Auckland's first Filipino restaurant - Turo Turo

Category: Reviews  |  Post by: Andrea Wong
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Turo Turo cafe, Glen Innes :: So D'lish. New Zealand's food blog website

I had never tried Filipino food before. I wasn't sure what to expect. I guessed it would be a mix of South East Asian and Spanish and I was pretty close.

Turo Turo Cafe in Glen Innes is probably Auckland's first Filipino restaurant (I heard that there is a Filipino takeaway in Panmure, but it isn't somewhere you'd sit down for a meal). Because of its uniqueness, Filipino people and their friends come from all over Auckland – and even as far away as Hamilton – to eat here.

For the Filipino community, it's a small taste of home. What I learnt after having a wee chat with Rew Shearer, one of the owners, is that some dishes can be quite time consuming to make. And Turo Turo makes them. So rather than slaving over a hot stove for hours, making something like Siseg (roasted pig's head, then finely chopped and cooked again with chilli) people head to Turo Turo instead.

Joyful chickenBut in saying that, it's perhaps a fairly simple dish that is their most popular: Joyful Chicken. To me, it seemed like KFC with its coated, deep fried chicken with a side of gravy. Rew tells me that it is a play on a very popular fast food in the Philippines, Chicken Joy from the chain Jolly Bee. And yes it is good, it's my favourite thing on their menu so far.

Filipino food is generally not very pretty or colourful as say, Thai food. And perhaps that's why Filipino food hasn't taken off? It can also be a little bit more challenging to the tastebuds.They use liver as thickening in sauces and make use of the 'other' parts of the animal, like the head, intestines and blood in some dishes.

Beef CalderataI have a feeling that I'm putting you off here... I reckon it's worth a try, go for the dishes that seem more familiar, like Beef Calderata (a beef stew with a strong Spanish influence, with tomatoes and potatoes) or Mami (beef, chicken, or pork dumplings in a light broth soup with noodles and vegetables).

And of course, don't forget the Joyful Chicken!

26A Mayfair Place
Glen Innes
Auckland
Behind Kiwibank and near Pinoy Oriental Filipino Store.

Monday – Saturday: 10.00am – 9.00pm
Sunday: 11.00am – 7.30pm

Phone: (09) 528 6050

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  • 04/01/2011 1:58 a.m.
    Adrian West

    Hi i have tryed your food today and wow i loved it
    I will be back again.
    Salamat
  • 27/11/2010 1:38 a.m.
    Jan

    It's Jollibee, not Jolly Bee. And they serve really really good fried chicken and spaghetti :)
  • 23/11/2010 11:15 p.m.
    lourdes dalmas

    .. can you pls.. help me to go into that country.. am reliable and easy to learn.. i had watched you in mel and joey.. I really wanted to be one of your crew.. 09234979412 pls.. i need a job..
  • 15/09/2010 10:33 a.m.
    Nathaniel Flick

    Andrea, glad you stopped by Turo Turo. Full disclosure, I designed the logo and am personal friends with the owners (practically family!), but I think the food is wonderful. Your balanced review does take into account all aspects of the restaurant; good on ya!

    My favourite dish is the Lomi soup, thick noodles with chicken; great for cold days. But I also love the Joyful Chicken, it's head and shoulders above KFC. I wish I knew how they made it!

    I'm thinking about their food now, and I'm hungry, so thanks for that. :)

    Nathaniel
  • 10/09/2010 10:42 a.m.
    Rew Shearer

    Thanks Andrea - for what I think is a fair and positive review.

    Authenticity is everything - we want Filipinos to be able to bring their Kiwi friends and say, hand-on-heart, "this is our food." We're finding a growing number of locals are discovering and loving the cuisine.

    It's worth pointing out that the 'other' ingredients are happily munched by Kiwis every day in their meat pies and sausages, it's all just a case of what you're used to. :)

    Thanks again, we'd love to see you anytime!

    Rew
  • 09/09/2010 11:27 p.m.
    Mr Picky

    Don't be sorry for anything Andrea. It sounds like you had a 'meh' experience of the food from Turo Turo and that's what you wrote - it wasn't to your personal taste. You can hardly write that it was fantastic if that's not what you experienced can you? If you are just going to say everywhere you go is awesome then who's going to read your blog?

    The points I got out of your review were:
    1. Turo Turo is super popular amongst the Filipino community. That means to me it must be authentic and good
    2. The food there wasn't quite to YOUR tastes but I've got half a brain and can figure out that just because you didn't like it doesn't mean I won't like it. The food actually looks great in your photos.

    I think you've done a great service to publizise Turo Turo. They are now going to get some business from me because now I know about the place I am keen to try it out. Keep on keeping it real and keep up the good work!

    PS Some people should consider contributing comments about the FOOD and not the review. That would be more helpful I think.
  • 09/09/2010 10:40 p.m.
    Mr Picky

    Don't be sorry for anything Andrea. It sounds like you had a 'meh' experience of the food from Turo Turo and that's what you wrote - it wasn't to your personal taste. You can hardly write that it was fantastic if that's not what you experienced can you? If you are just going to say everywhere you go is awesome then who's going to read your blog?

    The points I got out of your review were:
    1. Turo Turo is super popular amongst the Filipino community. That means to me it must be authentic and good
    2. The food there wasn't quite to YOUR tastes but I've got half a brain and can figure out that just because you didn't like it doesn't mean I won't like it. The food actually looks great in your photos.

    I think you've done a great service to publizise Turo Turo. They are now going to get some business from me because now I know about the place I am keen to try it out. Keep on keeping it real and keep up the good work!

    PS Some people should consider contributing comments about the FOOD and not the review. That would be more helpful I think.
  • 09/09/2010 2:17 p.m.
    *** Andrea Wong ***

    @ LS Marquez - I'm sorry that you didn't like my review. As I said, I hadn't tried Filipino food before. Perhaps the dishes that stuck in my mind were the more authentic type, the more unfamiliar to me. I'm not saying that it is a bad cafe, far from it. The point that I was trying to make (and was perhaps unsuccessful) was that Filipino food is different to what I'm used to but it's worth a try. I haven't tried the desserts but will try some next time.

    @Tim - I guess a lot has to do with what you select from their menu? I rather enjoy their empanadas and BBQ chicken too. I wanted to highlight that Filipino food has some different dishes that I haven't seen before.

    I like it that Turo Turo is true to its cuisine, I agree LS Marquez, they shouldn't change just to suit Kiwi tastebuds.
  • 09/09/2010 1:44 p.m.
    L S Marquez

    Hi Steve,
    It's okay to feel strongly about things other than sports once in a while. And I feel strongly about food in general and this in particular because I don't want Turo-turo to change a thing. I think that a lot of foreign restaurants here in Auckland compromise themselves in order to expand their appeal, to be "pretty" and therefore lose their authenticity. To this day, I've yet to find a "real" Thai place in Auckland. And I'll be damned if the ONLY Filipino cafe in Auckland starts going in that direction.
  • 09/09/2010 1:23 p.m.
    Tim

    I found this review a little strange. I'd never had Filipino food before but certainly did not encounter anything 'challenging'. More like delicious comfort food. we ate spring rolls, barbeque pork and empanada and had yam cake for dessert and found it to be a very pleasant and filling experience.
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