Gateway Kitchen — Restaurant in Daly City

I've only had Filipino a handful of times before (if you don't count the more than handful of times I've had adobo), so I don't really have a baseline for what constitutes "good" or authentic Filipino food. That said, I've been told from friends much more familiar with it that it's, well, basically what Gateway serves: heavily seasoned, sweet, salty, greasy, meaty dishes.

Doesn't sound particularly appetizing? Well, it wasn't bad, but I feel like the high ratings given here are for similar reasons to the ones given at places like HRD in SF: for the price, you're getting a TON of food. So, more for value and quantity than quality.

My friend and I ordered their tocino and longanisa plates, and while they weren't particularly impressive or offsetting, I can't say I was a huge fan of how sweet and greasy everything was. And the fact that the food came out lukewarm.

Could I see myself coming back again? Maybe. If I did, it'd definitely be as a to-go order, so I could take it home and remake with some more salt, spice, and, most importantly, heat. Because hot food should be eaten hot.

Accessibility Info

Venue - This restaurant is definitely on the tinier side, so when things get busy, you'll find yourself a little cramped for space while ordering. Some of the tables are arranged in such a way that they're either not accessible, or would inconvenience other people if used, but there are a handful that aren't problematic. Again though, you're better off taking your food to go.

Bathroom - Didn't...

I stopped by Gateway Kitchen to get something to-go a couple of days ago while passing through Daly City. It is located on Mission which like every other street in Daly City has almost zero parking so your best bet is to park in the lot at Mission & Bepler and walk. During the peak lunch hour, it seemed to be about half full. After going through the menu I decided to get the Beef Tapsilog ($3.45) to-go. What immediately struck me was this was literally dirt cheap so I was a little skeptical about the quality. After ordering I was out in less than 2 minutes which means nothing was made fresh.

I was expecting an extremely low quality dish but what I got was not bad. I would say at-best average. The rice was not over steamed but you could make out that it was of low quality. The egg had turned into a big blob, probably as it has been fried and then made to sit. The Tapa (beef) was not chewy which means that it was well marinated, but unfortunately it was bone dry. Just having some of its natural juices present would make this dish so much better.

Price wise it was cheap even for Filipino restaurant standards. It becomes difficult to rate such a place because the quality is definitely low but so is the price. Honestly I would prefer to spend a couple of more bucks and get a decent silog rather than return here, but if you are on a budget this place would be spot on so I'll be a little generous...

There is a certain euphoria associated with home cooked food. It is comforting and familiar. Every bite feels like a warm hug. Gateway Kitchen provides afforadable home cooked food, that is as therapuetic as it is delicious. The garlic rice topped with toasted garlic, is always perfectly cooked and savory. The beef tapsilog is tender and pairs excellently with the garlic rice and a fried egg. The chicken nuggets and calamari rings have light crispy breading that doesn't taste oil soaked. For $3.75 Gateway Kitchen provides plates of...