The Hunt for “Pagkaing Gubat” in the Metro – Gubat QC

I found myself walking along C.P. Garcia Avenue in Quezon City one afternoon, looking for a place that no one knows just yet. As per instructions, aka social media, look for a “G” sign on the door then you’ve found the place. Well, I wanted an adventure anyway, so I kept on walking. About 600 meters in from Katipunan Avenue I turned left in a side street when I saw the “Diliman Bonsai Society” sign. Initially, I thought the place I’m looking for was inside because it’s on the same area on Google maps. But there was no “G” sign. Then I turned around and saw a small bamboo door with “G” on it and walls covered with vines, this gotta to be it!

I was greeted by Ate Cereb, one of the owners, who was at the door when I entered. Surrounded by bonsai plants and different trees, this fairly new restaurant resembles a forest garden right in the heart of the metro. Gubat QC is the metro version of Kusina Luntian in Baler, Aurora. This hidden gem is serving rustic Filipino favorites with Baler touch. Their menu, Pagkaing Gubat, varies from rice meals to pasta to sandwiches to juices plus a shot of Banayad Whiskey. No joke, Banayad Whiskey is real, but that’s another story.

There’s a small hut in the middle of the property which serves as the kitchen. There were only two people when I arrived in the dining area, a shack with wooden tables and chairs, but they were about to leave. Then a couple people more came in after a few. But service was a kind of slow, it took around 30 minutes to prepare the orders. My kalamansi juice tasted a little more like water when the food arrived. Yet to be fair, they do the orders from scratch. Their best seller is the lechon kawali with adobo rice with an egg on top plus paco salad served on a banana leaf. And just like eating in the forest, you eat with your hands!

Gubat QC is a homely restaurant serving unpretentious yet tasty Filipino comfort food at a fair price. Now, if you feel like hunting for a hidden gem right in the metro, look for the ”G” sign.