UP Town Center (not to be confused with Uptown Mall in BGC, Taguig) houses a good number of restaurants to choose from— some of which include old-time restaurants that first started out in the small streets of Marikina. One example is Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse.

Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse has an interior that’s dominated with rustic colors— from the brick walls to the wooden shelves and furniture, with the neutral colors of concrete floors and posts to balance everything out. Their white wall on the other side even features modern graffiti-style art that proclaims their promise in every meal: Smoked Goodness.

Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse offers a plethora of American and Mexican fusion dishes. Their generous portions even come with affordable prices, which allow you to order a wide selection without denting your wallet. Check their menu, and you will find a clear constant in their offerings: meat. There’s no dish that doesn’t include this flavorful ingredient—even their dessert. You’re meant to go wild here in this restaurant—propriety be damned— as you gorge on smoky-flavored dishes and get down and dirty.

Appetizers

1. Jera’s Ultimate Pulled Pork and Bacon Nachos (PHP330 for Half, PHP600 for Whole)

This mountain of seasoned tortilla chips come loaded with tons of melted cheese, smoky pulled pork and strips of homemade bacon. Tangy barbecue sauce, paired with a creamy sauce, are drizzled generously all over. Here at Fat Daddy’s, they make sure that each layer gets the same meaty goodness—unlike the usual nachos where you don’t get anything anymore after attacking the first layer. If you enjoy a bit of heat, dig deep and you may find some slices of jalapenos nestled in between. Once you take a bite out of this flavor bomb, it’s hard to stop. Trust me.

This is just Half an Order!

2. Onion Rings (PHP210)

Dipped in a buttermilk batter and deep fried to a lovely golden brown, these bites are different from the usual because they come coated in a barbecue rub that gives it so much more flavor. Enjoy it with your choice of creamy tartar sauce, or sweet and sour ketchup.

3. Hot Pork Poppers (PHP175)

Fat Daddy uses thin slices of liempo— coated in their barbecue rub— which they deep-fry and serve with a Piedmont sauce. It’s a mix of crunchy and chewy textures with a welcoming burst of sourness from the apple cider base they use for the sauce.

4. Buttermilk Fried Livers (PHP210)

Just like all other deep-fried dishes, this dish features bites of chicken liver coated in a barbecue rub before being soaked in a buttermilk batter and deep-fried to a crispy golden brown. Enjoy this crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside bites with creamy mayo or tangy barbecue sauce. I personally prefer it with the barbecue sauce though.

Main Courses

Tacos

Both tacos feature two pieces of soft tortilla with a blend of flavorful fillings.

1. Pulled Pork Tacos (PHP230)

The Pulled Pork taco uses smoky shredded pork as its base, paired with creamy coleslaw and corn. A mix of chipotle mayo and barbecue sauce is drizzled all over to tie the different ingredients together. I prefer the pulled pork variant because I just love the bold flavors they use.

2. Crispy Fish Tacos (PHP280)

On the other hand, the Crispy Fish taco features deep fried beer-battered fish fillet, some crisp cilantro leaves, coleslaw and a creamy garlic sauce. If you’re a pescatarian, I would definitely recommend this seafood option for you!

Set Meals

Fat Daddy’s set dishes include various combinations of smoked and cured meats that go well with side dishes like coleslaw and pickles, plus your choice of mashed potatoes, white rice or Texas dirty rice— a spiced rice that’s loaded with tons of flavor. Here are the options that you can choose from:

1. The Hungry Daddy: Pulled Pork and Smoked Chicken BBQ (PHP310)
2. You Got Porked: Pulled Pork and Smoked Sausage (PHP310)
3. Sausages and Co: Smoked Sausage and Smoked Chicken BBQ (PHP370)
4. Dibs on Ribs: Smoked Pork Ribs and Smoked Sausage (PHP480)
5. Smokehouse Mafia: Smoked Beef Brisket and Smoked Pork Ribs (PHP640)

Smoked Meat Platter (PHP2,400)

If you’re looking for a sample platter that gives you the best of everything Fat Daddy has to offer, I recommend getting this Meat Platter. It includes all your smoked pork favorites, made for sharing. Slather their homemade barbecue sauce all over and enjoy!

Smoked Meats and Side Dishes include:

1. Sausages
2. Pulled Pork
3. Beef Brisket
4. Chicken BBQ
5. Pork Ribs
6. ½ of Chiquito’s Grilled Corn
7. Bacon and Chives Muffin
8. Sesame Coleslaw
9. 4 Servings of Plain Rice

Fully-loaded Meat Platter

Side Dishes

1. Chiquito’s Grilled Corn (PHP135)

Chiquito’s Grilled Corn features two pieces of grilled corn on a cob with chipotle mayo and bits of elote cheese slathered all around it. You get a mix of sweet and creamy flavors, with a touch of sharpness from the cheese.

2. Mac and Cheese

This childhood classic is something you surely want to try! It includes elbow macaroni topped with melted mozzarella and cheddar cheese, all of which are cooked in bacon fat to give it a rich meatiness unlike the usual creamy variants. It even comes topped with bacon, as you’d expect Fat Daddy to do. They must put meat everywhere!

Dessert

1. Bacon and S’mores Dip

Graham crackers that you dip into gooey melted chocolate topped with toasted marshmallows sounds heavenly. But Fat Daddy adds a twist in the form of bacon! Yes, you can find bacon on top, and even inside the chocolate! Not only do you get an added chewiness, but you also get salty and smoky flavors that cut across the sweetness. Pro tip: dip the slice of bacon in the chocolate. You’ll thank me for it later.

2. Caramel Drizzled Banana Pudding

This dessert features hard on the outside, soft in the inside cubes of bread put together with milk, eggs and fresh bananas. A scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream sits on top, with a drizzle of caramel sauce for added sweetness. I recommend getting this to cap off a lovely meal.

Takeaway from Fat Daddy’s

If you enjoyed the Fat Daddy’s experience, you can bring back something to remember it by! Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse offers their homemade mustard and barbecue sauce for sale, along with their barbecue rub and other goodies in jars. Check it out on their shelves!

Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse is every carnivore’s dream. Meat is their specialty, and they have mastery over it. In this restaurant, you will definitely enter hungry and leave feeling full. There’s no in-between.

_________________________

Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse is in UP Town Center, 216 Katipunan Ave, Diliman, Quezon City. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram @fatdaddyssmokehouse.