COCHI by Marvin Agustin — Restaurant in Taguig

Let's talk about Cochi Bistro, Marvin Agustin's brain child, that likely evolved from his home or commissary during the early post COVID times.

MENU. Curated carefully to include what Marvin and his chefs are great at. They obviously know their strengths and are perfecting it and highlighting it in their concise menu.

COCHINILLO. Definitely THE STAR of the restaurant. It is just right that it is the restaurant's namesake. Served FRESH AND HOT out of the oven, accompanied by a generous amount of drippings that sizzle as it's poured on top of the cochi. The SKIN is unbelievably crispy without being tough to chew. It cracks and melts in the mouth. It is properly and evenly browned, not a single part is burnt. The MEAT is so tender and succulent. It doesn't need the drippings but it's a great addition (it is heaven pouring it over steamed rice). Seasoned just right, not a single spice overpowers the other. The seasoning isn't too complicated either and in its simplicity, the meat shines. LOVE THE PINAPPLE MARMALADE WITH THE COCHI!

OYSTER. Properly shucked, clean, big, juicy, fresh. FRESH oyster is a joy to have because it's properly done and it tastes subtly salty like the sea. BAKED oyster is my new favourite. Baked and served in the right temperature without overcooking the oyster. It is lathered with buttery, cheesy, salty, gooey, creamy goodness blowtorched to perfection it almost looks like Creme brulee.

Uni adlai is a Japanese rice bowl I can have on its own creamy and spicy, I wish there was more per bowl.

Roasted cauliflower is amazing. I can taste herbs that are fsmiliar to me and it just made sense being in the honey doused cauliflower. It actually complements the taste of the cochi.

Mushroom fried rice, adlai salad, mango salad, steamed rice - everything is just a pleasure to eat.

MUSIC. The right volume. Chill tracks. You won't have to talk over the music because it is just in the background but noticeable for keen ears.

LIGHTING. Well lit for an enjoyable family or group meal. Probably a little bright for those going on a date.

FURNITURE. Comfortable armchairs that cradle your belly until it is ready for another round of amazing food. Tables look classy and clean, pretty sturdy, too.

TOILETS. Currently just one unisex toilet. It is clean and it smells clean, too.

CUSTOMER SERVICE. Down to earth owner. Attentive staff, very attentive. They know their menu items and accompanying condiments well enough to give customers more information on the different pairings. Some tend to hard-sell some menu items while some are more laid back.

EXPERIENCE. Superb! While there are areas for improvement, they are receptive to suggestions and comments to make Cochi Bistro better. Overall cleanliness is 5/5. Temperature of the restaurant is 5/5. Temperature of the food is 5/5. Serving size of the cochi and oyster 5/5. Rice / adlai serving could be bit more so 4/5. Salad serving is reasonable for the price 5/5.

I would definitely come back and get everyone else to...

Me and my Wife 1st visit was disappointing 1st when we get there we are so impressed outside and imy friend said it’s a high end Filipino Resto owned by actor Marvin Agustin. When we get to enter we were greeted by I think his the manager wearing suits and greeted us at the door, impressive right! After we get inside he just tell us have a sit w/out telling us or guide us to the table until I said is it ok to sit on the corner end so me and my wife get a little privacy. He didn’t say anything so I decided just walk to the table by ourselves. Then we are expecting the waiter will ask us what we would like to drink first and hand us the menu as usual, but feels like they ignoring us, until we call them to give us the menu. The 2waiter face is not smiling I don’t know their name, until this waitress came with an smile Her name is Vanessa if I’m not mistaken. We order KareKare, Laing & sparkling water. I have no complain with food taste I rated 8 out of 10. Presentation is another story rated 3 out of 10. Service is bad experience except the waitress Vanessa and she help us call a grab taxi. As appreciation we give her small gratuity and told her not change her smile and attitude to their guest of the restaurant. We’re from Japan we don’t want to compare Japan service to Philippine restaurant service but we can see the difference. It was Sunday we Dine and Dance there since me & my wife love to dance and they have Latin dance event on that night. Overall rate is low except the taste of the food hope you guys change and give more training to your staff how to serve your restaurant guest better.

Hopping for the best service next time. And to meet Mr. Marvin Agustin maybe we can play golf since I heard you play golf too.

Respectfully, Mr&Mrs...

Both of my kids were raised in Japan. So, it’s no surprise that Japanese cuisine is on top of their list when it comes to gourmet dining. I can’t blame them because there are so many good restaurants in Tokyo. I keep telling them that Filipino cuisine is at par with Japanese food. They find it hard to believe because there isn’t a Filipino restaurant in Tokyo that is good enough to represent the best cuisine the Philippines has to offer. So, whenever we come home for a vacation, we always try to dine at a Filipino restaurant to prove them that Filipino food can be really good if done right.

To celebrate New Year’s Eve, we dined at Cochi and it did not disappoint. For the first time ever, my son said Filipino cuisine is the best. And that says a lot because my kids are not easy to please.

The cochinillo lived up to the hype. The skin was crispy. The meat was tender and tasty. The sauces were non-traditional and decadent as well. But, I still wish they’d also serve the traditional sarsa. The corned beef sinigang is a must-try. The beef was tender and tasty. I also like the cochisisig. It’s sisig made from lechón trimmings. It’s probably the best sisig I have had. The calamares is crunchy and delicious. The calamansi soda perfectly pairs with all the stuff we ordered. It balances out all the richness from the dishes that we had.

Kudos to the staff. They were all friendly and polite. I know they were all eager to go home to celebrate new year with their love ones but they still managed to provide us with excellent service.

Overall, we had a great time. We enjoyed everything we ordered. Yes, it’s relatively more expensive than the other Filipino restaurants we have been to. But it was all worth it. We’re definitely...