Bring Some Magic to Your Home Table with Traditional Local Kakanin Delicacies and Savory Noodles by Kobe's Magic

In yet another inspiring story born out of the pandemic and long days of the lockdown, the love of cooking at home for the family sparked an idea that seemed so right and serendipitous for Karlyn and Fernando Canon. As Karlyn perfected her Guinataang Bilo-Bilo with Langka, word soon spread about her nostalgic homespun delicacies first through friends and eventually staging its own viral breakout on the net. Named after their children Kobe and Magic, Kobe's Magic is now top-of-mind when it comes to traditional kakanin delicacies and pancit noodle dishes lovingly prepared in one home kitchen to your table. Guinataang Bilo-Bilo with Langka, Inutak, Biko Bibingka, OG Biko, Palabok and Pancit Sisig, rediscover these childhood staples with a fresh new spin and bring some magic to your table from Kobe's Magic.

The uncertainties of a new normal didn't deter the couple from pursuing their passion project with its steady base of loyal customers for their signature offerings, and now they've set their sights on reaching even more customers with the opening of their first-ever flagship shop in San Juan. The goal is now to open more branches not only in Metro Manila, but nationwide. It's true what they say, there are always two sides to every crisis. Karlyn and Fernando Canon boldly took the flip side rediscovering cherished family recipes for their line-up of local sweet and savory specialties like Guinataang Bilo-Bilo with Langka, Inutak, Biko Bibingka, OG Biko, Palabok and Pancit Sisig. Ready bring some magic to your home dining table from Kobe's Magic? Let's start then with their Guinataang Bilo-Bilo with Langka (P 149 Solo/P 199 Sharing)...

...a rich and comforting dessert consisting of glutinous rice balls draped in smooth and decadent coconut cream with jackfruit and tapioca pearls. Packed and sealed in a biodegradable container lined with banana leaf, the Guinataang Bilo-Bilo with Langka by Kobe's Magic takes you back to carefree childhood summers. Remember those days when you'd go for another bowl of your grandma's guinataan but choosing only the soft bilo-bilo, tapioca pearls and strips of sweet jackfruit slathered in the rich coconut cream? That's exactly what this is, and Kobe's Magic recreates not only the flavors but the warm nostalgic vibe with every spoonful.

Richer, creamier and made with a whole lot of love, it's easy to see why the Guinataang Bilo-Bilo with Langka by Kobe's Magic was such a hit back in the long days of the quarantine experience as we all searched for something meaningful to reconnect with like comfortingly familiar flavors to warm the palate. 

The lingering sweetness of the jackfruit, the soft and lusciously chewy texture of the glutinous rice balls, the delicate bite of the tapioca pearls and the sinful finish of the coconut cream comes together in a delectable play of textural contrasts. Each spoonful drapes the palate with a decadent richness triggering so many fond memories taking you back in time before the pandemic stopped everything.

The Guinataang Bilo-Bilo with Langka by Kobe's Magic is delivered still warm, and best enjoyed immediately at its flavorful peak.

And there's more. Kobe's Magic reinvents the traditional biko with its inventive Biko Bibingka (P 149 Solo/P 199 Sharing) for a refreshingly new twist. A charred caramelized crust delivers an intense sweetness finished by the soft and sticky rice below for a burst of hearty and nostalgic notes.  

The caramelized top layer adds a lavish sweetness to the sticky rice for another homestyle creation that just hits the spot.  

For purists, Kobe's Magic also offers the more traditional OG Biko (P 149 Solo/P 199 Sharing) with its familiar flavors and textures topped with latik... 

...masterfully executed by a passionate home kitchen. The soft finish of the sticky glutinous rice elevates this delicacy from the more widely available commercial options. Made fresh everyday with the best local ingredients, it's this difference that sets the kakanin offerings of Kobe's Magic apart from the others.  

Then, there's the Inutak (P 199 Solo P 249 Sharing), my personal pick from Kobe's Magic. The layered rice cake delicacy with ube and creamy coconut milk is almost similar to the multi-colored sapin-sapin but instead of different rice cake varieties laid out on the bilao, the Inutak is much simpler focusing on two layers yet delivers the same decadent notes. Just like the guinataan when you just pick the bilo-bilo covered in coconut cream, I've always preferred the ube portion topped with the white coconut cream in the sapin-sapin and the Inutak  makes it a whole lot simpler. 

It's everything you love in a rice cake, uncluttered and uncomplicated with its layers of ube and coconut cream and nothing else. And that's exactly how I like it. 

Take a slice and you'll soon discover pure, sticky and smooth indulgence. A bite then seals the deal. More than the sweetness, it's the mouthfeel and textural play that makes this delicacy a must-try at Kobe's Magic. Enjoying it fresh and still warm from the kitchen of Kobe's Magic makes all the difference. 

Kobe's Magic also offers savory local noodle dishes like the Palabok (P 149 Solo/P 249 Sharing/P 449 Party) with thin and soft noodles generously topped with shrimps, crunchy chicharon, smoked fish flakes and boiled egg slathered in a bright orange and rich annatto-infused shrimp-based sauce.   

The thick shrimp sauce is the flavorful base that ties everything together followed by the distinct notes from the shrimps with its fresh and briny sweetness, the crunch of the pork cracklings, the smoky hints from the tinapa and the boiled egg. And unlike more commercial options with its usual thin sauce, this one packs it with solid flavors from the thicker shrimp sauce. You'll want to order the Sharing option for this one.

The Pancit Sisig (P 159 Solo/P 259 Sharing/P 459 Party) is another must-try at Kobe's Magic with noodles draped in a creamy sauce and topped with tender pork, crisp pork cracking, red onions and fiery chilies. The creamy richness of the dish is perfectly tempered by the soothing heat from the chilies and sharp bite of the red onions for a balanced finish.

And Kobe's Magic piles it high with its load of sisig and its contrasting soft, chewy and crisp textures made even richer with its creamy white sauce. That's a double dose of richness. Each bite brings layers of flavor and unrestrained savory goodness. For those who love sisig, you just won't have it any other way.

The Solo Portion is a meal in itself, and it might be a good idea to go for the Sharing Portion just to be sure. One bite, you know you want more. The popular sisig is celebrated in so many inventive executions nowadays, and it's good to see one more creative expression while staying true to the unctuous richness of the original dish with the Pancit Sisig by Kobe's Magic.

...just take a quick look at their menu. Pick-up or delivery, let Kobe's Magic bring some magic to your table (click the links below to view the menu or submit an order).

What started with the Guinataang Bilo-Bilo with Langka during the height of the pandemic has now grown and evolved to include other kakanin staples and savory pancit noodle dishes lovingly created in the kitchens of Kobe's Magic. Time to pull out your mobile device and add to cart...