Adela's Carinderia

Adela's Carinderia is a Filipino café that recently opened in Shepherd's Bush (it moved from its previous establishment in a different area of London), that I happened upon on my semi-frequent sojourns to my closest Sainsbury's Local.

I have now been twice, as the first time I went I had the chicken tocilog (a type of all-day breakfast with rice) that was just lovely, homely, honest cooking. For £12, you can hardly go wrong.

So again, this past Thursday I stopped in to try their kare-kare, with beef and Pak Choi in a (supposedly) thick peanut sauce. I wasn't greatly enamoured with this dish for two reasons: the peanut sauce wasn't particularly thick, or indeed that interesting; it tasted of peanut and very little else. Second, the beef was incredibly fatty. I don't mind when beef chunks have fat still attached, but when there is more fat than there is beef, then I take issue. 

So it seems that, at Adela's Carinderia, not all dishes are created equal. Prior to my second visit, I was interested in trying some more of what they have on offer, such as the beef calderata. However, given the poor showing from the kare-kare, I may be best off sticking to the tocilog.

Value for money? Around £12 per dish, so yes it's good value, especially if you get a dish like the tocilog that is tasty and filling. 

Would I return? I might do, as it's just down the road, but I won't prioritize it, and certainly wouldn't travel for it.