AUNTIE MAY’s: U.S Beef Tapa, Angus Beef Salpicao and Home Cooked Meals @MercatoCentrale

Text by Nikka Sarthou and Photos by Kurl Marx Mendoza

Living a fast-paced lifestyle can burn you out and you need all the help you can get
to keep up. Though convenient, eating fast-food would be an easy option but not
necessarily a healthy one. A good alternative is to look for other “instant” food that
would satisfy your hunger for filling and healthy meals. Mercato Centrale’s Auntie
May’s definitely fits the bill.

Its specialty is U.S. Beef Tapa, thinly sliced imported beef in a special marinade. It
is served with a cup of garlic rice and sunny side up egg—a classic Filipino dish.
The best thing about it is that you can bring home a pack and cook it yourself.
Auntie May’s offers pre-packed tapa that comes in a microwavable container
with six servings inside it. Since the beef slices are thin, there is no need to thaw
before cooking. You can get it from the freezer and put it straight in a hot pan. Tapa
couldn’t be more instant than that! Auntie May’s also has a guide on how to cook the
tapa to get a good eating experience.

Flavors of Mercato Series 1:

• CARLO’S KITCHEN: It’s Crunchy Belly Time!
• CUISINIERS: Have you tried the Best BBQ Pork Skewers in Manila?
• MERRY MOO: One of the Best Artisan Ice Creams in Manila!
• WRAP BATTLE: The Pita Wrap of the Filipinos
• JOHNNY STEAMS: Yankee Burger – Peanut Butter, Crispy Bacon, Oozing Mozzarella Cheese
• OLVERA’S: Authentic Home Cooked Mexican Cuisine
• AUNTIE MAY’s: U.S Beef Tapa, Angus Beef Salpicao and Home Cooked Meals-on-the-GO
• RICE POTS: The Real Fried Rice Stuff!
• MACHEESEMO: Cheese Stuffed Burgers!
• BUMBLE TEA: The Milk Tea Buzz
• NEW YORK MINUTE: Freshly Made Paninis
• @HEY_FISHY_FISHY: Fish & Chips with San Miguel Pale Pilsen Beer Batter

Tapsilog is actually one of my favorite breakfast meals and Auntie May’s version
doesn’t disappoint.

I like how the tapa is very flavorful and easy-to-eat. The basic
recipe came from her mother-in-law, which she modified a bit to make it more
accepted by the general public.

Another bestseller is the Angus Beef Salpicao, certified Angus Beef that is cubed
and cooked with lots of minced garlic and their secret seasoning, which is served
on top of garlic fried rice. The salpicao was a pleasure to eat as well because the
meat was tender and juicy. I was surprised to find out that this was Auntie May’s
first foray into the food industry. “To be honest, I cook a lot but this is my very first
[business] venture in food. We are kitchen people—my family and siblings. We are
very fortunate because my mom really trained us. Sinanay niya kami sa kusina.”

All the raw meat they use are also being sold in their home-based deli where they
offer a myriad of marinated meat and other products, including their original
specialty, gourmet bagoong. “The name Auntie May’s stemmed about when we
started selling bagoong because we had to identify it. We started it because of the
demand of our friends.” The husband-and-wife team would make their own bagoong
from scratch and give it to their friends as gifts. The business evolved from there—
20 years ago.

It was during the third Ultimate Taste Test when they let the public sample their
cooking that they decided to go into the food business. “We do not scrimp on the
ingredients just to be able to make it affordable to everyone. We choose the dish first then buy quality ingredients, do food tasting, do our costings and if we feel it
will be reasonable and attractive to the consumers, we introduce the product and
sell.”

Get a taste of Auntie May’s cooking in Mercato Centrale or head to her little deli and
grab some of her specialty products.

AUNTIE MAY’S

Telephone number: (+632) 624-8172

Mobile number: (+63 917) 800-1788, (+63 917) 800-1088, (+63 917) 885-0508

Email: auntiemays@yahoo.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuntieMays

MIDNIGHT MERCATO
Address: Corner of 34th & 8th avenue (near MC Home Depot), BGC Taguig
Mobile number: (+63 917) 840-1152 
Email: admin@mercatocentrale.ph or mercatocentraleph@gmail.com
Operating hours: Every Friday and Saturday, 10pm-3am 

Flavors of Mercato Series 1:

• CARLO’S KITCHEN: It’s Crunchy Belly Time!
• CUISINIERS: Have you tried the Best BBQ Pork Skewers in Manila?
• MERRY MOO: One of the Best Artisan Ice Creams in Manila!
• WRAP BATTLE: The Pita Wrap of the Filipinos
• JOHNNY STEAMS: Yankee Burger – Peanut Butter, Crispy Bacon, Oozing Mozzarella Cheese
• OLVERA’S: Authentic Home Cooked Mexican Cuisine
• AUNTIE MAY’s: U.S Beef Tapa, Angus Beef Salpicao and Home Cooked Meals-on-the-GO
• RICE POTS: The Real Fried Rice Stuff!
• MACHEESEMO: Cheese Stuffed Burgers!
• BUMBLE TEA: The Milk Tea Buzz
• NEW YORK MINUTE: Freshly Made Paninis
• @HEY_FISHY_FISHY: Fish & Chips with San Miguel Pale Pilsen Beer Batter

P.S. Would you like to become the next big food entrepreneur at Mercato Centrale group of markets? Please get in touch with us at (+63 917) 840-1152 or (+632) 812-0102.