Up first this morning we
are headed to Ballard.
Chef Robbie Cocchia has been cooking
in Seattle restaurants for decades,
but until now he never cooked professionally.
At least the food that he ate
growing up in Manila, bun, soy,
his new Ballard restaurant is full
of passion, featuring the dishes,
Robbie's family cooked for
him in the Philippines.
Lucky me, he's here to cook on new day.
Thank you for being here.
Robbie, thanks so much.
And what are what are we gonna cook?
First of all,
because we'll do that while we chat.
Yeah,
so we're gonna cook.
Our duck confit adobo this is our
take on a classic dish that's really,
really well known in the Philippines.
It's called adobo.
We pretty much adobo anything.
That's what we always say
should be seafood or vegetables
or poultry or pork. So
what does? Adobo is like a verb?
Then you can adobo something.
Yeah, you can adopt something,
so it's pretty much all all
with the sauces.
It's with soy sauce, vinegar,
Bay leaf and sugar. OK, so.
We made our our own different way
of it and we made it gravy out of
the adobo we duck on feed the duck
and roasted potato with the duck,
duck fat and so everything is just
kind of melted together and tastes
like a traditional duck adobo.
I love all of this and
it smells good already,
but we're going to keep adding to it.
So you learn to cook.
Yeah, as a lot of people do,
I guess at home.
But yes, it's it's really
sweet that you're carrying on
your family traditions now.
The restaurant yeah I am.
I'm trying to do everything that
I've learned from my parents
cooking with them back when I
was little and now I'm taking it
in into a little different way.
You know my my take on on Filipino
food and when you when you see it,
it looks totally different but when
you put it in your mouth it really
gives you this nostalgic feeling of
like Oh yes this stays like my mom.
Oh that's great or my dad or my aunties.
So people
who are familiar with Filipino
food will be excited to know that
they're getting the real thing.
And absolutely, if you haven't
enjoyed this cuisine before, you,
you know the first time you taste it
that this really is the way it would
taste if we were in the Philippines.
Yes, it would.
Yeah, that's great in a different way.
Is there something I can do here to help you?
Yeah, so everything is pretty
much like I'm of any help.
Yeah, yeah, out of the way,
let me help you here so
we pretty much precooked the duck already.
It's been it cooked in the duck fat for 2
1/2 hours and then roasted the potatoes
and then now it's ready to play it up.
So we have. Our duck gravy.
OK, adobo, I'll take the plate right here.
We'll get that on the plate,
so why do you think? Well, why?
What made this the right time
to open this restaurant?
Well, Filipino food is actually just starting
to be recognized throughout Seattle,
and my really good friend and mentor
Melissa Miranda of Musang and Beacon Hill.
She opened up a restaurant and Filipino
food just started growing and growing,
so I think it was just a perfect
time of slot to like, hey,
we don't have anything in the north.
Side of like, you know,
Filipino food and so they think
there was a perfect time.
So it was really great.
I got her blessing to open it
up and like it's really great.
That's nice. That's nice.
You kind of cooperated on that.
So can I help you please
some of these so just have
the potato on the plate.
Do they go everywhere?
Do you keep anywhere
you want at this point?
If you play with your food however?
Also people have been, you know,
with the pandemic it's changed everything
about the way we do things and people
felt like they were kind of anchored.
And anchored down shut in. And it's nice.
I think people are getting out and they
want to explore new things, don't they?
And try something a little different.
Absolutely. So Filipino food is a
great way to do it. And then OK,
just over here. Ohh boy, here we go.
This is a duck home feel
nice and crispy on the top
presentations everything.
Yeah, everything.
If you've watched this show,
you know that presentation for me,
at least when I'm filling in
over here, it's everything.
I'm very meticulous about
everything I do. So usually
on the adobo we cook the egg with everything.
So, but we wanted to make it a little bit.
Luxury, so we did a 6 minute egg so
it's a nice soft boiled egg here
and there will just go right in the
corners of this plate like that and
I'm just going to have you finish up
the plate with a little bit of so.
I just kind of put a little on everything.
Just put a little bit of everything.
This is a fried garlic that we make
in the house some scallions to give
it that nice onion taste and good
ones and cilantro.
I don't know if people realize
I don't know if you're pro.
Yeah, I don't think at home
it's coming across like just.
How really amazing I am as a chef?
Yeah, yes, this is really that you're
you're getting the real raw deal here.
Well, not raw.
We've actually cooked this yeah special.
Especially for you.
Yeah, do do I get to taste
some of this absolutely
absolutely. It it is ready for you
to taste whenever you're OK, sweet.
We also have other dishes here that like.
We'll get to that, but I wanted to
put some food in my mouth. First.
Absolutely go for it. Let me know how it is.
OK? Well, tell me OK,
go ahead cause my my mouth is gonna
be full this is great for everyone
at home we're gonna let you see
behind the scenes a little bit here.
Yeah, once the food goes in my
mouth I will no longer be able to
speak so we're gonna have Robbie
describe the dishes starting with
this one right here. Go ahead
alright this is our Christie Pata
song so this is a collaboration
with me and my sous chef so it's a.
Pork Shank has been boiled and
roasted so it's nice and crispy.
This reminds me of my dad.
He always cooks these back home.
Ohh sweet, Umm and we have our
bugayong Korean chili place and some
allamong which is like a more of a
fish base with vinegar and chilies.
So you kind of make your own wrap.
This is our take on a Caesar salad.
This is our vegan Caesar salad.
It's made with soy sauce,
dates some wakame powder.
And some quinoa there for
crunch and our soy joy chicken.
Everybody loves fried chicken.
So this is our best version of our
fried chicken. It's gluten free.
It's very crispy.
Top with some jalapenos and green onions,
so it's got a little kick to it.
Has a little bit,
just a little that's nice.
OK, I'm gonna try somewhere.
How is that? Oh my God yeah hmm.
It was really good. What's in the?
What's the sauce again?
So it's a chicken stock,
vinegar, soy sauce, garlic,
and onion, and Bay leaf.
Hmm, so weird, hmm,
one of my favorite and a little.
My mouth is full but a little
different from what you may.
Find anywhere else in any
other you know there are.
There are crossovers between
different cultures, cuisine.
This is very unique though.
Thank you and I'm gonna get
letters for saying very unique.
You're only supposed to say unique.
Can I try a dessert?
Absolutely
so this is polvoron.
This is really really nostalgic to me.
I would always remember my parents
in the morning where they would
toast the flour and you could smell
it all the way to our bedroom
and it has buttermilk powder,
sugar, flour that's been toasted
and this is a salted caramel.
Flavor and we also make different flavor,
such as Uber, peanuts, coconuts.
Yeah, possibility is
endless. I like this.
I'm gonna take the rest with me.
So thank you so much. Thank
you. Thank you so much. Button
soy will be cooking at the Ballard
Seafood Fest this weekend.
The fest is back after a two year hiatus.
That's awesome. We've got all
the details up on our website.
Thanks so much for being here.
Thank you so much.