Traffic in Metro Manila has gone from bad to worse. Two hour daily commuteshave become commonplace leaving almost everyone dead tired once they get home and too exhausted to make dinner. No surprise then that most people would rather eat out. Paulo Valle, a young businessman, understands this so he decided to setup Boxpark in Congressional Avenue Extension, Quezon City.

This food park is home to upcycled metal containers that have been converted into kitchens. Each one offers different kinds of dishes, from good old fashioned burgers to more creative ones such as “noritacos.” It is also a nice laidback place to eat and relax after a hard day’s work.

Within walking distance of two exclusive gated communities, Boxpark caters to what Valle calls the “spending public,” people who wouldn’t think twice of spending money for good food. That’s not to say that the food is expensive. On the contrary, the food in Boxpark is actually quite affordable (P150-P300) considering the quality, presentation and taste.

When asked what makes Boxpark different from other food parks, Valle said the tenants are comprised of friends and relatives giving Boxpark a sense of community. “Kilala ko lahat dahil sa ibang hobbies ko. Bago ko pa ito buksan, nag-post na ako sa Facebook para mabigyan ng chance ang mag-tropa na magtayo ng sariling negosyo.” He also said that having his own place makes it easier for him and his friends to hang out. “Dati kasi ang hirap maghanap ng tatambayan. Ngayon madali na lang,” he said with a grin.

While he promotes healthy competition, he makes sure that the concepts and dishes of the tenants do not directly compete to prevent the cannibalization of customers. This keeps not only the tenants happy, but the customers as well as it ensures plenty of choices.

Monster burgers

Among the stores in Boxpark is Valle’s own Boxpark 101 which he co-owns with his siblings. The bestseller is the Monster Monkey Burger—two pure Australian beef burger patties with bacon, grilled onions and cheese on fresh lettuce sandwiched between black sesame buns, all for P200. Boxpark 101 is also the only place that serves alcohol, both local and imported. He made it clear though that the beer is there only to serve as a beverage and that Boxpark isn’t a place where one goes to to get wasted. He wants it to be family friendly as well. “Hindi naman to lasingan e,” he added.

Mexican fare

Another place located in Boxpark is Plaza de Taqueria Mexican Cantina which serves Mexican dishes. Not Tex-Mex or Fil-Mex but good old-fashioned, legitimate Mexican food.

Owned by Glenn Novoa and Ailil Fajardo, Plaza de Taqueria caters mostly to people looking for authentic Mexican cuisine. Navoa said their most popular dish is the Beer Braised Carnitas which goes for P150. It has lettuce, bellpeppers, carnitas, salsa cremosa and feta cheese. Fajardo also said that customers can build their own burrito for P225 which is already good for two.

Unique

One of the more unique dishes in Boxpark is the “Beef Tenderloin Noritako” by Ozawa Noritako Ricebowl. The P145 dish consists of beef tenderloin on top of sushi rice, carrots, cucumbers drizzled with Japanese mayo, and wrapped in crunchy fried wanton wrapper like a taco, hence the name. It pairs well with their Giant Raspberry Slush (P90).

Ozawa Noritako is owned and managed by cousins Carlo Sambilay, Charles Villaflor, Andrea Sambilay, Francis David and Loren David. Unlike the other tenants in Boxpark, the owners didn’t have any formal culinary training or previous marketing experience. They said their grandmother had “an amazing recipe” for sushi rice and decided to come up with something to showcase it.

Of course, most people would love to end their meal with dessert and that’s where Patricia Udarbe’s Cajita Store comes in. They serve churros with homemade chocolate dip for P99.

The next time you’re too exhausted to cook but still want to eat something good and filling with a relaxing atmosphere, try going to Boxpark. It might make that daily commute just a little bit more bearable.

Boxpark is located at 73 Block 2 Lot 28, Congressional Avenue Extension, Quezon City.