Rocketman: Amazing Modern Mediterranean Food in Angeles City (Pampanga)

Earlier this week, we had the amazing opportunity to visit Bale Dutung in Angeles City (Pampanga). It’s a private dining space by Chef Claude Tayag, a Kapampangan chef, author, and one of the culinary giants of the country. It offers a degustation experience and is strictly by reservation. Read about my Bale Dutung experience here.

But before we went to Bale Dutung, we tried the newest concept of its namesake group, Rocketman. (And no, it has nothing to do with Elton John…I think! LOL.)

Rocketman is a modern Mediterranean concept that opened in September 2022. They serve Mediterranean-inspired rockets (it’s something like a wrap or burrito), bowls, and quarters (something like tacos).

It’s located in Nepo Quad 1, which is a strip of restaurants in downtown Angeles. It’s hard to miss it because of its black theme and red neon signage.

Let’s talk about the food, starting with their Signature Rockets and Bowls. We got the the Bordertown rocket, which is a 12” flour flat bread filled with chicken and beef, curried chickpeas, french fries, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and parsley served with garlic toum and spicy harissa.

I will say it right away: The Bordertown is amazing! The flat bread is soft, the beef is tender and fatty, the curried chickpeas add flavor and creaminess, the spicy harissa gives a kick, and the veggies are crisp!

For the signature bowl, we tried the Moussaka (Greek eggplant casserole). Rocketman’s version is like a modern, deconstructed of the dish, and it has lamb, french fries, spiced tomato stew, fried eggplant, and parmesan cheese.

The lamb is tasty and tender, and the veggies are crisp. Make sure to make a lamb-moussaka taco using the flatbread and squeeze some lime in it. It’s heavenly!

You can also customize your food at Rocketman. You can choose the style (rockets, bowls, or quarters), protein, base (only for rockets and bowls), sauces (at least one), and add-ons. We tried customizing their quarters with falafels, bell peppers, peanut tahini, and pickled mango.

The Menu of Rocketman and the Customization Options

The falafels were a bit of a letdown. While it tastes good, it’s gloopy and lack a crisp exterior. I had better ones in the Metro.

Last dish we had was the Dips and Chips, which comes with crispy fried flatbread, warm flatbread, and three dips of our choice. The fried flatbread has a nice crunch, while the warm ones is on the dry side.

Counterclockwise starting from the top: Fiery Fieta, Curried Chickpeas, and Hummus

But before I end this article, I want to talk quickly about their sauces and add-ons, which for me is the “lifeblood” of their food:

Curried Chickpeas: Creamy and has a nice curry flavor. I never thought that chickpeas and curry can go together! This is easily my favorite of all the add-ons!
Fiery Feta: A bit spicy and has a nice fermented taste from the feta.
Garlic Toum: Creamy, garlicky, and with a bit of tang.
Hummus: Creamy and has a nice olive oil flavor. I also like that there are bits of chickepeas.
Peanut Tahini: The spiciest of all sauces we tried; it’s creamy, earthy, and peanutty.
Pickled Mango: It’s like mango in liquified form. It’s sweet and slightly acidic, cutting through any fat that’s served with it (like the fatty beef of Bordertown).

Rocketman makes amazing Mediterranean-inspired food. Even though there are a few improvements to be made, all the dishes are delicious. Plus, the servings were huge and one dish could be good for 2 persons. Chef Nico Baylon, the man behind Rocketman, clarified that they intentionally portioned their dishes American-style. Good job, Chef Nico!

There’s only one “issue” I have and that’s the lack of airconditioning. So if you’re at Rocketman by lunchtime, you might sweat a lot. But I heard that they’re moving to a new location soon. And this time, it’s airconditioned!

Anyway, I highly recommend Rocketman to you!

P.S. Last year, my wife and I got to try Pineapple Coast, a taqueria by Chef Nico. We loved their tacos so much that we’d always drop by there whenever we’re in the city. You can read my review here.

P.P.S. And don’t forget to read about my Bale Dutung here.

Address: Nepo Quad 1, Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines | Operating Hours: Please check their social media pages because they might already be close for the relocation | Contact No.: 0998-9122197 | Facebook | Instagram