When most restaurants shut down during the pandemic, Chef Patrick Curitana fired up his home kitchen and quietly launched Los Tacos MNL. He started with birria—meaty, slow-stewed, rich with depth—and served it by the tray, one DM at a time.
But it didn’t stop there. That humble start soon turned into something more: a movement, a mood, a mission.
Fast forward to today, and Los Tacos MNL BGC is one of the city’s most talked-about taquerias—a place where masa is made from scratch, flavors are unfiltered, and Filipino diners reconnect with Mexican food in a way that feels both familiar and surprising.
Inside the Most Unexpected Taqueria
Step into their 138-square-meter space in Uptown Parade and it doesn’t immediately scream “fine dining.” But take a closer look.
Textured plaster. Warm wood. An open kitchen designed like a chef’s stage. Everything here is deliberate.
At the counter, tortillas are pressed to order. Meat crackles over flame. Sauces are ladled with quiet precision. The whole place hums—not with theatrics, but intention.
It’s casual, yes—but it’s curated. Every design choice reflects Chef Patrick’s core philosophy: no walls, no distance, no rules.
That philosophy extends to the layout. He designed it to feel like a shared table. Part kitchen, part celebration. On any given night, the room fills with BGC’s young creatives—first dates, team dinners, curious foodies trading bites and stories.
“I didn’t have a name for that moment until I learned the term sobremesa.”
That untranslatable Spanish word—the act of lingering at the table after a meal—became the soul of SOSA Concepts, the company behind Los Tacos.
More than a business, what Chef Patrick is building is that dining table, recreated nightly—open, lively, and filled with flavor and connection.
Reservations fill up quickly—but that’s only the beginning. Most nights, the number of diners doubles by the end of service, thanks to a steady stream of walk-ins. Some are first-timers. Most are regulars—familiar faces who return for the food, stay for the vibe, and bring new friends along for the ride.
From Side Hustle to Cult Favorite
Before landing in BGC, Los Tacos MNL sharpened its edge during a months-long residency in a shared kitchen in Magallanes.
“That stretch was crucial,” says Patrick. “We finally had space to refine the dishes, test new ideas, and see how people responded in real time.”
That residency became a proving ground. Tacos tweaked. Moles rebalanced. Tortillas obsessively tuned. A loyal following emerged—the kind that lined up before opening, posted every plate, and returned weekly with friends in tow.
That momentum attracted two key investors who helped bring Los Tacos MNL to its permanent home in Uptown BGC.
The Masa Movement, Manila Edition
At Los Tacos, masa isn’t a trend. It’s the foundation.
Chef Patrick is one of the few chefs in the Philippines nixtamalizing heirloom corn daily. Mexican corn, soaked and ground on-site. No pre-mix. No shortcuts. Just labor, scent, and pride.
“It’s a huge part of my philosophy. No shortcuts. Always improving.”
Tortillas are checked for texture and structure. If they don’t pass the test? They become chips. Or birria wraps. Nothing is wasted—but nothing is compromised.
“Tortillas are to Mexican cuisine what rice is to Filipinos,” he says. “They’re not background. They’re the base.”
Still, he doesn’t romanticize authenticity for authenticity’s sake.“We didn’t grow up eating traditional Mexican food. We’re still learning every day.”
Instead of depending on imports, Los Tacos leans into local creativity.
“We’ve found that local ingredients often offer something just as good, sometimes even better,” Patrick explains. “They bring a unique character that makes our food stand on its own.”
Kesong puti instead of Oaxacan cheese. Siling labuyo in place of chipotle. Calamansi swapped for lime. It’s not imitation—it’s evolution.
His long-term vision? A Filipino nixtamal supply chain rooted in partnership with local farmers.
A Shared History, Made Visible
Filipinos love Mexican food—but the connection runs deeper than most realize.
Centuries of shared Spanish colonial history brought tamales, adobo, and table rituals into both food cultures. But unlike Korean or Japanese cuisine, Mexican flavors were absorbed quietly—appearing in fiesta dishes like arroz valenciana and callos, their identities blurred over time.
At Los Tacos MNL, that link is brought back to the surface—with clarity, care, and a bit of crunch.
Flavors That Disrupt and Delight
Chef Patrick’s motto is simple: “When everybody zigs, I zag.”
The menu proves the point. Pato con mole simmers with over 50 ingredients. Tuna tostadas snap with citrus and pickled chilies. Wagyu campechano tacos bring together beef cheeks and grilled chorizo in smoky harmony.
He doesn’t follow rules. He reimagines them—dish by dish.
“I want people to be surprised,” he says, “but also feel at home.”
Collaborations across the city—from Automat in Makati to Kondwi in Poblacion—draw buzz. But at Los Tacos, the energy stays grounded. Honest. Masa-first. Fun.
The Team That Built the Buzz
Chef Patrick stands tall in more ways than one. Slender, with his hair lazily swept back, he towers above his crew—but never overpowers them. Instead, he watches quietly, always reading the room. In the middle of the heat and hustle, he stays grounded—perceptive, present, and purposeful.
He leads with a rare mix of instinct and realism. That balance keeps the food honest, even when the menu zigs in unexpected directions.
But Los Tacos MNL isn’t a one-man show. Working right beside him is Butz Tenchavez, a seasoned restaurateur and wine expert who steers the beverage program and front-of-house flow. Alongside them is Jules Gollayan, a global marketing strategist who shapes the brand’s voice and long-term vision.
Together, they’ve built more than a restaurant—they’ve created a rhythm.
The rest of the team brings that rhythm to life. Young, spirited, and sharp, they move with the kind of synchronicity you only get from shared passion. Specials are sparked mid-shift. Sauces evolve in real time. Jokes fly. Music plays. Fire crackles on the grill.
“There’s no ego in the kitchen. Just energy,” Patrick says.
That energy doesn’t stop at the pass. Thanks to the open kitchen, diners feel it from the moment they sit down. It radiates across the bar, through the scent of charring tortillas, and into every plate that lands.
Los Tacos MNL isn’t just about the food. It’s a vibe.
Loose. Fun. Contagious.
What’s Next?
Los Tacos MNL BGC isn’t standing still.
A chef’s tasting menu is on the way. More collaborations are coming. The masa program continues to evolve—with dreams of a locally sourced nixtamal corn supply chain taking root.
And beyond Mexican? Chef Patrick hints at new projects rooted in global comfort cuisines, still filtered through his fine-casual, masa-first lens.
But no matter the dish, the principle stays the same: surprise, connect, and keep it honest.
Because whether you’re perched at the counter or three tacos deep with friends, Los Tacos MNL doesn’t just feed.
It remembers. It connects. And it feels like home.
Los Tacos MNL
Upper Ground Level, One Uptown Residences
36th Street, Taguig, Metro Manila
Instagram: LosTacosMNL
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