Central American Fare at Cocina Juan

Maginhawa street still has a few tricks left up it's sleeve.  I'm a true believer now. This week's discovery, and an amazing one at that, was Cocina Juan.  You could pass by Maginhawa St. a dozen times and not see it.  The signage and facade of this artsy restaurant is concealed behind tons of foliage.  Good thing they had parols and Christmas lights to sort of hint at really curious passersby (and you'd have to be REALLY curious like me) that there's something more behind all those vines and leaves.

Yuri and I met up with my three lovely cousins on this particular foodie escapade.  They're equally as obsessed about food as we are.  We wouldn't be related otherwise.  We'd usually meet up to chat and hang out.  I share an unusually close bond with my cousins.  They're like the sisters I never had.  It used to be, that we'd have a family reunion on my Dad's side of the family every Sunday at my lolo's house.  It was a sprawling house with a huge garden, a pond (that we've all fallen into at one point or another) with a solitary turtle, and a big Kalachuchi tree in the front yard that has suffered 2 generations' worth of abuse (from tree-climbing, hide and seek, and all sorts of weird games we'd come up with).  My dad has 9 other siblings and 7 of them  have kids.  So every Sunday was a riot!  It was a big playground where everyone could do as they pleased.  Our moms were happily distracted with their manicures, pedicures, and their chismis, so we kids basically had free rein to do whatever.  Sadly, these past few years, our reunions have become less frequent, hence the birth of our "cousins-night-out".   We'd set a dinner date once in a while to catch up with each other's lives. 

Last Thursday night was one of those nights.  Yuri and I had a list of other places that we wanted to try out but our plans quickly changed when we accidentally stumbled upon Cocina Juan.  I had Yuri turn the car around at least three times just to get a clear look at the facade of Cocina Juan.

Cocina Juan clearly belongs to a really cool laid-back artist with a flair for good food.  Well I was close.  Apparently this quaint resto also doubles as an art gallery featuring local artists.

The dim lighting, mish mish of paintings (some even unfinished ones on the floor), and the haphazardly-placed accent decor, framed their unique Nicaraguan-Mexican dishes perfectly.  The whole restaurant, for both their indoor and outdoor seating, can only seat a maximum of 32 people at a time.  Luckily, we were able to get a table inside.  They've also got free wifi which Yuri was really happy about.

Yuri started it off with some Nachos (with Chili con Carne and Salsa Cruda) so that we could munch on something while we waited for my cousins.

Nachos with Chili con Carne & Salsa Cruda Php 170.00

When our server brought it over to our table, we were a bit taken aback.  The portion size took us by surprise.  It was more than enough for the four of us and it took us the whole night to eat our way through it.  It was definitely, a good omen of things to come.

Patty and I decided to split a plate of Cerdo Castillo Chimichurri since the Nachos had us a bit wary of the size of their dishes.

Cerdo Castillo Chimichurri "Pork Ribs" Php 249.00

Our server told us that this was their bestseller.  Totally understandable.  Baby back ribs grilled perfectly.  It was expertly charred, tender, and juicy especially when slathered with that wonderful chimichurri sauce.  Yum-my.  The pork ribs were definitely good enough for two, but you might need to order an extra side with it.

Yuri felt like showing off and ordered a Chicken Adobo Burrito all for himself.

Chicken Adobo Burrito Php 159.00

I swear, this burrito was bigger than Ristra's.  Quite a feat I must say.  It was loaded with adobo rice, chicken adobo strips, corn, lettuce, refried beans, sour cream, and cheese.

Churrasco de Nicaragua Php 359.00

Another brave soul was Ate CB.  She went for the Churrasco de Nicaragua.  Holy moly batman!  Her dish came out in a serving platter and not a plate.  It was just a lot to take in at first.

The name of her dish refers to the technique of cooking meat on skewers.  Her plate had chicken, beef, and sausage skewers, gallo de pinto rice, chimichurri sauce, corn, potatoes, and an ensalada.  Boggles the mind.  Haha.  She finished the whole thing though!  A proud moment that's for sure. :)

Ate Isa had the heartiest dish in my opinion.  Their Enchidas were creamy and light.  It just gets tastier and yummier with each bite.

I might've had a bite, or two, or three. Harhar.  It's layers of tortilla with a mixture of chicken or beef, frijoles, cream, and cheese in between served in a baking dish.

Turns out that Ate CB knows the owner of Cocina Juan, Thomas Adviento.  She used to work with him and he popped by our table to say hello.  If I remember correctly, I was told that he lived in Latin America for a while, hence Cocina Juan's uncommon cuisine.  He gave us a complimentary salad which was refreshing and really tasty.

Fresh Greens Salad "Ensalada"

It was mostly shredded lettuce and sliced cucumbers tossed in a light vinaigrette.  Thanks Tom!  It was good way to end our heavy meal. 

Almost all of their dishes are good for sharing, which makes this a good place for meeting friends or dining out with family.  Also, the portion sizes and the quality of their food is unparalleled in the area considering their prices.  It's a steal really!

I now have my go-to Latin American resto.  How 'bout that? :)


Address: 100 Maginhawa St., UP Teacher's Village, Quezon City