Cover Poulet roti tacos
Poulet roti tacos
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Tatler Dining’s Chef of the Year 2022 teams up with cousin RJ Galang for the soon-to-open Salcedo Village hotspot
It is stating the obvious that cousins Miko Calo and RJ Galang have a lot of history together. Aside from a shared childhood, they also have a common passion for food, which led them down a path where their collaborative efforts have given birth to their commercial pursuits. They were the duo behind the pop-ups called Underground Supper Club, and Calo (chef and co-owner of modern French restaurant Metronome, as well as Tatler Dining Chef of the Year 2022) assisted Galang in developing his menu for the now-defunct Bakerē in Kapitolyo, which served his mother’s popular pastries along with comfort food reflective of their family favourites. I recall a meaty, cheesy lasagna with perfectly crisp edges, and a Butuan lechon sandwich with house-made pickles, all accompanied by some really good coffee.
Likewise, in all of Calo’s professional pursuits, Galang’s support and presence have always been a non-negotiable. Now, as we sit in their soon-to-launch taqueria, Franco (called such because they serve French-inspired tacos here) in Salcedo Village, Calo breathes life into one of Galang’s long-time ruminations. “Every time I go to a bookstore, I am always drawn to books about tacos,” Galang narrates. “I did not realize how much I have actually collected until we started developing the menu for Franco. When I handed my pile of taco books and cookbooks to Miko, she asked me ‘How long have you wanted to open a taqueria?’”
In case you missed it: Chef Miko Calo launches a new tasting menu at Metronome
Above Taqueria Franco in Salcedo Village
Above Sautéed mushroom taco
Taqueria Franco in Salcedo Village
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As most great ideas go, nothing was set in stone until one evening when Calo and Galang were having a casual (read: drunken) conversation about tacos. “We were thinking ‘Oh, if this chef made a taco, what will it look like?’ Or if that chef made a taco, and so on,” Galang says. “Until, we started talking about how she (Calo) would make a taco in her specific style, which is French. That was when we were like, ok, we really should do this.” The cousins truly got the ball rolling once they invited husband and wife team Paolo and Laveena Clavecilla to partner up with them. It is the first time the couple behind the F&B consultancy firm Beyond the Menu is opening their own establishment, but somehow Galang (who is a longtime friend) has convinced them to come on board and handle Franco’s operations. “They just have to apply what they have been teaching everyone else,” Galang winks. Aside from Clavecillas’ expertise, their French Bulldog Elvis (pronouns: she/her) has lent her adorable mug to their logo.
Above Egg and caviar tostada
Above Le Bon Junk
Egg and caviar tostada
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With all other aspects covered, Calo is free to dream of tacos and tostadas dressed in the flavours that she does so well. In any good taqueria, it's all about the base, and Calo’s tortilla is a clear indicator of what we can expect from Franco’s kitchen. “I decided not to go with the usual corn tortilla since I knew it would not be a match with what we are trying to do here,” she explains. “Instead, I made tortillas out of buckwheat flour, which is the same thing used to make French galette or savoury crepes.”
This buckwheat tortilla is the perfect vessel for breaded, deep-fried oysters with tartar sauce; a vegetarian option of sautéed mushrooms with cilantro and parsley pistou; or a poulet roti taco served with a side of shoestring frites. Calo fries them to make tostadas, which she tops with egg salad and caviar or as a base for perfectly decadent eggs Benedict with farmer's ham, creamed spinach, and hollandaise. The griddle is for crisping up quesadillas, and a particularly exciting one is stuffed with raclette, bacon, pickles, and potatoes. The same goes for the lamb bourguignon birria with oyster mushrooms and emmental that gets all crisped up before serving and then dunked in lamb jus.
Read more: Culinary heritage vs modernity: How five Asian chefs use innovation to keep their traditions alive
Eggs benedict tostada
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The menu is clearly indicative of Calo at play, and the vibe is casual and cozy, seating 30 at most. While the food is frisky and irreverent (a bag of tortilla chips is dressed with garlic béchamel, beef haché, and house-made pepper sauce, while highbrow ingredients such as duck confit and foie gras get the taco treatment), everything is painstakingly thought through as one would expect from a chef of Calo’s calibre. It would be a shame to match these with drinks of lesser quality, so only cocktails by beverage consultant David Ong (founder of award-winning concepts The Curator and Oto) will rightfully do. Think a mezcal-based sangre laced with tajin salt and refreshing long drinks such as the Señor Sarsaparilla with tequila, lime, and sal de gusano.
See also: Tres Papas by Don Papa Rum: Celebrating home, friendship, and Filipino talent
Above Horchata bread pudding
Above Señor Sarsaparilla
Horchata bread pudding
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Franco opens mid-September, and I can almost be sure that there will be discussions regarding its authenticity. However, with the right balance of respect for culinary heritage and a well-calculated application of one’s creative license, flavour and technique should be able to take precedence over cultural accuracy. There are places for that, and when the hankering for a good al pastor on fresh corn tortilla hits, you know where to go. But, in the confines of Franco, Calo, Galang, and hopefully many likeminded individuals can come to be their most authentic selves. It is meant to be fun, no need to overthink— Calo already did that for you. It might be the most beautiful plate of tacos you’ll ever see made by one of the most talented chefs in the country, but at the end of the day, its still just a taco. Dive in and enjoy.
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Jaclyn Clemente Koppe is a food and lifestyle writer, as well as a consultant to some of the country’s beloved food and beverage brands. Her passion for food and drink is only surpassed by her devotion to her family, most especially to her soulmate, Pepa the poodle.
