JT’s Manukan: The Best Inasal in Manila

I’m not a big fan of the Inasal Craze in Manila.  It started a while back and I’ve never understood what made it so good.  It seems simple enough.  If you try and Google “Chicken Inasal,” it’s supposed to be this blend of ingredients that should make one hell of a grilled chicken.

But leave it up to the fast food establishments to really fuck it up.  I keep forgetting the name of that inasal place¹, but the first time I tried it: YUCK!  Whenever I get dragged into that place, I end up ordering sisig or starve myself while watching my former colleagues eat.  Thankfully, there is one place that serves good chicken inasal.  I’ve never been to Bacolod², but JT’s serves a mean grilled chicken.

First of all, the menu is pretty simple.  Just a bunch of chicken (and even pork) dishes, but it’s pretty much all the same — just some meat grilled properly.  I go for the Paa or the chicken leg and thigh.  You can pretty much pick the part you want depending on your taste and cheapness.  JT’s chicken is moist, juicy, and has that smokey grill flavor that you should expect from properly grilled meat… unless you try those other inasal places.

For the dipping sauce, it’s up to you as well.  It’s a combination of soy sauce, vinegar, calamansi, and chilis.

Rice is separately ordered and always go for the Garlic Rice.  If you’re too cheap to shell out that 5 extra bucks for the superior flavor, then props to you: You’re cheaper than I am.  They grizzle this with chicken oil, which is just heaven.  Might kill you faster, but so gooood.

What I really love about JT’s, though, are the nasty bits.  And they do these shit really well.

First, Atay or chicken liver.  Not a fan of the taste of liver in general, but this was OK.

The Corazon or chicken heart is just insanely good.  The first time I tried it, I ordered another set.

And I don’t have a photo, but  the Isol or chicken ass (P50.00 or $1.10)… Well, if you don’t like grilled chicken ass, then we can’t be friends.

I did try a bottled iced tea Allmytea, that I’ve never really heard of before.  A hint of dalandan and orange and it wasn’t too sweet — but I’m probably never going to order this again.  It wasn’t bad, but let’s just say it’s far from being good.  If you get addicted to this, you’re probably crazy.  You can probably tell if you lose most of your hair, if you stop growing, and if you start turning into a douchebag.  Or all of the above.  OK, I’m kidding… Sort of.

Overall, pretty good.  I mean, who doesn’t love good and simple grilled chicken?  I’m not even sure how you fuck this up — but there are more than a handful of places who do.  So props to Joel Torre³ for making the best inasal in Manila!

JT’s Manukan: The Best Inasal in Manila 2012-06-08

’m not a big fan of the Inasal Craze in Manila.  It started a while back and I’ve never understood what made it so good.  It seems simple enough.  If you try and Google “Chicken Inasal,” it’s supposed to be this blend of ingredients that should make one hell of a grilled chicken. But leave …