MIGHTY QUIN'S
Mighty Quinn’’s favors the true and te ed way of grilling — “the old s ool way, with wood and time.”
It always happens, and it’s one of the great mysteries of existence: how several people will think of the same idea at the same time, invest their time, money, and e ort to execute, and nally introduce it to the public, with varying degrees of success. e reception can be ice cold, lukewarm, or blazing hot, depending on the quality of the product, and to a larger extent, the ckle tastes and unpredictable preferences of the public. It regularly occurs in Hollywood — two meteor movies, two volcano movies, two computer animated movies about insects — all in the same year. In the Philippines, these instances of parallel thinking happen all the time too, o en in the case of food: through the decades, we’ve experienced the following crazes, in order: hot pandesal, lechon manok, shawarma, and most recently, bubble teas. e same is true with restaurants. 2013 was the beginning of our Japanese ramen obsession, and 2016 was the year of American barbeque in the Philippines.
One a er the other, a “Western” or “Southern” style joint opened up all over Metro Manila. I’m not complaining: foreign or homegrown concept alike, all that I’ve tried — from Marikina to Paranaque — were all very good. e proprietors all took the time to research, study, and create their own versions of North Carolina’s vinegar-based sauces or Memphis’ molasses sweetened variants. Many built their own humongous smokers and barbecue pits. And as a result, genuine
brisket and handcrafted smoked sausages were finally available locally, and “bark”, the crisp, charred, seasoned surface of barbequed meat, became part of our foodie lexicon, thanks to all those excellent new restaurants.
But there always has to be a first. In my barbeque loving opinion, that’s Mighty Quinn’s. And the funny thing is, while it was among the last to open in the Philippines, the franchise from New York City — one of USA’s fastest-growing and best-reviewed chains — has actually been in the works for over two years, ever since John Concepcion of Yabu and Ippudo fame first tasted the old school barbeques of Mighty Quinn’s main man, Hugh Magnum. It was worth the wait. “Cooking the old school way, with wood and time”, is Mr. Magnum’s simple maxim, and it’s true for his food, and this Philippine franchise too.
The partnership is coming up with the most addicting and most authentic American barbeque around. Everything is flown in from the States, even the logs: white oakwood, which imparts a natural fruity sweetness during the smoking process. There’s definitely some magic here. The meats take three days to prepare
the beef brisket has that divine proportion: the golden ratios of tender lean meat, succulent fat, and deep, dark flavors.
before “harvesting”, and the signature Brontosaurus Rib, the Burnt Ends, and the beef briskets all have that divine proportion: the golden ratios of impossibly tender lean meat, succulent fat, and the deep dark flavors and crunchy textures of the bark.
I dislike saying the term “melt in your mouth”, but I have no choice: Mighty Quinn’s smoked masterpieces really warrant its use. They’re irresistible. I just could not stop eating them. And even if I hate the traffic and crowds in that part of Metro Manila, I’d readily brave going to Megamall just to get another bite of the bark.