In the world of social media photography, photos paralleled to bacon gets more attention with numerous thumbs up or ‘likes’. As simple as liking a photo, this shows that the person is amused or interested in that specific photo. When I scan through photos, I can’t deny that photos with bacon could make every picture photogenic. It’s simply irresistible not to like it.

Chef Sharwin Tee, the host and chef of Lifestyle Channel’s Curiosity Got the Chef, believes in the power of bacon. The playful and quirky mind of Sharwin Tee cannot be contained in a closed box. With his first restaurant, The Quirky Bacon, he proves that bacon is not only for breakfast nor cooked simply with eggs.

There was no reason for me to resist The Quirky Bacon since the small hole in the wall is just located in San Juan, the most convenient location for me. I planned to visit on a Monday but according to Chef Sharwin, Monday is their rest day. So if you plan to take yourselves on a bacon trip, make sure you exclude Monday on your schedule for Quirky Bacon. Upon reading through their long and slim menu, I didn’t notice that little smirk on my face until I faced the mirror right in front of me. I wasn’t crazy smirking without any reason. Every dish name on Quirky Bacon’s menu has that appetizing and out of the ordinary descriptions. It took quite a while before finally deciding what to order. I wanted to get everything but I had to order what I could only finish by myself. Yup, unfortunately my foodie buddy O didn’t get to enjoy The Quirky Bacon with me.

Chef Sharwin Tee was at The Quirky Bacon to entertain and cook for me. He asked me if I eat Oatmeal. I immediately responded with a yes so he gladly suggested Garden of Good and Evil. From the name, you’ll know it’s a mixture of something deadly and healthy. The plate is risotto-style cheese oatmeal topped with caramelized spam and pickled red onions. According to Sharwin, this is the only oatmeal he eats.

My first plate showcased how The Quirky Bacon plays with ingredients out of the chef’s quirky mind. For those who despise the boring taste of plain old oatmeal, this is one proof that oatmeal can be made more fun with caramelized spam and cheesy flavor.

What do you think of this combination? The description itself entices me to extend my budget for an ordinary beef burger. It’s obviously more expensive than usual burgers. Every ingredient is well thought of, piled up creatively and beautifully.

You can choose to ‘baconate’ your burger by adding either Artisan Smoked Bacon or Applewood Smoked Bacon for Php 125.

 Even though Sharwin is trained in Vancouver Canada, his patriotic character shows through his restaurant. He uses locally sourced ingredients just like his Kitayama beef burger patty and artisan bacon. It’s a challenge to source products locally because on the business side, it’s more expensive. Challenging but Sharwin believes that using local ingredients wouldn’t only help our country but the taste of his unique creations.

Out of the dishes I tasted from Chef Sharwin’s kitchen, Pork Panalo sounds like the winner. The name speaks for itself I guess. Signature Calumpit longganisa-stuffed pork tenderloin wrapped in artisan bacon served with guava labuyo sauce glaze. A touch of saltiness from the longganisa and sweetness from the glaze of guava labuyo sauce teamed up together for a stunning attraction at Quirky Bacon.

All main dishes or what they call “main events” are served with vegetable of the day and your choice of fresh cut potato fries, star mash, root chip medley, steamed rice, bacon java rice or drop dead fried rice. I suggest, you order Drop Dead Fried Rice for any of your main events.

A few seats could be accommodated in the humble bacon room. More or less, 30 people can fit the minimalist room of The Quirky Bacon. Just imagine how weekends will look like. It may take a little longer for your food to arrive if you visit with a bulky crowd. I suggest you extend your patience if you want to experience Chef Sharwin’s cooking and bacon that you don’t just grab from the grocery stores.

Thank you Chef Sharwin for taking me to your quirky sanctuary. You chose the right location for The Quirky Bacon, a place near me! 🙂

Be quick and take a trip to The Quirky Bacon for the love of bacon!

Cheers,

Location: 192 Wilson St., Little Baguio, San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines

Operating Hours: 11:00am-10:00pm (Tuesday-Sunday)

Contact: (+632) 570-2494

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qbresto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/QuirkyBacon

Instagram: @quirkybacon

Budget: PHP350++

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