Chef Tatung takes diners on a culinary trip around the country with Lore 2
Some of the a la carte offerings at Lore, chef Myke Tatung's regional Filipino restaurant at BGC
Food & Drink

Chef Tatung takes diners on a culinary trip around the country with Lore

Late last year, Chef Myke Tatung partnered with the Vikings group to open Lore, which features Filipino regional cuisine that adheres to original flavors.
Jeeves de Veyra | Apr 03 2024

If there’s one thing Chef Myke Tatung is good at, it’s telling compelling stories alongside his food.

Late last year, the multi-awarded social media star-celebrity author-entrepreneur-publisher-chef partnered with the Vikings group to open Lore, which features Filipino regional cuisine that adheres to original flavors.

Tatung notes that many of our dishes are interesting as they are without the need to go fusion.

“In the past, we would define comfort food as food cooked at home. The younger generation would define comfort food as flavors from favorite restaurants they grew up with,” he said.

In its first incarnation, Lore was critically praised for its tasting menu. Tatung curated sets of 4, 6, or even 10 dishes paired with wine that showed off the depth and breadth of his Filipino repertoire. If the chef was around, he’d even go around regaling lucky diners with stories and anecdotes behind the food and wine. It was somewhat like the chef’s private dining concept hidden up in the hills of Rizal, but without the need to spend half a day navigating through the back roads of Antipolo and Boso-Boso.

Chef Myke Tatung at his BGC restaurant Lore
Chef Myke Tatung at his BGC restaurant Lore

However, a degustation concept was not sustainable for a 100-seater restaurant where they were required to be open during mall hours. And thus, Lore has added a la carte offerings for all-day dining. These entrees have the same care and quality the Lore team adheres to when preparing the tasting menus. Some of the dishes even have seldom seen ingredients sourced by Tatung and his team from small batch producers. The big difference is the serving size where the a la carte platters are family size for sharing.

While the a la carte menu is rather extensive and does have representative dishes from every Philippine region, Tatung selected entrées that would make cohesive meals and still go together.

For those who haven't experienced the degustacion, fear not as the a la carte and tasting menu offers can co-exist as the restaurant can be portioned off into sections. Thus, those who opt for the more refined multi-course meal can enjoy their privacy separate from the possibly more animated diners ordering the a la carte dishes.

In one afternoon, Tatung brought us on a culinary trip around the archipelago with a taste of Lore's a la carte menu.

 Start with some of the crispiest okoy in the city. Take a bite and then try it with tuba vinegar and green tomato salsa hiding underneath.
 Start with some of the crispiest okoy in the city. Take a bite and then try it with tuba vinegar and green tomato salsa hiding underneath.
Tatung sticks to the traditional lumpia ubod recipe but dresses this up with a pandan wrapper for some added sweetness.
Tatung sticks to the traditional lumpia ubod recipe but dresses this up with a pandan wrapper for some added sweetness.
This ensalada is already a meal in itself with greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and soft shell crabs tossed in the vinegary calamansi dressing.
This ensalada is already a meal in itself with greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and soft shell crabs tossed in the vinegary calamansi dressing.
Sinuglaw is one of my favorites and this sinugba (grilled pork) and kinilaw (ceviche) soaked in creamy vinegar did not disappoint. I cut up a little of that siling labuyo to add some heat to my portion.
Sinuglaw is one of my favorites and this sinugba (grilled pork) and kinilaw (ceviche) soaked in creamy vinegar did not disappoint. I cut up a little of that siling labuyo to add some heat to my portion.
If you love dinuguan, the pinuneg is Lore’s version of this Igorot blood sausage from the Cordilleras.
If you love dinuguan, the pinuneg is Lore’s version of this Igorot blood sausage from the Cordilleras.
Tatung was particularly proud of his Balbacua de Davao, a rich oxtail and tendon stew popular in the Visayas. I really felt the collagen in every spoonful of this.
Tatung was particularly proud of his Balbacua de Davao, a rich oxtail and tendon stew popular in the Visayas. I really felt the collagen in every spoonful of this.
Lore gets the noodles for its Pancit Habhab from the original maker in Quezon. This was a winner with the crisp and crunchy pork mixed in heavy vegetable filled sauce that wasn’t overloaded with sayote as with other versions of this dish.
Lore gets the noodles for its Pancit Habhab from the original maker in Quezon. This was a winner with the crisp and crunchy pork mixed in heavy vegetable filled sauce that wasn’t overloaded with sayote as with other versions of this dish.
Way before the internet, Tatung’s piangang put one of his previous restaurants on the Metro Manila foodie radar. This version of the Tausug favorite is generously coated with that thick burnt coconut sauce that becomes even better with a bit of atchara to cut through the richness.
Way before the internet, Tatung’s piangang put one of his previous restaurants on the Metro Manila foodie radar. This version of the Tausug favorite is generously coated with that thick burnt coconut sauce that becomes even better with a bit of atchara to cut through the richness.
Speaking of throwbacks, Tatung’s Fried Rice with lemongrass, chicken and shrimp is an original recipe that was in his first restaurant’s menu. Filling on its own, it pairs very well with everything he served.
Speaking of throwbacks, Tatung’s Fried Rice with lemongrass, chicken and shrimp is an original recipe that was in his first restaurant’s menu. Filling on its own, it pairs very well with everything he served.
Lore’s always available twice-cooked cochinilio was a way for Tatung to flex Lore’s kitchen saying they’ll always have ample stock of pigs to prep this on demand for lechon lovers. The pig is roasted to get that tender juicy meat inside and deep fried to get that crispy skin. The standard serving is half a pig, and for those who like their liver, you’ll love the sauce on this one as it’s extra liver-y.
Lore’s always available twice-cooked cochinilio was a way for Tatung to flex Lore’s kitchen saying they’ll always have ample stock of pigs to prep this on demand for lechon lovers. The pig is roasted to get that tender juicy meat inside and deep fried to get that crispy skin. The standard serving is half a pig, and for those who like their liver, you’ll love the sauce on this one as it’s extra liver-y.
On to desserts. The inutak comes with ube halaya, flowers, and thick salted egg cream as a nod to Pateros where this dessert originated from.
On to desserts. The inutak comes with ube halaya, flowers, and thick salted egg cream as a nod to Pateros where this dessert originated from.
Tatung jokingly called this “sosyal na turon.” This was a deconstructed version of the dessert crisp multilayer flaky pastry that should be broken up then recombined with the banana mousse, langka rum puree and in-house sesame seed ice cream.
Tatung jokingly called this “sosyal na turon.” This was a deconstructed version of the dessert crisp multilayer flaky pastry that should be broken up then recombined with the banana mousse, langka rum puree and in-house sesame seed ice cream.

 
Lore by Chef Tatung can be found at third floor of One Bonifacio High Street Mall, BGC, Taguig and is open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Photos by Jeeves de Veyra