Editor's Picks: 9 Dangerously Addicting Breakfast Tapas To Indulge In Right Now
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Is there anything more beguiling, more mouthwatering and irresistible than a plateful of beautifully-cooked tapa? That gorgeous oily sheen, the wonderful crispness, the unforgettable salty-sweet flavor that brings you back to the happy days of childhood when lola used to serve her homemade tapa from the old family recipe. Tapa is the ultimate Filipino comfort food.
Tapa is usually made of thinly-sliced bits of beef that are dried or cured with salt and spices — at its simplest, it can be seasoned with just soy sauce and calamansi. There are many variations of tapa, running the gamut from salty to sweet, from crisp to tender, but they are all quite addicting. Check out our nine favorites in the gallery below.
Our Favorite Beef Tapas
Our Favorite Beef Tapas
1. Azucar y Sal's Life Changing Tapa
So good that it’s often sold out within a few hours, Azucar y Sal’s Life-Changing Tapa certainly lives up to its name. Made in small batches using sirloin beef, following a traditional recipe with no extenders and additives, it’s heartwarming taste will remind you of the homemade tapa that your lola used to make. To order, send a DM to @azucarysalmnl on Instagram.
Photo Credit: @azucarysalmnl
2. Carneceria's Angus Beef Tapa
“Life is tough, darling, but not our tapa,” writes the owner of Carneceria — and it’s true. The juicy, tender tapa is made with sweet Angus beef and is so flavorful that it feels like eating steak. Nicely seasoned and on just the right side of tender, not crumbly, this is a buttery, addicting tapa. Serve with sunny side eggs, sliced tomatoes and lots and lots of rice. To order, send a message to @carneceria.ph on FB or IG, or (0917) 758-0588.
Photo Credit: @carneceria.ph
3. Gastronomo Deli's Tapa
A lot leaner than the other tapas on this list, Gastronomo Deli’s tapa is more garlicky than sweet, and when cooked will have nicely caramelized edges. It’s so well seasoned that every bite will yield a happy explosion of flavor with. Order through @gastronomomeats on IG, (0977) 356-9032, or email gastronomodelicatessen@gmail.com
Photo Credit: @gastronomomeats
4. Marc's Premium Beef Tapa from Good Vibes Home Kitchen
One of the happy outcomes of quarantine is how it’s encouraged home cooks to share their beloved family specialties to the world. Food writer Chinkee Koppe is one of these. Marc’s Premium Beef Tapa is a family favorite that follows her brother-in-law’s recipe. It’s made with US beef in equal parts fat and lean meat to get a balance of tenderness and flavor. It's made in small batches only to ensure quality and freshness. Order from @goodvibeshomekitchen on IG, (0917) 537-9474.
Photo Credit: @goodvibeshomekitchen
5. Original Angus Beef Tapa by JAM Foods
This tapa is a legend among people-in-the-know. The brainchild of chefs Michelle and John Cu-Unjieng, it’s made with USDA Angus beef and is so flavorful and tender that you don’t need to add oil when cooking it. Just heat in a nonstick pan. Serve it simply with hot rice and some chili garlic which, by the way, you can also order from JAM Foods at P120 per bottle. To order, send a message to @jamfoods on IG, Viber (0917) 533-1371, (0945) 638-4221, or email jam.foods.and.co@gmail.com
Photo Credit: @jamfoods
6. Oscar's Crispy Dried Beef Tapa
This addicting version of tapa is made using lean beef from free-range cattle whose meat is very low in fatty tissues. The fresh, lean meat is lightly seasoned with rock salt, then processed following an old fashioned recipe that produces this crackly-crisp tapa almost reminiscent of bacon. You absolutely need to try this. Order from @oscarsdriedbeeftapa on IG
Photo Credit: @abi.golucky
7. Kitayama Meat Shop's Wagyu Beef Tapa
You’ll be proud of the local origins of this premium quality tapa. It’s made of local Wagyu, from cattle raised in Mount Kitanglad in Bukidnon, whose meat is hormone and enhancer-free, and raised for a strict 600 days with no shortcuts. The result is this excellent, well nuanced tapa. Order from @kitayamameatshop or Viber (0917) 889-9635.
Photo Credit: @kitayamameatshop
8. Tapaddiction's US Angus Beef Tapa
This award-winning premium beef tapa is made with the best quality USDA premium beef, and exemplifies traditional homemade tapa with its balance of salty-sweet. It’s absolutely delicious, which is no surprise because its maker is no other than Honeylyn Bonogua-Agulto, the lady behind Mom’s Breaktime. She’s such a good cook that her adobo was the Grand Prize Winner in Food Magazine’s The Great Adobo Cookoff back in 2013. Her tapa is just as impressive. Order from @tapaddictionbym on IG.
Photo Credit: @tapaddictionbym
9. Urban Meat's Angus Tapa
An indulgent, well-seasoned tapa that has good salty-sweet balance. Serve with lots of hot rice, or in a sandwich. Order from @urbanmeat.ph
Photo Credit: @urbanmeat.ph
Lead photo: @carneceria.ph, @azucarysalmnl, @gastronomomeats, @oscarsdriedbeeftapa, @urbanmeat.ph, @goodvibeshomekitchen, @jamfoods
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