I’m a little bit embarrassed to say that I haven’t had the chance to try Tessie’s Goto yet. I may have tried it with my dad back when I was a kid, but I have no clear memory of it. I’ve tried a couple of times in their main Sabang branch, but somehow, it’s always sold out or closed when I visited.
Looks like fate is just waiting for the perfect time for me to try it, and that time has come with the opening of their San Sebastian branch.
About Tessie’s Goto and Bulalo
Tessie’s Goto and Bulalo is an institution in Lipa City. Everybody knows Aling Tessie Pasajol – the self-proclaimed “mag-go-goto” who has been doing this for over 40 years. She still does at the Sabang main branch. You can say that she has perfected her craft that she can probably do this with her eyes closed.
They have branches in Sabang, Bolbok and now, the newly-opened San Sebastian branch along Altamirano Street right in front of the construction site of Tierra Lorenzo.
One of the best things I can say about this establishment is it’s a family-managed business, with everybody pitching in. Aling Tessie’s daughter, Mischel Cruz, was on hand at their San Sebastian branch tending to the needs of the customers.
She shared that the whole family is expected to pitch in. In fact, Aubrey Cruz, a granddaughter of Aling Tessie, was also there cleaning up tables after customers. Yes, the Miss Lipa Tourism 2018 2nd runner up also helps out in the family business.
The San Sebastian branch is actually a partnership. It also houses “Nico’s Kitchenette”, named after Nico Morada who is currently taking up HRM. This means that in addition to serving goto and bulalo, they also serve other dishes at this branch.
About this Batangas Goto
People flock to Tessie’s Goto and Bulalo mainly for their goto. One of the reasons why it’s so good is everything is freshly bought from the market early in the morning and cooked in big pots for 4 hours with select spices that lead to tender and flavorful goto. They’re almost always sold out every day so you can be sure that the bowl you’re enjoying is freshly-made.
Their best-seller is the Goto Mix.
Its beautiful color can only be matched by the beautiful flavor that comes with every sip. Umami flavors explode in your mouth. It’s good enough on its own without the usual patis-calamansi-sili dipping sauce, but feel free to use it because that’s basically a tradition.
There’s also a lot of meat.
You can easily eat 2 cups of rice with it, maybe even 3.
This Batangas goto is priced at PHP 80 while the Goto Laman is priced at PHP 90. We’ll try the Goto Laman next time.
About the Bulalo
Check out Tessie’s Batangas Bulalo.
It’s hard to find a more perfect bowl of bulalo than this one. Huge chucks of bulalo meat are complemented by crisp vegetables. A couple of banana slices adds a bit of sweetness that cuts through the richness of the broth.
Priced at PHP 350, it’s a dish to be shared and enjoyed by the family.
About Nico’s Kitchen
Nico’s Kitchen is the partner establishment of Tessie’s Goto and Bulalo. They share the same space, so you can actually order from both menus.
We tried the Nico’s Sriracha Wings.
I’m a huge fan of Sriracha Wings and this is really good. It’s not really sweet or spicy. Nico was able to find the middle-ground, leading to savory wings that you’d eat to the bone.
It’s so good I forgot to use the dip.
Visit Tessie’s Goto and Bulalo Today!
Don’t make the same mistake that I did. Tessie’s goto and bulalo are two dishes that should be enjoyed regularly. Visit Tessie’s Goto and Bulalo today!
Contact Details
Address: Altamirano Street right in front of the construction site of Tierra Lorenzo. Their main branch is in Sabang almost in front of Hapag Restaurant.
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday 5 AM to 8 PM
Phone Number: 0945 211 2019
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