A'toda Madre: Tequila and Street Tacos in Makati (Philippines)

Street tacos and nachos

Street tacos were the star of the show when my friends and I dropped by A’toda Madre in Makati City (Metro Manila, Philippines). Although I am a loyalist of El Chupacabra just a few blocks away, I am not one to turn down a chance to try out street tacos from another joint.

Before the main event however, we tried out some appetizers. First up was a serving of Elotes or spicy grilled corn. I’m a huge fan of corn and I enjoyed this dish. However, it gets a tad bit too spicy if you happen to scoop up a spoonful that got an extra generous sprinkling of chili powder. It’s probably best to mix up the whole plate to even out the spices before diving in.

Elotes (Grilled Corn Php120.00)

Next up was a generous serving of fried calamari. It was a big hit among my friends. To me, however, I found that the breading was a bit much.The pieces of squid were small so the proportion of squid versus breading wasn’t optimal. I prefer my calamari with as little breading as possible.

Calamares (Large Php480.00)

A Mexican meal (outside of Mexico) isn’t complete without a serving of nachos. We enjoyed the nachos as much as one would expect. It was tasty and straightforward. A generous serving with everything you would expect.

Calamares (Php 450.00)

Finally, it was time for the street tacos. We tried out the following varieties: Carnitas,  Chicken Chipotle, Barbacoa Taco and Grilled Pollo.

Overall, I would have to say that I was quite pleased by the flavors. The servings were small, as is customary for street tacos. At regular price, I find them to be quite pricey. However, the restaurant offers a Php50 ($1.00) per taco promo every Taco Tuesday! Now that’s just perfect!

Street Tacos Php 150-175 each)

Apart from the food. it’s important to point out that A’toda Madre is a tequila bar. Upon stepping in, your senses will be assaulted by a colorful display of tequila bottles on the wall. The place offers a large variety of high quality tequila. If you’re a fan of the drink, this place goes well beyond your usual Jose Cuervo and Patron shots. The selection is immense and quite overwhelming.

The interiors have also been carefully decorated to give patrons a little dose of Mexico’s “Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festival.”

I would have to admit that after several regrettable experiences with tequila, I have sworn off the drink. However, I was tempted to try out some of the cocktails that were served to us that day. I’m happy to say that I survived unscathed and I can probably give tequila another chance to get back in my life.

Our refreshing drinks were mixed with Locally fruit juices, a newly-launched product in the Philippines. Everything tasted great but I had to proceed with caution lest I get carried away and end up in the gutter hehe.. Read more about the drinks that were served in my upcoming post about or Poblacion pub crawl. Stay tuned!

Overall, I would say that the food and drinks were good. However, it’s all a bit pricey when we’re talking about portion sizes against prices. The place also has a very limited seating area so if you’re planning to come for a meal, it might be a bit tricky to get seated comfortably. If you don’t mind sitting at the bar for some drinks or staying outside in the hot and humid Manila weather, it’s definitely worth a visit! By the way, don't drive. Parking in this area is a bitch and it’s really a bad idea to drive after having some tequila anyway.

A’toda Madre is located at the ground floor of Sunette Tower in Durban St. cor. Makati Ave. in Poblacion, Makati City.

Read more about Poblacion Area Restaurants: Wicked Dogs: Ish Eats Specialty Hot Dogs in Makati (Philippines)