From a small town in Sorsogon, a Bicolana named Rosa Eco Dula is fond of cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. Her daughter Teresa would help out in the kitchen. Eventually Teresa got hooked also on cooking.
Teresa Dula-Laurel currently runs Cater King Food Corporation. This company is responsible for Goto King with 40 branches nationwide. This company is also responsible with the 2 branches of Mama Rosa. Mama Rosa was built on food experiments that Teresa learned from her mother and throughout her life.
I’d like to share with you my experience during my dine in Mama Rosa.
For appetiser, there is Kinilaw na Isda (P280). It is made with tuna chunks marinated in vinegar with chilies, onions and pepper. It is available in 3 variants: a) With green mango and coco cream, b) With salted duck’s egg, tomatoes and black beans, c) With cucumber, radish and kamias. My favorite is the one with coco cream. It is quite different and very original Mama Rosa style.
Then there is Mangga Aligue (P210). It is made of slivers of semi-ripe mangoes mixed with our Neptuna sauce (fish roe and crab fat). Then it is topped with crispy shrimps and fresh coriander. I truly enjoyed this one. For once, I did not look for bagoong with my green mango.
I also tried Mama Rosa’s Monggo (P140). It is a thick soup of mung beans sauteed in shrimps and smoked fish with bitter melon fruit and leaves, and eggplants, topped with chicharon. This is so delicious and my top favorite. I had to order it “to go” for later.
If monggo is not enough, ou can add Sinaing na Tulingan in Olive Oil (P160). It is slow-cooked tulingan (bullet tuna) in olive oil, dried kamias and capers garnished with olives and finger chilies. I=This is so healthy and yummy.
For the protein lovers, there is crispy tadyang (P380). It is made of beef ribs slow cooked until tender, air-dried and then deep-fried. Served with a balsamic vinaigrette infused with anchovy essence and kalamansi dipping sauce. You can’t go wrong with this.
Ginataang Sugpito Prawns (P420) simmered in coconut cream and our Neptuna sauce (fish roe and crab fat). Not so healthy but I’m allowed to have a cheat meal. This is really good too.
Sotanghong Puti (P280) is made of vermicelli noodles with smoked milkfish flakes and flavored with kalamansi and fish sauce topped with coriander and toasted garlic. This is a light dish but well made. While the Bagoong Rice (P180) is flavored with sauteed shrimp fry paste and topped with green mangoes, scrambled eggs, scallions and crispy fish roe. They also have Pistahan Rice (P225) . This is fried rice with smoked fish flakes, salted duck’s eggs, fresh chopped tomatoes and spring onions. This is truly a fiesta in one plate.
Desserts are simplier with Mama Rosa. They have saba’t kamote (P60), which is plantain and sweet potato cooked in a garlic infused syrup with a hint of pandan.
But ofcourse! Leche Flan (P85). It is made of Egg custard with caramelized sugar infused with limon de China. I like how there are holes in the leche flan. It reminds me of how my grandma used to make hers.
