Tony’s Restaurant: A Chinese Carinderia (Eatery) in Grace Park, Caloocan City (One of the Best Eateries I’ve Tried in Metro Manila!)
I’m always on the search for the best carinderias (eateries) in Metro Manila and beyond. To the uninitiated, carinderias are typically open-air eateries that employ a turo-turo (literally “point point”) system where you point to a dish to order. And I think I’ve recently found one of the best carinderias in the Metro—Tony’s Restaurant.
Established in 1960, Tony’s Restaurant is a Chinese carinderia located in Grace Park, Caloocan City. It’s not common to find a Chinese carinderia in the Metro and even in the entire country. So when I learned about Tony’s, I set my sight to visiting it.
Tony’s Restaurant both serves Chinese and Filipino dishes. A staff told me that they don’t go below thirty dishes per day. Here’s what I tried so far:
Adobong Balunan (Gizzard Adobo): It has a nice adobo flavor, with a slight kick from the green chilies. The gizzards are soft and probably the softest I’ve ever had.
Beef Sate: This is not the skewered dish that we usually know of. Rather, it’s a soy sauce-based dish with satay or sate flavors.
It’s my first time to try this dish, and it’s really like an adobo but with sate flavors. Tony’s version has tender brisket.
Gokong: This is a Chinese herbal soup meant to boost your energy and strengthen your immune system.
Tony’s version has a light, soy sauce-based broth. It also has chicken and pata (pork leg), though it’s on the plain side. But I like the slices of pig stomach, which is tasty.
Kiampong: This is like a Chinese paella, made with glutinous rice cooked with Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, and proteins (chicken or pork).
Tony’s version is sticky, a bit on the sweet side, and has a nice aroma.
Kinilaw na Talaba (Oyster Ceviche): This is one of the best dishes I’ve had a Tony’s Restaurant. The oysters are fresh, the vinegar is rightly acidic, and the chilies add a nice kick. Where can you find a carinderia in the Metro serving this?!
Nilagang Tadyang (Beef Ribs Soup): This has a simple yet tasty broth, with plump and bouncy fish balls. But the beef ribs, which is supposedly the main ingredient, could be more tender.
Sitsaro Guisado (Sautéed Snow Peas): The snow peas are crisp. But what surprised me are the creamy liver and sweet Chinese sausage. This is another of my favorite dishes in Tony’s Restaurant.
Tokwa Guisado (Sautéed Tofu): Its tofu is soft, the celery and onions are crisp, and the sauce is tasty. I like the play of flavors and textures!
Tony’s Restaurant is one of the best carinderias I have ever tried in my life. While some dishes have room for improvements, the dishes are overall delicious. Also, many of their dishes are uncommon for a carinderia, making your visit to Caloocan City worth your time and drive. This will definitely in my Top 5 food spots for 2024! Needless to say, I highly recommend Tony’s Restaurant to you!
Address: 8th Ave., Grace Park East, Caloocan City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating House: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-8PM | Contact No.: 0905-2307784 | Facebook