Ka Inato: Palawan's #1 chicken is now in Manila!

Frankly, I haven't been to Palawan yet. But from friends, reviews and blog posts, I've found out that there's a chicken haven famous in the island. It's Ka Inato which serves their famous charcoal-grilled chicken. And now, it finally hits Metro Manila as it opened its first store at RMR Square just along Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City.
Ka-Inato Tandang Sora

Unlike the Ka Inato in Palawan which is more of a family casual-dining restaurant, the one in Tandang Sora is a fast food type of joint. But unlike most grilled chicken fast food restaurants in the metro, Ka Inato bears a more sophisticated interior with clean white walls and wooden furniture. I also really liked the paintings donning almost all sides of the restaurant. From what I know, these were made by an artist from Palawan.

Ka-Inato Tandang Sora Inside Ka-Inato Tandang Sora Quezon City

Now, since this Ka Inato branch is more of a fast food restaurant, most of the offerings come in sets good for one person. (The original Ka Inato offers dishes good for sharing.) However, they also offer some a la carte items for those like me who can't live without the extra viands or for those who'll be eating with a colleague, a friend or a loved one.

Ka-Inato Menu
Ka-Inato Prince Sarap Menu

And now, let me share what we got to try at Ka Inato.

Ka-Inato Chicken P98

For this trip, I opted to have the original Ka Inato Chicken (P98) which for me resembles the famous Bacolod-favorite inasal as it's also marinated and basked in atsuete oil, and grilled over charcoal. And of course, the perfect way to enjoy this skewered chicken goodness is by adding in chilimansi-soy sauce, atchara (pickled papaya) and rice.

Ka-Inato Chicken

I've already tried quite a lot of grilled chicken in my life, and I can definitely say this Ka Inato Chicken is one of the tastiest I've had! The skin was just so flavorful with a good harmony of sweet and savory. Even without adding in soy sauce or vinegar, it was highly enjoyable on its own. However, if I had to be nit-picky, I found the meat inside a little dry than I would've wanted. Nevertheless though, the skin undoubtedly made up for it.

Ka-Inato Hot and Spicy Chicken P103

My brave friend Stacy had the Ka-Inato Hot and Spicy Chicken (P103), a spicier yet still as savory variation of the original Ka Inato Chicken.

Ka-Inato Hot and Spicy Chicken

While I believe I have medium to high tolerance when it comes to spicy food, I can't deny that the spiciness level of this piece of grilled chicken exceeded my expectation. I was happy that my friend offered me a few slices to sample, but I was quite hesitant when she asked me to help her finish the chicken off. Like the original Ka Inato Chicken, this serving also has a nice sweet and savory flavor. However, the spiciness then kicks in, lingers and then stays in your mouth for quite a while. Definitely not for the faint-palated.

Kambak-Kambak P175

Aside from the chicken items, we also got to try the Kambak (P115) which my friend and I gladly shared. This dish is a fusion of kambing (mutton) and baka (beef) in a kaldereta-style preparation. While this is my first time to have tried this dish, I instantly fell in love with it. The meat pieces were all so tender and so succulent. The sauce on the other hand, was savory, a little nutty, and just oh-so-good. Seriously, I will kambak for this!

Leche Flan P28

To end our meal on a sweet note, we had a Leche Flan (P28) which is probably one of my most favorite local desserts. For the price, this small plate of Leche Flan is quite good. It's sweet and creamy which makes it the perfect meal ender to tickle the taste buds after savoring the Ka Inato Chicken and my new-found love, Kambak.

Now, I'm not sure if these dinner sets are still available. But when we visited back in February, we saw Ka Inato offering packages perfect for families and even for barkadas.

Untitled
Ka-InatKa-Inato Dinner Deskuwento A and Bo Dinner Deskuwento C and D

THE VERDICT

Even if I haven't been to Palawan yet, I'm glad that at least I got a taste of Ka Inato which is one of the island's pride. Although their concept here in Metro Manila isn't exactly like their restaurants in Palawan, I personally think the fast food approach is well-fit for the fast-paced lives of Metro Manileños. As for their food, I found Ka Inato's offerings very satisfactory, especially the notable Kambak. And with budget-friendly prices, Ka Inato is one affordable chicken place I'd gladly visit again soon.

Taste - 3.5/5
Ambiance - 3.5/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4.5/5
Overall Value - 4/5


Ka Inato, Tandang Sora
G/F RMR Square, Tandang Sora Ave., Brgy. Pasong Tamo,
(near Visayas Ave., behind Caltex & Robinson’s Supermarket)
Quezon City, Metro Manila
(02) 401-1990
Facebook Page

26 comments:

  1. and i thought the best chicken inato in palawan is the haim chicken inato in balay inato. hope ka inato will have a branch in the south of metro manila so we can try it too.

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  2. wow...affordable prices... must try...tnx for sharing

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  3. I want to sink my teeth into that leche flan! :)

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  4. *drool*

    We spent our honeymoon in Puerto Princesa and yes I do believe they serve among the best Filipino cuisine - not only seafood dishes.

    This was highly recommended to us but we were just too tired from Honda Bay island tour that we skipped.

    I am glad they have reached the capital. we will sure drop by next vacation.

    P.S. great yummy photos as always!

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  5. I'm not too fond of chicken but these look yummy! :D

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  6. i've tried haim chicken inato in Palawan last time.. I wonder which is better.. hehe :) Should give this a try :)

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  7. Wasn't able to try this when I went to Palawan. Should give this a visit soon! :)

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  8. Tried this when we were in Palawan before.... Sarap nga! :D Same hopes here - a branch in the South, or Makati at least? :)

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    1. Haha.. Let's hope Ka Inato opens more branches in Metro Manila :)

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  9. Oh that's sad that the chicken was a bit dry. I think that happens usually when you grill meat.

    xoxo
    MrsMartinez

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    1. Yup, it wasn't super dry naman so the flavorful skin easily made up for it ^^

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  10. Great food and value, looks like another gem of a find!

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  11. Sis sumi!! I miss your bloggg.. sorry now lang nakadalaw ulet T____T anyway, I have never been to Palawan too.. but that charcoal-chicken sounds delicious! I wanna try it!! invite ko si Mich para may kasama ako :3

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  12. I love chicken inasal and if that one tastes like it then I'm sold! More so since you said that it's even better tasting than the Bacolod inasal! :D I used to love Mang Inasal but since it was acquired by Jollibee, the chicken just doesn't taste the same anymore. I gotta try this one. Also, I'm dying to try the kare-kareng yamang dagat and the kambak! Both look sooo good! :)

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  13. I have tried calderetang kambing before but the combination of kambing and beef? Not yet. Hmmm.. sana matikman ko'to! :D

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  14. That chicken looks very appetizing... :P

    http://citybehindthefog.blogspot.com/2013/04/event-2nd-baguio-bloggers-conference.html

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  15. Ooooh, interesting. But, it seems like there's no clear distinction between the inasal and Ka Inato for me. Perhaps I need to try it, for me to really know. Haha!

    Great post, and the dishes seem to be really affordable!

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    1. I'm not so knowledgeable myself but from what I tasted, inato is more savory than inasal. I think inato should be spicy too?

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  16. I wanna try Ka Inato Chicken! its looks delicious.

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  17. This one looks yummy and affordable too. I will definitely try it. Thanks for sharing this post!

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  18. i want to try the chicken looks yummy...

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  19. Kayang-kaya ng bulsa, gusto kong matikman ang Inato pansit at kambak.

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  20. I wanna buy it... For me and my family...

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  21. I think this would be the new competitors of "Mang Inasal" and "Chickboy"? :D Wanna try this soon, most especially the "Kambak"!

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  22. Its definitely affordable and very tasty :3

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  23. Infairness ngayon ko lang siya nalaman na malapit pala sa amin tong fast food! I'm gonna try this sooner so I can taste the which is better if its inasal or Ka Inato

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