Balbacua de Davao, Pork Kinamatisan, My Lola’s Adobo, Bicol’s Pininyahang Gising-Gising, Pritong Itik, these are just some of the new heirloom dishes that are being offered at LORE by Chef Tatung Sarthou. They are traditional dishes, cooked with much respect to the ones cooked by the nanays (mothers) and olas (grandmothers) in their respective provinces, but presented in a fresh, contemporary manner. In a way, LORE spotlights customary regional dishes, making one feel like dining back at their hometown; it’s like exploring new flavors from another province or discovering the different ways a certain dish is cooked in different places in the country.

Chef Tatung says “In the Visayan region, their Pork Kinamatisan is the same as the Pork Binagoongan in the Luzon provinces. Wala naman bagoong noon. This version is more tomato forward but cooked almost in the same manner.” Chef Tatung, who has strong familial ties to the Bicol region, also presents the Bicol version of Gising-Gising (creamy string beans, finger chilies and chicken chunks in coconut sauce) which has pineapple chunks on it. The pineapple cuts the creaminess of the coconut thus deepening the flavors and giving it a sweet surprise.

Lore’s Balbacua de Davao, tender and collagen-rich ox tail, trotter, and tendon, slow-cooked, is slightly different from the Balbacua served in Cebu. Pritong Itik is twice-cooked Peking duck and prepared Pateros-style. Pateros braises the duck in a bath of aromatic Asian spices until it is tender and then deep-fried until crispy. It comes with spicy vinegar sauce and a playful “Haw-flakes” dipping sauce.

After almost a year in operation, LORE also transitioned their menu offering from degustacion to family-style and ala carte. Chef Tatung’s Fried Rice, for example, loaded with shrimp, vegetables, peanuts, eggs and spring onion, is good for 2-3 persons.

With 7,641 islands and close to 195 languages spoken in the country, the diversity of our dishes is a culinary enthusiasts dream. LORE by Chef Tatung hopes to honor this diversity and culinary-rich heritage by presenting hometown favorite dishes to their diners and customers.

LORE is located at the 3rd floor of One Bonifacio Hight Street Mall, 3rd Ave., Taguig, MM For reservations, call (63 977) 804-9888 / www.loremanila.com Follow: https://www.instagram.com/lore.manila/