I first met Chef Miko Calo back in 2018. At the time, quiet murmurs circled Manila’s food scene—rumors of a Filipina chef who had trained under Joël Robuchon at the Michelin-starred L’Atelier in Singapore. People were curious. I was, too.
Chef Miko, a graduate of St. Scholastica’s College, had spent years mastering the precise techniques of French cuisine. When she returned home, it didn’t take long for her to make waves. After establishing Metronome as Manila’s gold standard for modern French dining, she’s now breaking new ground with Taqueria Franco —a laid-back, flavor-forward spot that trades tasting menus for tacos with imagination.
And surprisingly? My favorite dish wasn’t one of the more elaborate creations. It was her mashed potatoes. Creamy, silken, unapologetically rich with butter. What others ordered as a side, I savored as my main.
From Metronome to the Streets
These days, you’ll find Chef Miko in a very different kitchen. Tucked into a quieter corner of Salcedo Village is Taqueria Franco —a taqueria in name, but really, a creative playground. Gone are the tasting menus and hushed tones. In their place: open smiles, sizzling tortillas, and flavors that speak more languages than one.
Chef Miko seems lighter now. There’s joy in the way she explains a dish. And maybe that’s what this new chapter is really about—freedom.
The restaurant began with a conversation between Chef Miko and her cousin, RJ Galang. “What if we did tacos with French toppings?” he wondered aloud. That single thought snowballed into a full-blown culinary experiment—and eventually, a permanent home for their shared curiosity.
Their Lamb Bourguignon Birria says it all. Braised lamb, lamb jus, oyster mushrooms, pesto, and Emmental—folded into a buckwheat tortilla. It’s outrageous on paper, but incredibly grounded in flavor. This is a taco that knows exactly where it’s going.
Snacks, Surprises, and Synesthesia
Start with the Tajin Fries. Don’t think—just order them. They arrive golden, dusted in chili-lime seasoning, and served with roasted tomato and avocado mousses. There’s something strangely nostalgic about them. The kind of snack you inhale without meaning to. The kind that makes conversation flow more freely.
Then came the Tuna Tartare, a dish I didn’t expect to like so much. Tuna loin meets mango purée, pickled green chilis, eggplant, and cilantro. It’s bright, fiery, and wholly satisfying. The pickled chilis add heat and depth that made me forget—just for a moment—that there was no meat on the plate.
Next: the Burrata Tostada. If French technique had a late-night rendezvous with kare-kare, this might be the result. A peanut-tamarind salsa adds a distinctly Filipino warmth. This is where Taqueria Franco really flexes: French bones, Mexican frame, Filipino soul.
The Taco That Made Us Pause
Then came the taco we’d been waiting for: the Lengua. Chef Miko and RJ confessed that it took a while to get this one right. Early versions skewed too Filipino, too familiar. But after months of refinement, they found the sweet spot.
What you get is ox tongue, cooked tender, nestled with olives, onions, a classic tomato sauce, chipotle cream, and a squirt of Franco’s house hot sauce. Served in twos, these tacos lasted all of three minutes at our table. They didn’t just work—they sang. There was France in the depth of flavor, Mexico in the spice, and the Philippines in every memory it triggered.
Churro Éclairs and Childhood Memories
And then there was dessert.
The Churro Éclair is a thing of wonder: open-faced choux-meets-churro pastry, topped with peanut cremeux, cinnamon, brittle, and roasted peanuts. It’s playful but deeply refined. It was the kind of dessert that makes the whole table pause mid-bite—not from sugar shock, but from awe.
There were no words for a moment. Just soft laughter, wide eyes, and the feeling of witnessing something special.
Fine, But Not Fussy
Chef Miko resists the label “fine dining.” And yes, Taqueria Franco doesn’t look the part. No starched linens. No white-gloved service. Just good food, great energy, and surprising technique.
But here’s the thing: when a chef like Miko, trained under the world’s best, chooses to channel all that knowledge into something as democratic as a taco—and does it with joy?
That’s still fine dining. Just in a different outfit.
Taqueria Franco
LPL Center (back entrance), 130 L.P. Leviste St. (along San Agustin St.),
Salcedo Village, Makati City, Philippine
Instagram: @taqueria.franco
About the Writer
Spanky Hizon Enriquez is a longtime food writer, professional dinner guest, and unapologetic mashed potato enthusiast. He’s part of Simpol’s editorial brain trust, where he brings deep appetite and sharp wit to stories about chefs, kitchens, and the meals that make us feel something. When he’s not writing, he’s probably eating—or debating the top 5 desserts in Manila over a third round of churros.
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