Sasha asked me in the OAP Comments Section:
“hi anton. happy new year! im reading your blog on a regular basis. i really like your features. im just curious if you know the mexican restaurant “taqueria chilanga”. it used to be in metropolitan avenue in makati (near shopwise) then it moved to greenbelt 3 and branched out in shangrila mall. i dont know where they are now but i really really love the food in that restaurant and im just wondering if they’re still around. hope you can help me find them.“
Sasha, I’m happy to say that I finally found them. 🙂
Estella Blanco, the Mexican housewife who was cooking for Taqueria Chilanga, has been living in the Philippines for about 15 years already. She partnered with Lance to launch Taqueria Mia in the Saturday Salcedo Market, where they use all of Estella’s Mexican recipes.
They also have an “outpost” now in the Power Plant Cinema Snack Bar. They serve limited Mexican favorites on a to-go basis there. I prefer the Salcedo Market stall, which offers fresh and homemade Mexican favorites (ex. burritos, tacos, quesadillas, etc.) vs the Rockwell outlet, where the food tastes frozen.
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Taqueria Mia @ the Saturday Salcedo Market. Taqueria Mia Menu.
The stall is located in the middle area, near the open tables close to the entrance.
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Barbacoa Burrito (P233). Pulled beef brisket marinated in a sauce of Mexican chilies and herbs, slowly cooked until tender.
In the Salcedo stall, the beef is tender and tasty, with wet hair-like texture. The burrito wrapper is soft and not as filling as the commercialized versions. It is not as spicy as you would expect based on the description. The Picco de Gallo / Salsa has that freshly chopped and homemade taste. The rice and beans in the burrito are also as soft as the meat and wrapper, so it is a bit hard to keep the burrito in its original form when you bite into it.
Taqueria Mia @ the Power Plant Cinema Snack Bar. Taqueria Mia Rockwell Menu
The branch is located in front of Cinema 6. It is really meant for cinema viewers who want their food to-go, but there are two cocktail tables for those who prefer to sit and stay. The food choices are limited and the menu prices are higher by about 15% versus the Salcedo stall.
In Salcedo, there are 2 choices each for chicken, pork and beef: Pollo Chipotle, Pollo Ranchero, Adobada, Carnitas, Bistec and Barbacoa. Plus, there’s a vegetarian burrito. In Rockwell, you are limited to Pollo Chipotle and Barbacoa.
Barbacoa Burrito (P265 in Rockwell). Pulled beef brisket marinated in a sauce of Mexican chilies and herbs, slowly cooked until tender.
The rice and meat served by the Rockwell outlet are a bit harder to chew. I think it is best to order them in the morning when the ingredients are freshly delivered. Some of the vegetables are sliced on the spot but most of the meat and rice are delivered (and are hopefully fresh everyday).
Chipotle Taco (P165 for 3 pieces in Rockwell). Shredded chicken breast meat cooked slowly over low fire with smoked “Chipotle” peppers.
I like this wrapped version of the taco, which uses hand-made flour tortillas versus the fried ones that we are used to. Unlike the burrito, this taco has no rice inside.
Have you tried Taqueria Mia? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section. 🙂  It is a good alternative to Ristras since the taste is more homemade, but I can only recommend the Salcedo Market stall, which is only open every Saturday.
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Oh yum! Will check this out. Lately, been craving for tasty and fresh Mexican fare. Have recently tried Baja in Greenbelt and it was surprisingly good and reasonably priced!
ive tried it, and well.. its ok. pantawid gutom.
if you want something to compete with ristras you should go for Jalapeno in ortigas home depot. killer nachos, quesadillas and dont forget the apple butterscotch dessert!
I remembered eating at Taqueria Chilanga at Metropolitan Avenue and liking it better than Mexicali’s at that time (nearly 10 years ago). I love the homemade salsa and used to buy huge tubs of it to go with Tostitos. Yum.
They also used to have this item called Tostadas, shredded lettuce and cheese on top of a wide, crispy, thick round corn chip. I always ordered this. When I think of Taqueria Chilanga, I always think of the yummy Tostadas.
Try TJ’s grill and margarita bar in city golf julia vargas. I was there last night and the food was great but the service still needs some work but they said its only their 3rd day so I’ll give them a break.
Try the mexican beef and shrimp kebab and also the fish tacos was excellent.
hi anton….thank you thank you for the update above. you just dont know how happy i am now that taqueria is back. my whole family will surely frequent salcedo market from now on.
i agree with sam, i always order tostadas at taqueria chilanga. i hope they still have it in their menu.
good morning anton… me and my family went to salcedo market last sat. would just like to share with you our experience with taqueria mia…. it was definitely not the same as taqueria chilanga. they dont have the open plate burrito anymore, which is better than what they served in salcedo market. i ordered barbacoa while my daughter ordered bistec. it was quite disappointing and considering that it was a bit pricey. it did not taste mexican at all. it was overpowered by the so much rice that they put which looked like it was cooked the day before (hard and dry), the flavor of the meat was not there due to the very little serving and the salsa didn’t taste like it was freshly made. my husband, also a huge mexican food fanatic like me, opted to buy food from another vendor bec. he said the burrito was not too enticing…and he was right!
Thanks for sharing your experience. I have not experienced Taqueria Chilanga so this comment is very helpful…
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I love mexican food, ever since I came home from Chicago, I have been craving for good Mexican food. My sister in-law is pure mexican and i enjoyed all thier homecooked meals. Tacos, tostada burritos, tamales, their stuffed peppers. Even their drinks fascinate me. Agua de tamarindo (sampaloc juice) and Jamaica (hibiscus tea), Im will have to make a point of going to Salcedo village to try out Taqueria Mia just to get my fix.
Has anyone tried Chilaquiles La Taqueria? They’ve only been around for 3 months I think, joining bazaars in Rockwell Tent. The last one was at The Big Tent in QC which I went to. It was quite a drive I tell ya, but it was worth it! Their carne asada quesadillas and nachos are really good. Their tacos with freshly made corn tortillas are also a must-try with their homemade salsas. I moved here from the U.S. also and I haven’t really found good Mexican food that satisifes my cravings until now. They’ll be at the Rockwell Tent on July 30 to August 1 so you might want to consider visiting them. I know I will! 🙂
Hi Marlene! Former Chilaquiles La Taqueria is now Orale Taqueria Mexicana in The Fort Strip.Same owner and operator.