(image source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Facebook)
The ever-popular meal of Mang Inasal, Chicken Inasal.
Good day everyone! Another month has turned and to welcome the month with luck and positivity, I am writing another blog. I guess it's the best way to open the month for me here on bitLanders. (Hehe!)
This month is apparently a busy month for me as well. Our little business is currently having some security issues and I decided to monitor it closely everyday. Aside from that, one of my favorite bands announced an Asia tour on 2018 and my country is included on the countries they are visiting. My inner fan girl is celebrating right now! Help! Hopefully I could attend the concert next year. Please wish me luck! (Haha!)
Despite these things going on, I know my bitLanders life shouldn't be neglected so here I am welcoming the month right by writing. My previous blog post is about a food close during my childhood, Plato Wraps. This time, I am writing about a fast food chain that is very Filipino at heart, Mang Inasal!
The Journey to Success
(image source: Manginasal.com)
Inside a Mang Inasal outlet.
Mang Inasal is a fast food chain that caters Filipino food from barbecues to desserts. Mang Inasal is a Filipino word for "Mister Barbecue" as it is best-known for its barbecue meals. This all-Filipino fast food chain had its humble beginnings last 2003 at the province of Iloilo, a province in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.
Gaining a positive feedback from their customers, Mang Inasal was able to expand its business and later on opened branches across different provinces of Visayas; reaching even the southern region of the country—Mindanao. After three successful years, Mang Inasal was finally introduced at the country's capital, Manila. It was a real gamble introducing a new fast food in Manila for the founder, Edgar Sia II. And just like how it fared in the Visayas and Mindanao region, people from Luzon openly embraced the new taste of Mang Inasal, and the rest is history. Today, Mang Inasal is now on par with the mainstream fast food chains in the Philippines with hundreds of outlets across the country and has already gained the trust of consumers.
The immediate success of Mang Inasal has been an inspiration to everyone especially for the entrepreneurs because did you know, Edgar Sia was an Architecture dropout who chose to venture in the fast food business. I guess this decision of Sia was one of the greatest decisions he has made. It even caught the attention of Jollibee Foods Corporation, a huge fast food chain company in the Philippines, and bought 70% of Mang Inasal last 2010 for Php 3 Billion (approximately USD 58.3 Million.) Thus, making Sia a billionaire and also the youngest billionaire in the country. The remaining 30% was then bought last 2016. So as of today, the Jollibee Foods Corporation is now in full control of Mang Inasal.
The Chicken Inasal
(image source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Facebook)
The most-loved Chicken Inasal!
Let's go to the most-awaited part of this blog—the foods! Of course, what makes Mang Inasal so successful?
Each fast food chain is known for their own specialty like burgers and fries for McDonalds while fried chicken for Jollibee and KFC. For Mang Inasal, they are known for their chicken inasal. The chicken inasal is a chicken barbecue where the meat is marinated in a special concoction and skewered in a bamboo stick and grilled. Then served on a plate topped with a banana leaf. The banana leaf gives off a very Filipino vibe to each customer although in my observation, they no longer use banana leaf nowadays. It's just a bare plate now.
(video source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Youtube)
Chicken Inasal endorsed by Philippine actress, Angel Locsin.
"Inasal" is an Ilonggo word for roasted meat. The chicken inasal is an original version of roasted chicken of the City of Bacolod and is a popular dish of the city. Here's a recipe of chicken inasal if you want to try making it at home.
One of the ingredients that makes chicken inasal distinct is the atsuete or annatto. The atsuete is mostly used as a food color because of its orange to red color an also gives an extra aroma to make the food smell more enticing. So that's why the grilled chicken in Mang Inasal is a little different in color than other grilled chicken I've seen. And it seems like Mang Inasal is fond of using atsuete. They also have chicken oil which contains atsuete. Read further to find out about the chicken oil.
(image source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Facebook)
Mang Inasal's bestseller.
Mang Inasal's chicken are Magnolia chicken so every customer will be guaranteed of great quality chicken.
Barbecue is a popular street food in the Philippines, no wonder why Filipinos easily patronized Mang Inasal's barbecue meals. The chicken inasal even gets sold out sometimes on a nearby branch making my brother settle for a pork sisig instead.
When you think the chicken inasal is the only craze in Mang Inasal, stay put because there is something greater that makes the heads of every Filipino turn twice...
Unlimited Rice Promo!
(image source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Facebook)
Rice is life!
Who would resist an unlimited offer, right? Mang Inasal knows their unlimited rice promo is an offer that is very difficult to resist when rice is a part of every Filipino's meal. Majority of the Filipinos would feel their meal is incomplete without rice. They don't feel full without it. I guess the saying, "Rice is life," is very true for Asians. Like someone is sad for only eating a hamburger for lunch so he can't wait to eat lots of rice with his favorite viand for dinner, and he knows exactly where to have that—on Mang Inasal, of course!
One can have an option of upgrading to unlimited rice or just a cup when ordering a meal. Meals with unlimited rice is a little more pricey, of course. Unlimited rice can be availed on their meals which has a "PM" code on their menu.
If you availed the unlimited rice, you can just ask for another cup to the waiter on patrol carrying a container filled with rice! An unlimited rice meal has a different color of plate (light brown) to be easily distinguished by the waiter. I tried this offer when I was in high school and I was only able to have two extra cups of rice. I guess that's my limit. (Haha) Just remember to get only the amount of rice you can eat because it is not good to waste food. Everybody knows that. Plus, some people in the government are encouraging Filipinos not to waste food, especially rice. I, myself, began to lessen the consumption of rice a few years ago. I remember a friend giving me weird looks for only eating lasagna for dinner. She even told it to my mom hoping that I would get reprimanded but little did she know, my mom is my "no rice" buddy.
Aside from the unlimited rice offer, you can also ask for a free soup just like those on the canteens. They mostly serve a Sinigang soup and it complements their meals well.
A Special Condiment
(image source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Facebook)
Chicken oil poured over the rice.
Another thing that keeps Mang Inasal's meals are its condiments. The Filipino favorite, vinegar and soy sauce, are present on each table so you can easily add it with the calamansi (calamondin) and chili pepper. However, people who go to Mang Inasal for the first time would surely get curious and confused with the third condiment that is yellowish to orange in color. They call it a chicken oil, but what is it for?
The chicken oil is made of (surprise!) chicken fats. It contains atsuete (annatto) to give an orange color, and other spices to enhance its aroma. If you are wondering how the chicken oil is made, here is a link how to make your very own chicken oil! So where do we use it? Chicken oil is used to add some aroma and taste to the rice. Perhaps, a sauce for the rice. Soy sauce and vinegar for the meat while chicken oil for the rice. Remember that. Pour it over the warm rice and mix it together so the oil gets distributed evenly on the rice.
They say chicken fat is okay and healthy, however, this does not mean you can consume it to your heart's desire. I believe too much of something is not good. Anyhow, the chicken oil is a popular condiment in Mang Inasal. (I am just a little worried if it can stain the teeth. Lol.)
Other Menus
(image source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Facebook)
Yummy Irresistible Pork Sisig!
Aside from their blockbuster chicken inasal, they also have other Filipino-favorite meals on their menu like the pork barbecue and sisig. They have a pork sisig and bangus (milkfish) sisig. The latter is my favorite.
Sisig meals in Mang Inasal are served on a hot metal plate. They’ll serve it to your table sizzling, making you excited to ingest it.
(video source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Youtube)
Enticing merienda foods endorsed by actress, Angel Locsin.
If you are not down for some heavy foods, no worries because they also have light meals and desserts on their menu. They’re great for an afternoon snack (merienda) or just any time of the day. And take note, they’re all Filipino food!
(image source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Facebook)
Lumpiang togue(left), Crema de leche halo-halo(right), halo-halo(up), and palabok(down.)
They serve palabok, lumpiang togue, and the irresistible leche flan. They also have cold Filipino desserts like crema de leche halo-halo, and the all-time favorite classic halo-halo. The crema de leche halo-halo is my least favorite because it tastes so sweet while my most favorite is the original halo-halo. For the drinks, they have a sago't gulaman aside from soda and iced tea.
(image source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Facebook)
The Philippines' best dessert, halo-halo!
Honestly, I like the halo-halo of Chowking better but what I love on Mang Inasal’s version is the barquillos. I love barquillos especially on halo-halo and it’s just a little disappointing Chowking doesn’t have that. So a plus point for Mang Inasal halo-halo!
They also have skrambol (ice scramble) on their menu before but they removed it. I didn’t like it anyway. My friend didn't even finished hers. Those skrambol sold on the streets were better, in my opinion. (Hehe)
The Largest Chicken Inasal Chain in the Country
(image source: Mang Inasal Philippines via Facebook)
Everyday is a Filipino feast on Mang Inasal!
Mang Inasal is a great choice when you want to take a break from the usual fried chicken, burger, fries, and spaghetti we can usually order on other fast food chains. The prices are also affordable ranging from a dollar to two.
Making a brand in the fast food business is challenging, knowing that there are many large and popular names that people already trust and patronize. So I give a thumbs up to Mang Inasal for making it big despite the tight competition and for bringing chicken inasal to every Filipino across the country. There are other fast food chains similar to Mang Inasal, but Mang Inasal remains to be the one.
Visit their official website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates!
Please take some time to participate on this survey chat about diet and healthy life style too!
Thanks for reading!
✧ Katsanslimites
