Kagay-anons love food, you can tell by counting how many food parks, hubs, and buffet restaurants the city has. We all enjoy trying something new whether going solo or with a group of friends. This time my curious taste buds lead me to Cocoy’s Beef Pares and Mami House for my very first “Beef Pares Experience”.
Cocoy’s Beef Pares and Mami House began in the mid-90s and originated in Manila, and found its way to Cagayan de Oro in November of 2019 thanks to Bernard Julius Rocha, a surgeon by profession who brought the first branch of Cocoy’s Beef Pares and Mami House to this city. The owner of the franchiser of Cocoy’s and Bernard are close friends.
Meanwhile, the restaurant is located inside of Affinity Games owned by Joe Stutzke (Husband of Bernard’s cousin) establish in 2015. What makes the venue great is that you can eat, play, and relax at the same time; which is always an awesome combo for young adults and for those kids at heart.
But more of that later on, let’s get down to business and eat.
SIGNATURE BEEF PARES & MAMI
Cocoy’s Beef Pares is relatively a simple straightforward Filipino dish and a favorite among students, and workers in Luzon. Its beef cutlets drowned in sweet soy sauce and spiced with anise, served with beef broth, fried rice, and chili sauce and herbs. Unlike its counterpart in Manila, Cagayan de Oro’s version is toned down in terms of sweetness and much spicier than its original recipe.
Bernard said “The original was delicious and sweet. However, we notice that it doesn’t fit well with the food goers in Mindanao, because most, if not all love spicy food. So what we did was we toned down the sweetness and up the spiciness of the Beef Pares.”
He recalled when he had his friend taste his version, he immediately loved it, and now it’s available in his restaurant as well in Manila. No wonder Kagay-anons enjoy eating this type of Filipino dish, it’s both tasty and affordable and a filling meal perfect for students, workers, and even couples. Its Beef Pares isn’t your regular dish as it is consistently ranked in the Top 5 of Manila’s best Beef Pares.
One
other dish Cocoy’s is known for is its Mami dishes. They have five variations
of their Mami each with their distinct flavors. But one Mami stands out and
that is their “Super Mami” (P120). It’s a mixture of fresh vegetables, beef
broth, spices, giant pork siomai, wanton, chicken and beef cutlets and served
hot in a bowl. It’s probably the biggest siomai I have ever seen anywhere in
CDO. The siomai is meaty, sweet, and delicious – unlike the regular siomai we
commonly see, this is all meat!
AFFINITY GAMES
Aside from offering delicious meals Cocoy’s Beef Pares and Mami House also serves as a community hub for toys, cards, board game enthusiasts in the city. They buy and sell collectible card and board games, toys, Warhammer, and host weekly games.
Overall a great place to hang out while eating or playing with friends.
They offer Nintendo Switch rentals for P75 an hour or P225 for three, Buy and Sells Magic the Gathering cards and a wide variety of board games. Planning on selling some of your collections? Visit them at Grand Central, corner Pabayo-Hayes St., they are open from 11 AM to 8 PM; or go online at Affinityccg.com. Cocoy’s Beef Pares and Mami House is also available on FoodPanda.
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
