Find your favorite comfort foods in a convenient form: the empanada.
Telegraph Avenue, a street frequently roamed by students on their way to and from class, was the home of a Filipino eatery called Kuboba Spot. When I first heard about this new Filipino shop opening in Berkeley, I found its name quite creative and representative of the culture. Its name was inspired by the term “bahay kubo”, a type of traditional house in the Philippine countryside. These houses were one of the main symbols of the Philippines, so combining “bahay kubo” and boba to make Kuboba was pretty clever. It further embraced the Filipino identity with a “bahay kubo” style decoration sitting inside the shop (super cute Instagram story potential) and Filipino-inspired boba drinks and empanadas. While the Philippines had its own version of the empanada, Kuboba Spot puts a unique twist on this pre-existing snack hailing from Latin America.
The first time I walked into Kuboba, I found the empanada fillings familiar—they were comfort foods I ate growing up! My dad was one of the best chefs I knew, often cooking Filipino foods such as chicken adobo, Filipino spaghetti, and salmon sinigang. Although I occasionally got to see my family in college, I didn’t always have the luxury of eating his meals, so seeing these nostalgic dishes packaged into empanadas intrigued me.
With all of the options Kuboba had to offer, I finally ordered the embutido (pork meatloaf) and mango cheesecake empanadas, excited to snack on something savory and sweet. After placing my order, I sat at a table next to the “bahay kubo” decor, admiring the small details. A few minutes later, I eagerly picked up my two empanadas, neatly placed inside a small brown box with a small cup of chili oil in the corner. As I bit into the embutido empanada (I always eat savory foods before sweet), memories of my dad’s cooking suddenly came to mind. It resembled what Anton Ego experienced when he took a bite of ratatouille from the movie Ratatouille. The sudden flood of memories made me realize how much of a staple Filipino food is in my life. Since that first visit, I’ve made my way to Kuboba Spot whenever I craved Filipino food.
Lunch
We ordered an Empanada Deal, allowing us to choose six empanadas out of eight options. While they all sounded tasty, we decided to go with fillings you would find at most Filipino restaurants: chicken adobo, longganisa omelette, kaldereta (beef stew), spicy curry potatoes with peas, mango cheesecake, and embutido. Unfortunately, we had to leave behind the pepperoni pizza and cheeseburger choices, but I highly recommended them as well! Kuboba included a guide to identify each empanada, so we had no trouble differentiating between them.
#SpoonTip: Kuboba’s empanadas don’t contain peanuts or tree nuts, providing a worry-free eating experience for those with these allergies.
Chicken Adobo
The first thing I noticed was the shredded chicken—this made it easy to eat since I didn’t have to worry about chunks or large cuts falling out mid-bite. Despite being shredded, the chicken remained incredibly juicy, holding all of the aromatics and sauces. The black pepper, garlic, and bay leaves shone through the umami of the soy sauce and tanginess of the vinegar. This empanada had that unmistakable adobo taste that all Filipinos love.
Longganisa Omelette
The golden, flaky crust of the empanada provided a satisfying contrast to the rich, hearty filling of longganisa. Although the longganisa provided a savory punch, the filling as a whole leaned toward a sweeter, garlicky profile—true to the essence of longganisa. Hints of soy sauce added depth, balancing the sweetness with a touch of umami. The use of pork enhanced the filling’s richness, ensuring each bite was packed with flavor and juiciness. Overall, this empanada tended to be more filling than some of the others.
Kaldereta (Beef Stew)
Similar to the chicken adobo, the shredded beef made the kaldereta empanada easy to eat. It was rich, hearty, and slightly tangy, with bits of veggies to accompany the beef. The veggies added a balanced, refreshing taste to the filling. The savory tomato base was the most notable flavor. I’m also used to a non-spicy version of kaldereta, so I was a little surprised when I noticed a hint of spice. It added an extra layer of complexity to this hearty filling.
Spicy Curry Potatoes with Peas
I’ll admit that I’m not entirely familiar with Filipino curry, but I have eaten Indian and Japanese curries, so I could still recognize key aspects of the flavor. To start, this empanada was vegetarian-friendly. Even without meat, the filling captured the warm, savory nature of curry. The peas and potatoes enhanced the curry flavor, too. More importantly, the staff were not kidding about the spicy aspect. It was definitely the spiciest empanada, but it completed the classic flavors of the turmeric, cumin, coriander, and earthiness of the curry. It was reminiscent of a samosa!
Mango Cheesecake
The mango cheesecake empanada was undoubtedly one of my favorites, especially because it reminded me of a peach mango pie from Jollibee (which I highly recommend trying). It was the perfect sweet treat—not overly sugary but just enough to satisfy a craving. The mango filling tasted refreshingly natural, adding a bright, tropical burst to each bite. The chunks of mango brought a pleasant texture, while the warm cream cheese contributed a subtle richness, rounding out the flavors without overpowering them. It really did remind me of a mango cheesecake!
Embutido (Pork Meatloaf)
The flavor of embutido was reminiscent of longganisa due to its generous use of garlic, but it set itself apart by emphasizing deep savory umami rather than sweetness. Kuboba preserved this classic taste with juicy and hearty pork. Half of a boiled egg maintained the dish’s rich complexity and created a well-balanced, satisfying bite. The presence of green peas, carrots, raisins, and bell peppers was typical ingredients in an embutido (especially my dad’s), so this medley added a nice touch of home for me. This empanada was another one of my favorites.
Aside from its fantastic empanadas, Kuboba Spot’s staff was incredibly warm and kind. They always had a smile on their faces and were attentive to their customers. This kind of atmosphere helped me feel welcome whenever I stepped foot in the shop, making it feel as if I’m back home and ready to eat something my dad made. So if you’re walking down Telegraph and craving some Filipino food, I highly recommend visiting Kuboba Spot to try these exquisite empanadas!