Kuya J's Pochero Bulalo Tagalog - A sumptuous food discovery

I love Bulalo ever since my bout with pneumonia years ago. My husband brought some of this steaming broth when I was recovering at home. It made me feel stronger and recover faster or maybe it’s just on my mind. Anyway, that time I was glad I was eating something tasty and healthy and not hospital food besides who doesn’t love a good beef bone marrow with all its glutinous goodness. On the other hand, totally opposite from the clear broth of the Bulalo is my other favorite, the rich Pochero. I like it due to sentimental reasons. It was my favorite dish among the other dishes my Lola cooked. I can still remember its simmering thick red orange soup filled with tender meat and sweet saba and beans on top of warm rice. Having Pochero is a taste of my past and of good memories of childhood.

So when I saw a fusion of Bulalo and Pochero in Kuya J’s, it really caught my attention. But I didn’t order it right away because I was little hesitant. I can’t imagine what that would taste like since I have tried a lot of fusion cuisine fails already. But I was curious so I ordered it the next time I went there and I’m glad I did because it did not disappoint. It was a hearty beef stew that contained camote and saba slices, corn and some greens and of course, the awaited bone marrow. It was sumptuous and filling and you can’t seem to just order one cup of rice.

I have ordered this dish twice already. The second time I ordered it, the soup seemed thinner than the first time but still the flavors are the same. But I’d like the thicker version more because the flavors seemed more suffused and decadent. But though the second one was less concentrated, I still enjoyed it with me ordering another cup of rice.

If there was one thing that stood out for me on this dish, it was the depth of its flavors. Maybe because it was slow cooked and the flavors of the saba and the flavors of the meat were steeped well into the soup. It had a hint of tanginess maybe from a little tomato sauce and a hint of sweetness from the saba that added more flavor to it. But aside from its complex flavor profile, the dish also offered a variety of vegetables like fried camote slices, pechay and some corn that gave balance to the hearty flavors. It really was an integration of the Bulalo and Pochero. Their beef was also tender which I liked but the one thing that I looked forward to was the smooth and delicate bone marrow bits lifted inside the bone which has its own flavor that is subtle and almost indescribable. I can’t find an apt description for it other than it tasted like bliss in your tongue and you just want to hoard it all for yourself. You try to eat it sparingly so it can last through the meal. But alas, everything has an ending and the last bite is something you savor and you just tell yourself I will try this dish again.

It's been awhile since I found a dish I enjoyed and this is one of them. But more than the Pocherong Bulalo, I also enjoyed Kuya J’s regular Bulalo, Tortang talong and Fresh lumpia. My son meanwhile likes their roasted chicken.  When I come back, I think I will order this dish again to reminisce the memory of my Lola’s Pochero and at the same time savor the decadence of a good bone marrow to enjoy with friends and family.