Sining Shelter

Lost Flavors of the Scene : BKB Rice

Aze

If you’ve been playing music for most of your life, cheers for pushing through the collective back pain and existential dread. I personally don’t feel it most days (jinxed), but it’s there 0-0.

I started playing shows when I was 14 years old and since then I’ve lived through many phases -_\\\, I've drank so much Gatorade (my pre-gig elixir), and I’ve had lots and lots of sleepless nights. Back then, it was the norm to be booked alongside fifteen other bands, gigs used to end at 2am,. It was definitely a different time for the scene and was critical for shaping who I am today.

But I deem what’s more important for me, is that I've seen so many spaces and venues close down. It’s sad but I can’t help but reminisce. B-side, Makati turning into commercial property (fuck condos !!!), Tomato Kick Morato closing due to the pandemic, and Sev’s cafe, the first venue I ever played to make space for the building’s septic tank–rest in peace. For a city thriving in so much talent and noise (endearing), it’s a shame venues are closing left and right.

Black Kings Bar (which may or may not be a DoTA reference), on West Ave, Quezon City, is one of the defunct spaces I hold near and dear to my heart. It was the perfect gig venue for teens to live their pop-punk emo dreams, and for titos to crash out to Typecast and Mayonnaise after their 9-5’s. Reverberating from metal and mallcore emo, to featuring Gary Arriola of the Manila-Sound Band ‘Boyfriends’. For that brief period in the mid-2010’s, it was the place to experience live music without breaking the bank in 19 East and 12 Monkeys at least for the 5 years that they existed. They quit operations in 2017 and people soon gravitated to Tomato Kick and Mow’s.

The land where Black Kings Bar used to stand is currently being now a commercial office space.


Anong favorite mong kainin sa gig?

I attribute most of my memories with a gig venue to its food; it keeps me energized throughout the show, it helps support the venue, and it’s another way of connecting with a venue that doesn’t involve being under the influence (most times).

Most days pumapasok ako sa gig venue ng walang kain dahil may rehearsals or hanash beforehand, prioritizing not being late, and most days it pays off. Not only because I'm on time, but it makes me look forward to eating even more. Some of my favorite go-to grubs and places would be the Pares sa tabi ng Mow’s (2018), yung Jr. Siomai ng Kowloon, the classic cheeseburger from Burger Valley near Sining Shelter, fishball sa labas ng SaGuijo, and the Adobo Rice from Calle Uno, Baguio. All of these share two traits in common; they’re all reasonably priced and good.


The bar described BKB RICE as their twist on the classic yang-chow, mixed with ground beef and scrambled egg. As simple as that sounds, it definitely has more to offer with every bite.

The earthy, cumin-infused rice and egg harmonize texturally alongside the carrots, celery, ground beef, and bell pepper, leaving you coming back for more. The rice bowl's subtle yet spicy flavor and mouthfeel make it an excellent 'bar food' for me.

It is best enjoyed with a bottle of beer while hearing about your friend's weekly crashout. It was introduced in 2015 and quickly became a crowd favorite. It was the cheapest rice bowl on the menu at 65 pesos, and bargoers favored it for a quick, satisfying meal, overthrowing the BKB Sisig (120php), which was also a bar staple.

It quickly grew a cult following in the local scene. It was quick to go out of stock and BKB would run out of eggs as early as 9pm! (it’s true nag-order ako once and wala na raw itlog and asked if ok lang daw ba).

I was fortunate enough to play in an easycore/pop punk band alongside one of the chef’s in 2018, after BKB closed down, and he was kind enough to share the recipe albeit not too detailed; regardless, shoutout Ian! This recipe came to mind after seeing someone on Facebook share the recent state of BKB. Since then, I recreated this recipe four times with a goal to encapsulate the true BKB experience while making it a repeatable, easy recipe.



BKB version vs aze version:

paprika & cumin

Originally, the recipe called for paprika and cumin but for the sake of convenience, I opted to use Taco seasoning (which contains both paprika and cumin) primarily because it's readily available in stores and it’s also very flexible to have in your pantry. I use McCormick's. Feel free to season to taste if three tablespoons of taco seasoning is too much/too little.

celery and bell pepper

You can opt for any sahog of your choice if celery is not on hand. I did an iteration of this recipe with diced tomatoes and more onions.

lee kum kee premium soy sauce

Ian stressed the importance of using Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce for that #BKB taste, but feel free to use any onhand soy sauce you have. Adjust to taste. Madam Seva: You have free will. Gamitin natin ito.

egg

The recipe mentions that you scramble the egg with the beef to form small curds in your rice. You may omit this and alternatively fry your egg sunny-side-up style in the end, or scramble it in any fashion in any step of the recipe.


Cooking time !

Ingredients:

Serves two to three people

Instructions:

  1. 1.Cook the toppings. Heat the cooking oil in a nonstick frying pan. Once hot, sauté minced garlic and half of diced onion.

  2. 2. Once fragrant and lightly browned, put on high heat and add ground beef. Add salt to draw out moisture and enhance browning.

  3. 3. After sautéing for 1 minute and the beef fat has rendered, add the taco seasoning. Continue browning the meat with the spice mix for another minute.

  4. 4. Add bell pepper, celery, and leftover onions, then sauté for another minute.

  5. 5. Whisk egg in a separate bowl, and then add to the pan. Stir until all the egg is incorporated and cooked.

  6. 6. Add the rice. Gently mash the leftover rice and add onto the pot. Cook and continuously toss until loose or buhaghag

  7. 7. Lower heat to medium-high. Create space on your pan to directly pour onto soy sauce and render it for a few seconds until bubbly and fragrant. This will help caramelize the soy sauce and develop flavor. Mix well and toss continuously.

  8. 8. Season with salt and pepper

  9. 9. Serve. Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with cilantro.

  10. 10. Eat and listen to some New Found Glory or A Day To Remember with your loved ones. Best enjoyed with a bottle of beer and/or good company.

I wanted to start this series to highlight lost dishes from lost places I once called home. Here’s one from Black King’s Bar, QC ! (RIP). They shut down in 2017, leaving people heartbroken and yearning for a gig venue as memorable and sweet. During the pandemic, BKB published a Facebook post announcing a quick run of the classic rice bowls. People were hyped and the post garnered over 173 reacts and numerous shares. It was available for order via courier on April 25, 2020 at a different price point. Their final Facebook post about the rice bowls were published on April 27, two days after the initial post.

This article/recipe thing isn't necessarily only about the dish. I’d like to think that food is one of my ways of enjoying memories, and I can’t help but be whiplashed back to 2016 after having a bite of this. As gig venues close down in rates we can’t predict, let us do our part as musicians, patrons, and organizers to document and support these venues as much as we can.

Thank you Stella for helping me proofread this mwa