauce which is ironic at first since the isaw and barbecue are good enough to eat on their own without the dipping sauces. But try these dipping sauces and you can say to yourself that something as good can be way better.
There’s the usual vinegar dipping sauce (with tomatoes and onion) and the sinamak. But for me, the star is the CuePido Garlic Wansoy dip. I can imagine that it goes well with everything, including the Skinny Dipping (PHP 59).
This is their take on deep fried chicken skin. It’s something that you’d have to order for the whole group, although you can eat the whole thing yourself if you’re not mindful. I had to stop looking at it because I was grabbing a piece every time I look at it.
Speaking of something to order for the group, we also got the Wow Maling (PHP 99).
This is Maling sliced thinly to the point that it’s as crispy as fries. Think of fast food fries – crispy on the outside and mushy on the inside. It’s served with banana ketchup, but I kept on dipping it in the CuePido Garlic Wansoy dip.
You should also try the Caramel Patis Wings (PHP 120).
I love how the caramel and patis flavors complement each other. They may not sound like a match made in heaven, but it sure is a match made for the adventurous taste buds.
They also have Ensaladang Talong (PHP 79).
Their version comes with cubed mango and alamang. I loved the how all the flavors got together to present an unusual but welcome taste to the palate.
We were lucky enough to visit on the same day that they released the CuePido Super Sisig (PHP 149).
I absolutely adore their sisig. It’s just…perfect. It’s what you’d order as pulutan, and then later on decide to order rice when you take your first bite.
Okay, so I mentioned pancit canton being a popular comfort food. You should try their version – the Lucky Carbonara (PHP 89).
Wait, what?
Lucky Me Pancit Canton Carbonara.
Pancit canton noodles are used for the carbonara so that in itself is a level up. But probably in one drinking session, the chefs decided to improve it even more by adding bacon and sous vide egg. Mind you. This is not your common poached egg. This was cooked sous vide-style for 45 minutes in 64 degree Celsius heat.
Everything goes well with their rice sprinkled with chicken oil. Yes, even the Lucky Carbonara!
At the end of the meal we were looking for something sweet, and CuePido delivered in crunch time with the Lecheng Pagibig To (PHP 49).
I love leche flan. This is why I was disappointed at first because I thought it’s leche flan and then I found out that it’s not. As soon as I took my first bite, I was so happy that it’s not leche flan. This is frozen coconut with butterscotch sauce with patis.
Yes, patis.
You don’t have to worry because you wouldn’t smell and taste the patis. You wouldn’t even know that they used patis. It’s basically their version of the salted caramel, and I think this is better. We were going to share a single serving but they probably saw that we were devouring it so they sent out a couple more.
Try CuePido Grill Today!
CuePido Grill aims its arrow, with serving good but affordable Pinoy comfort food with a twist as its target. It’s a bullseye, as far as we’re concerned.
Contact Details
Address: Block 1 Lot 2, City Park Avenue, Lipa, Batangas
Operating Hours: Weekdays 5 PM to 11 PM; Weekends 4 PM to 12 AM (live band on weekends)
Phone Number: 09033049413
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