Rafael's Garlic Chicken and Eatery ( Batac, Ilocos Norte )

If you are looking for lutong bahay style of dishes and in a tight budget, Rafael's Garlic Chicken and Eatery is one of the best places to go. It is one of those kubo or nipa hut style restaurants around the vicinity of Batac, Ilocos Norte. 

There are a few tables that can accommodate groups of people, situated away from the crowded area where most people eat. The place is made mostly out of bamboos and parts from old houses that they put together to set up this place. Old things from the farm can also be seen hanging on the walls which serves a dual purpose of being like a piece of a puzzle that completes the wall and a decoration as well.

Pakbet is one of the famous Ilocano dishes. It tastes good as expected, the meat and vegetables are cooked well. The vegetables are still a bit crunchy which is good. It complements fried or grilled meat and fish dishes very well.

We tried their Spicy Squid. It is not over cooked and not too spicy which is a good thing as I am not a fan of very spicy dishes. The squid is also fresh and it comes in big servings.

The Ginisang Upo is just one of their vegetable dishes that is a great complement for grilled or fried fish and meat dishes. The upo is cooked  and seasoned just right.

Their Inihaw na Baboy or grilled pork is a must try. It is seasoned well and cooked to perfection. Still tender and juicy. A single serving can be good for sharing. 

 The kare kare is a bit different. It is not the usual kare kare with thick sauce made out of ground peanuts. Although it has the ingredients of a regular kare kare, it seems that it was cooked like the pakbet. It has a runny sauce and bagoong. The meat is tender and the vegetables tastes fresh.

This eatery has lots of customers and tends to be over crowded with students and employees during lunch time. They offer a wide variety of great tasting dishes to choose from. It is a pay as you order style of service. Uniformed waiters can be seen roaming around the eatery, ready to assist customers. It is not air conditioned but there are ceiling fans installed everywhere. The materials used in building the restaurant such as the pawid and bamboos really helps in preventing the temperature inside from rising to an uncomfortable level. Aside from the budget friendly prices of their food, there are still some recommended dishes that we haven't tried yet so we will surely be back here on out next visit to the city of Batac, Ilocos Norte.

RATINGS:

Food: 4/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Price: 4/5


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining restaurant
Cuisine: Filipino
Delivery:
Operating Hours:
Contact Number:
Branches: Batac, Ilocos Norte