Tabachoy touting tasty Filipino food

Owner Chance Anies is honoring his heritage at the Bella Vista restaurant.

He bears a name synonymous with uncertainty, but Chance Anies has possessed a definite plan in the nearly two years he has spent helming Tabachoy, 932 S. 10th St., namely, delighting diners with unbeatable Filipino food. Thanks to an unwavering commitment to his craft and love for his heritage, the chef/owner has won patrons’ praises and a couple enviable accolades, making his Bella Vista-based eatery a testament to the power of authenticity. 

“I think what’s significantly helped us is that we have established a great product and have lived and died by it,” the 32-year-old entrepreneur said of how he and his staff have earned regard. “We have a really gracious customer base that respects what we’re doing, too, so we’re staying humble and trying to improve each day.” 

Overseeing the 28-seat restaurant in the neighborhood that he dubbed “the best part of the culinary industry,” the proprietor caters to guests with a menu that, while minimal in size, helps him to tell his story as a Filipino-American enamored with remembering his roots.

“I think it’s nationally underrepresented,” the West Philly inhabitant and California native said of Filipino food. “I want to keep everything simple here. I put my identity into the dishes and present a respectable amount of options, so as not to overwhelm people.” 

Anies, who named his business, which started in 2019 as a food cart, after a Tagalog word meaning “chubby” or “fatty,” had previously taught and served as a medical researcher before deciding on culinary pursuits as his difference-making calling. The choice has proven quite beneficial, as Philadelphia Magazine recently named him its Top Chef and StarChefs declared him its Philadelphia Rising Stars Award Winner. As for what these publications and the public find fascinating about his food, Anies credits his being “a decent cook” for part of his success but also feels the food speaks for itself. 

“It’s my take on everything that makes Filipino food so irresistible for so many people,” he said in singling out Tabachoy’s pork spring rolls, or lumpia; pork adobo; and a Caesar salad that benefits from cured duck yolks, fermented shrimp paste, napa cabbage, and mustard greens, among other components. 

Add desserts, rotating specials, and BYOB classification, and Tabachoy has Anies feeling extremely happy to connect with customers and further his allegiance to culture. 

“I’m always seeking guidance and advice on how to become better because I want Tabachoy to be a vital member of this community,” Anies said. “I’m not here just to take.” 

Tabachoy
932 S. 10th St.
215-315-8720
Hours: 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
www.tabachoyphilly.com