From its humble beginnings in the streets of Valencia, Bacolod over 20 years ago, to its thriving 38 branches across the Philippines today, JT’s Manukan Grille just recently opened a Singapore branch at the Asian Food Mall of Lucky Plaza, marking restaurant chain’s first venture in Southeast Asia.
Owned by veteran actor and film producer Joel Torre and his wife Cristy Azcona-Torre, JT’s Manukan Grille’s menu consists of classic dishes from the city of Bacolod. Known for their flavorful and delicious food, Bacolod is one of the Philippines’ food hubs with its own unique takes on mouthwatering Filipino recipes like their signature chicken inasal or grilled chicken, kinilaw or raw marinated seafood, and batchoy or hearty pork soup. Bacoleños also have their unique soup dish cansi, which consists of a sour soup typically made with tender beef shanks, unripe jackfruit, batwan, and chilis with annatto seeds for color and extra flavor.
It is within this tradition of Bacoleño cuisine that JT’s Manukan Grille takes its inspiration. The restaurant’s main staple is, of course, the Bacolod chicken inasal. It’s the perfect blend of the garlicky, tangy, sour, and sweet taste that has been perfected by Bacoleños for decades. In fact, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has recently recognized the chicken inasal as a cultural property of Bacolod following its 4th Chicken Inasal Festival held last May 2024.
JT’S Manukan Grille’s chicken inasal served with a cup of rice and sides of kalamansi and hot pepper.
JT’S Manukan Grille’s pork batchoy (left) and cansi (right) served with a cup of rice.
The restaurant also features classic dishes like the aforementioned batchoy noodles and cansi soup, which originate from Bacolod’s neighboring city of Iloilo and have been part of the region’s culinary history as early as the 1900s. They also serve a variety of sides like adobong kangkong, a humble vegetarian version of the country’s famous adobo recipe with water spinach as the main star; apan-apan, its Ilonggo counterpart which features the same ingredients, but served with crispy pork belly and bagoong or shrimp paste; and atsara, a sweet and sour pickled papaya that is a staple side dish for anything grilled or fried. And in true Filipino fashion, one of their main dessert options is the leche flan made from custard (flan) milk (leche), which traces its roots from Spaniards bringing the dish over to the Philippines under their colonial rule.
Sides and desserts from JT’s Manukan Grille’s Facebook page.
JT’s Manukan Grille is on a mission to bring a taste of home to Filipinos abroad. In 2019, JT’s Manukan Grille reached the shores of Guam, only to be hit by the unfortunate circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic a year later. However, this new expansion in Singapore presents a new opportunity for the restaurant to penetrate new markets and share Filipino cuisine to a wider audience.
“This is a great leap forward for our brand. We are excited to be bringing the humble Chicken Inasal and share our love for Filipino food, to the global food hub of Southeast Asia,” said Joel Torre in a statement.
From the City of Smiles to the Lion City, JT’s Manukan Grille is only one of the few restaurants or food stalls in Singapore that represent Filipino cuisine despite more than 200,000 expats living in the island country. With its recent expansion, it not only opens up opportunities for the brand but also marks a leap forward to establish Filipino cuisine in the saturated Asian food market of Singapore and to ensure we our culinary traditions are properly represented.
JT’s Manukan Grille’s menu from its official Facebook page.
JT’s Manukan Grille’s Bacoleño dishes are available for Filipinos craving a taste of home and for Singaporeans ready to explore the rich taste of Philippine cuisine. For more information, visit www.jtsmanukangrille.com.
What is your favorite dish from Bacolod? Let us know in the comment section below!