Yummy Date Night

Date # 82: Komrad: Mao’s Hunan and Sichuan Kitchen

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There are days when Douglas and I just go wherever our feet take us. That’s how we ended up in Komrad, a new Chinese fusion restaurant in Eastwood. I’ve never heard anything about this restaurant before, but there was something about it that made me want to try.

Komrad banners food from the Hunan and the Sichuan provinces, which are both known for the liberal use of spices in their cuisine. As opposed to the usual Cantonese restaurants that we’re used to, Komrad explores the rich diversity of Chinese food.

When I passed by Komrad the first time, I was instantly taken aback: the small restaurant was filled with loud, festive red colors, with golden accents, and it featured a large, imposing mural of Chairman Mao wearing a chef suit on one side. Douglas commented that if they had built this restaurant in China, they’d get arrested. Haha. Quite a ballsy choice for decoration.

We had Bottomless Red Iced Tea (P106) for drinks. I normally don’t write about beverages since I almost always just order soda, but this one was good. It was strong and sweet, sometimes too sweet that we felt the need to ask for extra ice to dilute the flavor. But the best part was that the staff was very attentive in replenishing the iced tea that day. You get the value you give for quite a pricey juice drink.

I recently developed a fondness for duck meat, and so I ordered the house specialty: the Five Spice Crispy Duck (P455). It sounded so good on the menu that I couldn’t wait to try it—but sadly, the dish wasn’t all that Douglas and I hoped it would be. Only the duck skin was able to absorb the flavor of the five spices, and even still, the spices didn’t shine enough. Most of what we could taste was salty, slightly overcooked duck meat, which was a real letdown.

Thankfully, our second dish, the Sichuan Fried Eggplant (P198) was everything that the first dish wasn’t. It’s composed of eggplant slices fried in batter, topped with tender slivers of pork, and then sprinkled with green onions. The best thing about this was the batter: it had a wonderful sweet flavor that went so well with the eggplant. The semi-sweet sauce was also unexpectedly very good, it complemented the juicy and flavorful meat well. It wasn’t spicy on any scale, but it was delicious.

This plate of Cumin Siomai (P135) was the last to arrive, but it more than made up for its late arrival. The dumpling skin of the siomai was nicely fried and crispy, while the filling was chunky and meaty. The taste is very much endowed with the funky taste of cumin, so if you’re not a fan of cumin, this probably isn’t for you. But for a cumin lover, this might be one of the best things ever.

Overall Verdict: The food in Komrad isn’t really authentic, and I hope you keep that in mind when you visit this place. Some people come here and expect to find authentic Hunan and Sichuan fare, and end up disappointed. Maybe if you keep an open mind to the strange but innovative concepts they have, you’ll thoroughly enjoy your food, like we did. Aside from the disappointing duck dish, the fried egg plant, the cumin siomai, and the friendly staff makes me wish to dine here again and try more of their unique offerings.

Komrad: Mao’s Hunan and Sichuan Kitchen

Eastwood Mall Veranda, 2ndflr

Libis, Quezon City

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With and For Love,

Rina Caparras and Douglas Chong

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