JSEC is often filled with unique concepts for stalls, but sometimes, you really just crave for some honest, home-style food. Ini-house serves classic Filipino inihaw, complete with a sawsawan bar at the side for that classic ihawan feel.

Taste

The Pork Belly Inihaw and Chicken Inihaw are both served grilled, marinated, and basted with the familiar sweet and salty inihaw sauce that most Filipino households are accustomed to. The marinade itself provides the contrast of salt and sugar that enhances each meat’s flavor, bringing out the savoriness people crave.

Despite their effort to tenderize the meat with the marinade, the pork itself is a little tough and dry as a result of overcooking.

The chicken is better marinated, giving the meat a sweet and salty flavor all throughout, with its grill marks adding a charred flavor that complements the other flavors. Unfortunately, it was also overcooked, making it dry as well.

The corn and carrots side is nothing special; it needs a pat of butter and salt to really elevate the vegetables. Eaten together, the taste of the food is simple and familiar.

Concept

The stall gets points for reinforcing its concept all through the experience. From ordering from their bahay kubo-like stall, to allowing customers to dress their food with their own sawsawan, it really makes the customer feel like they are at home, eating the everyday inihaw.

Value for Money

A quarter chicken is definitely a filling meal, same with two thick slices of liempo.  Ini-house won’t give you the most bang-for-your-buck, but it is satisfying enough to be one of the better deals in JSEC.

Final Verdict

Ini-house isn’t anything special, and it doesn’t try to be. It’s down-home inihaw: Something most Filipinos eat regularly, but still crave nonetheless. It fills a gap in JSEC as the go-to comfort food stall. The execution is questionable, but with a bit of polishing here and there, don’t be surprised if everyone goes to Ini-house for their grilled meat cravings.

Rating 3.5/5

Photo by Janine Torre.