In my review of Mien San Noodle House, I mentioned how food is more than just a gastronomical experience for me. It brings up a lot of emotions and memories too. El Pollo Loco is one of those places that I would call ‘my childhood’ – my family and I would eat here after Sunday mass and it felt like a reward for sitting still for so long haha.
I still remember its old location in SM Megamall. The shiny seats and tables that were common in fast food restaurants. The noisy chaos of the dinner crowd. The gross smell of just-mopped floor that didn’t dry properly. The soap at the wash area that never felt like soap because my hands were always still oily after washing. I’m not making it sound particularly enticing but that’s just how much we liked the food – we still went, regardless.
Now, the new El Pollo Loco is smaller but homier. The chairs and tables are wooden and give a warmer feel. The area isn’t enclosed but is somehow quieter than before. But the food is just how I remember it – filling and relatively affordable.
The flame-grilled chicken is quite good on its own, especially that addicting crispy skin! But it pairs exceptionally well with the salsa, which is what sets El Pollo Loco apart from other commercial chicken restaurants. You can choose between a mild salsa and a spicy salsa, or even mix the two together for just a slight kick if you can’t take too much heat.
Look at how juicy the meat is. I wouldn’t blame you if you couldn’t stop yourself from just eating the chicken. But you can also eat it Filipino-style – with rice! They offer a tasty yellow ‘Spanish rice’ that goes great with the chicken.
Personally, I like wrapping it in their tortilla. It takes a bit more time to prepare but it’s worth it. I shred some of the chicken (make sure to include bits of the crispy skin!), place them in the middle of a tortilla, top with spicy salsa, then wrap it up. Simple but so satisfying.
If you want a more filling meal, you can put the Spanish rice inside too, like a burrito. As you can see, I loooove putting a lot of salsa because I really enjoy the fresh taste of the tomatoes, but it’s definitely up to you.
Admittedly, there have been one or two times that the chicken was a little too salty. But El Pollo Loco remains one of my favorite go-to no-frills comfort food restaurants.
You can get the chicken a la carte at 2 pieces for Php185 and 4 pieces for Php360. To include rice or tortillas, it would be Php220 for 2 pieces and Php405 for 4 pieces, with higher prices if you want other side dishes instead of rice. They also offer 8-piece and 12-piece sets for big groups (or just very hungry people).
El Pollo Loco is located in:
- Upper Ground floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
And I really don’t understand why there aren’t more branches.
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