La Chinesca: One of My Favorite Taquerias in Metro Manila (It Recently Opened its Flagship Branch in BGC, Taguig City)

It’s hard to find a good taqueria in Metro Manila. My favorite, the Mexican-headed Lo de Alberto, closed down a few years ago. And my other favorite, Cochi Loco, closed its branch in SM Aura (though it’s still available on Saturdays at the Salcedo Community Market in Makati City).

But I’m happy that one of my favorites (how many favorites do I have? LOL) is still around and has even opened its latest branch in Bonifacio Global City or BGC (Taguig City). That taqueria is La Chinesca.

La Chinesca is the brainchild of Chef Bruce Ricketts, the martial artist-turned-chef behind the Japanese concepts Mecha Uma, Ooma, and Sensei Sushi. It first opened in BF Homes in Parañaque City (sharing the space with Sensei Sushi) then in The Grid Food Market in Power Plant Mall (Rockwell Center, Makati City).

It finally opened its flagship store in BGC by mid-December 2024. The interior has a modern look with vintage diner vibes.

Because La Chinesca BGC is a standalone store, it has more space to display cool items and merch:

Don’t expect authentic or traditional Mexican food in La Chinesca. Because even though Chef Bruce lived in California (which is near Mexico), he still makes his own interpretation of Mexican flavors. But I love that fact that he doesn’t go too far, staying true to Mexican flavors.

Here are the tacos I’ve tried so far in La Chinesca (I hope I got the photos right):

Beef Tostada: This has flavorful, stringy beef shoulder with creamy, tangy XO crema sauce and crisp cabbage. It also has pickled onion whose acidity cuts through.

Carnitas Taco: This has tasty achiote pork confit and sweet (almost caramellly) roasted pineapple. Good thing that there’s lime and pickled onions to counter the sweetness.

Chicharrón Taco: This taco has crispy pork and chicharrón (deep-fried pig skin), which are both crunchy and tasty. It’s like sisig on a tortilla!

Huachinango Taco: The fish has crisp batter, covered with tangy XO crema sauce and fresh cabbage.

Pulpo Tostada: This has pulpo or octopus, which tastes like the sea. It also has a nice citrus taste.

Quesabirria Taco: It has juicy, slow-cooked beef and stretchy mozzarella cheese. It’s great to be dipped in the flavorful guajillo broth.

Tuna Tostada: The tuna is fresh, the peanuts add nuttiness, and the flavor is bright.

After all these years, La Chinesca still makes good tacos. I hope that the quality stays the same in the coming years. I highly recommend it to you!

For La Chinesca branches and operating hours, check out their Facebook and Instagram accounts, as well as their Website