It might be surprising, but the cherished and unmistakably Western tastes of Shake Shack can indeed handle an infusion of bold Filipino flavors.
We're here to assure you that we've witnessed and tested this combination, and it's a successful fusion, to be sure.
The collaborative "salo-salo" menu, a joint creation by renowned Chef Jordy Navarra, the proprietor of the acclaimed Toyo Eatery, which has been named Asia's 50 Best Restaurant in the Philippines for 2023 and ranks 42nd in Asia, and Chef Mark Rosati, the Culinary Director of Shake Shack, will be exclusively available this coming Saturday, Nov. 11, for one day only.
It will be served from 9 a.m. until sold out at the Shake Shack Central Square in BGC, Taguig City.
At a one-on-one interview with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, chef Jordy related how the collaboration happened.
"Earlier this year, they reached out to me, and together with Shake Shack and Chef Mark, we had a brainstorming session," shared Chef Jordy.
"They granted us complete freedom to pursue any ideas we wanted. It's a great honor for me to collaborate with Chef Mark and his team. Our team thoroughly enjoyed the process of finding the best ways to infuse our flavors into Shake Shack's offerings."
Chef Mark Rosati, Culinary Director of Shake Shack also expressed his thoughts on the collaboration. “We have been humbled by Shake Shack’s reception in Manila and couldn’t be more excited to work with Jordy for our first-ever chef collaboration in the Philippines.”
“Toyo Eatery is not merely a place to eat, it is a celebration of Filipino cuisine, culture, and the art of storytelling through food where tradition meets innovation," Mark continued. "Chef Jordy’s passion and creativity in reimagining Filipino cuisine while staying true to its roots is nothing short of remarkable, every dish is a testament to his culinary vision and deep understanding of flavours and ingredients.”
"It's satisfying to think that the Filipino perspective is highly relevant even to international brands like Shake Shack," Chef Jordy said. “Getting to work with a brand like Shake Shack gave us the chance to really have fun with flavors. We hope everyone who gets to try the collab meals would have fun and enjoy the taste profile of traditional Filipino components."
Salo-Salo menu
The limited run menu features four dishes:
Chicken and Cheek BBQ (P595) – an all-natural, cage-free crispy chicken thigh, hand breaded and dredged in Panaderya Toyo’s sourdough batter, topped with Toyo Eatery’s pork jowl, BBQ sauce and a pickle medley of atsarang papaya, red onions, burong mangga, cucumber and aruy-uy, all served on a non-GMO potato bun. The pork jowl is from black pigs pasture-raised on in a farm in Batangas and are antibiotic and hormone-free.
Inasal Fries (P325) – Crinkle-cut fries coated in Toyo Eatery's inasal mayonnaise, garnished with crispy garlic chips, and accompanied by fresh calamansi and a spicy vinegar dip. The inasal mayo, made from scratch on-site, offers a creamy texture with a subtle tartness.
Rosella at Lambanog Lemonade (P275) – Lemonade crafted at Shake Shack, infused with Toyo Eatery's rosella syrup and elevated with generous dashes of lambanog. Prepared on-site with genuine cane sugar, this marks Shake Shack Philippines' inaugural venture into alcoholic lemonades. This unique beverage showcases lambanog, also recognized as coconut liquor, a beloved Filipino spirit derived from the distillation of fermented coconut sap.
Tsokolate at Tostadong Bigas Concrete (P355) – Chilled chocolate custard mixed with Toyo Eatery's traditional toasted rice pudding, accompanied by candied Palawan cashews and cacao nibs. The frozen custard is crafted using natural cane sugar, cage-free eggs, and milk sourced from dairy farmers committed to avoiding artificial growth hormones. Meanwhile, the toasted rice component comprises locally sourced organic black rice from Capas, Tarlac.