When I heard about the opening of J-Pares Grill and Restobar in Zone 8, Upper Puerto, Alae, Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines, I was thrilled to visit it not to mention that Pares has been so trending in the entire Philippines nowadays.
It opened last Sunday, which has been a visiting hour for me at my late sister’s grave. So after visiting and offering our time to her, we went directly to J-Pares Station. Perhaps they catered overload Pares with the crispy Lechon kawali, Chicharon bulaklak, and boiled egg, along with unlimited rice, unlimited soup, free soft drinks, and unlimited fried garlic.
The station was serving Beef Pares Overload. This is a Filipino dish made from braised beef stew and a bowl of soup. What even made this recipe so delicious was the presence of special ingredients such as lemon, fried garlic, pepper, onion chives, fried garlic, and chili, with a beef soup that is overloaded with Lechon kawali, boiled egg, and chicharon bulaklak.
I have been eating this recipe back then but now, I never thought that this has become trending in the entire Philippines. From Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, many roadside establishments have their brand and signature. But all I could say is that Beef Pares is a must-try.
J-Pares Grill and Restobar is just located by the highway so it would be easy to locate. Upon arriving there, I noticed the colorful balloons in shades of light green, black, and white along with the many customers lining up to take a dine-in.
In front of the station was a big pot of soup, a table of chopped Lechon kawali, chicharon bulaklak, condiments, and spices. There were also bowls of pares ready to be served for the incoming customers.
The display outside seemed so delicious even without tasting them. The crispy lechon kawali and chicharon bulaklak were so enticing. Before I entered, I watched the staff preparing the Pares. I have witnessed how they placed the ready-made ingredients in the bowl, overloaded with lechon kawali, chicharon bulaklak, boiled egg, and a variety of spices.
Although the restaurant has limited space in the dining area, it could cater to more customers since the outside portion had tables too for customers who wanted to stay outside. The inside background was painted with green hues and it was a nice place.
The extra spices on the table added palatability to my order. I enjoyed adding more fried garlic, lemon, pepper, onion chives, and more as I have eaten my Beef Pares with a disposable spoon. The bowl was covered with plastic so it would just be thrown after use, saving time in preparation.
I must say that the Beef Pares Overload was so delicious. Aside from the overloaded menu, I was delighted to see many old friends dining in and what surprised me the most was the owner and the staff of J-Pares. What caught my attention first was the delicious chops in front, but I was even more thrilled to know that one of the owners was my student back then and the staff were my students many years ago.
From left to right, at the side portion, it is one of my good students way back in 2016. Next to him is the co-owner, who was also my student way back in 2015, and next to me is the main owner, named Josh, as I have heard my students calling him.
They welcomed me with big smiles and I so loved the atmosphere of the station with the Kanto ambiance or a specialty of roadside diner restaurant yet so affordable and delicious food.
Perhaps I enjoyed dining in and it was fun going with the flow as I tried the latest trending food in my country. Beef Pares overload was so delicious and I went home with a happy heart.
Disclaimer: All texts and pictures are my own unless otherwise stated.
