With the sudden influx of Western, Middle-Eastern and other Asian flavors that imminently take the Philippines by storm, how could an international food brand with a foreign taste introduce itself to the Filipino palate's warm patronage? That's easy. It just has to be tasty, filling, distinct, simple, accessible and affordable. That's a pretty basic formula that arms the success of a famous food cart business that has ruled the kebab-loving hearts of Indonesians, Malaysians, and just recently, the Filipinos.
The name? Kebab Turki Baba Rafi. Just uttering the words that compose the name of this brand can be quite a mouthful let alone memory-friendly. If you ask me now for the exact name without the help of a cheat sheet, you would disown me in a heartbeat. I just couldn't pronounce and memorize any word that comes after Kebab. But that's beside the point as from this moment forward, i'm declaring that if asked which kebab place has the best in the Philippines thus far, I would mumble and stammer for a minute trying to recall the name but then concede to just saying Kebab Whatever, referring to that vibrant yellow and red kiosk that is a breath of fresh air tucked in the seemingly suffocating Dela Rosa Carpark 1 in Makati. I'm uncertain as to when will I get to memorize its name but I know someday I will, and by heart.
According to their website, "Kebab Turki Baba Rafi is one of Indonesia's premier food chains, with almost 900 outlets across the country. The brand was founded by Hendy Setiono, recipient of Ernst & Young's 2009 Entrepreneur of The Year, who was also named by Business Week as one of Asia's Best Entrepreneurs Under 25. In the '2012 Best Franchise Award', Kebab Turki Baba Rafi ranked 3rd, ahead of local and international brands such as McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, California Fried Chicken and non-food franchises such as Kumon. Beyond the expansion into Malaysia, Kebab Turki Baba Rafi is now focused on expanding into The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong and other Asian markets."
Isn't that impressive or what? Those credentials definitely speak volumes of their products' overall quality. Touted as the biggest kebab chain in the world, KTBR is expected to dwarf its counterparts in Manila to make it big and earn the love of discerning Filipinos, similar to what it did to the locals of its birth country. In fact, in less than 7 months of operation here in Philippines, there are already 3 branches of KTBR across Luzon and the expansion of 25 more before the end of the year is in the works to extend its reach to our fellows living in farther regions. I would be scared then shift business if I were one of their competitors! I'm actually just learning about this now right after I did my research to backup this post. I remember that I first got my hands on this back in Malaysia however I only took a bite of their shawarma as I was too full to consume anything during that time. It didn't even leave an impression on me. I thought of it as like any other shawarma-WRONG. When I learned from my friend that there's a new kebab place that her officemates are raving about, I was half-interested to go but I knew that I would regret declining such invitation. When we arrived at the place and laid my eyes on their panaflex signage, I knew that I had tried their food before, but never did I give high hopes.
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| Facade of Kebab Turki Baba Rafi |
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The store didn't even have customers inside when we arrived which made my heart sink a little for I thought that it was a mistake to even splurge my precious time for something so ordinary and accessible from anywhere close by. You see, I traded a dinner treat from my cousin for this that's why I was a bit wishy washy of traveling all the way to Makati just to grub on their food. But I was playing the role of a better friend so I had to compromise. When we entered, the staff who was manning the store was on his phone instead of tending to his customers. I had to catch his attention twice just to let him know that we were inside waiting to place our orders. I guess our relationship started off on a wrong foot as he seemed quite irked when he approached the counter/us. Terrified about the horror kitchen stories that I heard from a chef before, I downplayed my katarayan and started being nice to him innocently asking about their best sellers. He responded with a sarcastic and scripted response offering their ongoing promo for that day, which could be further explained by the photo below:
Just to cut the crap chase and get this experience done and over with, I ordered a Junior Beef Kebab with 12 oz drink priced at Php 75. Later on, I changed my mind and upgraded by adding cheese which jacked up the price to Php 10 more. The drink of my choice was Tamarind just because of my love for that tangy tropical fruit which turned out to be really good too. It was an icy treat to be have.
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| Counter and the unattentive staff |
Their Kebab comes in three sizes which I will just call Small, Medium and Large.
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| Small, Medium, Large |
They also have three flavors of juices available: Lemonade, Tamarind and Matcha. Each one was appropriately labeled with their names together with facts about their benefits.
Their store operates from Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 10pm. Here's a photo of their menu card. For the list of their full menu, click here to be directed to their website.
In approximately 5 to 10 minutes, my orders arrived. I ordered two of their regular/small beef kebab with cheese, the other one for pasalubong.
So what seems to be different with this kebab? It's certainly the unique packaging! Doesn't this look so convenient and handy? The packaging was thoughtfully created in order to address the nuisances of eating a hand held kebab/shawarma that is usually wrapped in paper, with copious amounts of sauce dripping at the bottom. Also, who knows how many of us had inadvertently bit off pieces of paper drenched in sauce or sandwiched in between layers thinking those were purely pita bread? I know girls would agree when I say this, how unkempt and unladylike it would be to eat a delicious shawarma just because of the preceding reasons? Sometimes, no matter how good a Persian fare sounds on a first date, we just have to hold it off, deterred of the chance to give in to a craving all for the sake of a guaranteed second date (if we happen to really like the guy). But worry no more because KTBR's offerings are neatly packed inside a carton that's designed to be torn open to expose its contents which makes for a hassle-free consumption.
For a step by step procedure on how to do the unboxing properly, you can find it here.
But more than anything, what matters most is the taste. Okay, I have to say that it's better than the rest. The one that stands close second hails from Shawarma Snack Center, which is one of those legit Persian restaurants along that well-lit and X-rated street in Malate. Again, i'll have to give it to KTBR because if I am to base it on the criteria provided in the first paragraph of this post (tasty, filling, distinct, simple, accessible and affordable), they definitely hit homerun. Judging its size and appearance, I like the fact that their product does not rely heavily on extenders to amplify its flavors. It's downright simple and uncomplicated, which is how street food should be. Don't be fooled though as the spice infused meat is very tasty and tender that scream honest to goodness in every bite. It's just so good that it retained itself as the star of the show while the shreds of lettuce, julienned green peppers and the obligatory garlic white sauce performed in harmony at the background. Since I requested for cheese to be thrown in, I gathered that they only use imported cheddar cheese which is mild yet it significantly veers KTBR's version away from its pedestrian step-siblings. The tortilla-like pita wrap had a pleasant taste as well; the texture was a bit gooey making it pliable enough to hold everything together. Their offerings are reasonably priced, leaning towards the budget scale actually, so that people from all walks could sink their teeth into a kebab or two.
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| Yummy cheese beef kebab |
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| Look ma, cheddar cheese! |
Thank goodness that I had great returns in dining here at KTBR which I initially took for granted. I didn't have high hopes or let's say even a teeny tiny speck of hope in the beginning because of its lackluster first impression on me and the sour attitude evoked by their staff. But setting those factors aside, the bottom line is KTBR offers an enigmatic payoff that captures the love of whatever shore it sets its foot onto. The great quality of their product simply boils down to their rudimentary approach which obviously piques the interest of everyone regardless of nationality, race, or level in society hence its unfathomable success in the previous years and the years to come. I'm already pencil booking a trip to Makati in my head just so I could go here again. Having said, guys, prepare for a KTBR global invasion in a few!
Kebab Turki Baba Rafi
Dela Rosa Carpark 1, Makati City
Tel no: 7032981
Email: info@babarafi.com.ph
Website: babarafi.com.ph
Stay Happy,
Khaye :)
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