The Adobros

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The Adobros

The Adobros is a Filipino restaurant and caterer located in New Cross, London. Specializing in home-cooked and hearty Filipino food, The Adobros brings the warm welcome, social sharing, festive feasting, and distinctively delicious flavors of Filipino cuisine to their diners through their supper clubs, pop-ups, private events and meal kits. Founded by culinary team Mike & Mark Corbyn who have been serving up their unique brand of Filipino classics since 2013.

Recent social media posts

27/05/2026

Last week, I headed on west to my favourite Hanwell establishment, and introduced the fine folks there to some of my favourite flavours of Cebu.
Larang - a favourite snack/breakfast soup of fishermen at the island's markets; Lumpia - with the Five Spice flavours reminiscent of the popular street food ngohiong; Humba - the sweet, aromatic and savoury pork belly braise that emerged from Filipino-Chinese kitchens in the region; Torta de Cebu - the fluffy and chewy lardy cake that is famed particularly in the south of the island.
I love being able to widen people's view of what is Filipino food beyond the standard staples and fiesta classics that we often see in restaurants and at festivals. And I love it that people also, er, love it too!
Thank you to the Hanwell Massive for having me back, it was a pleasure!

18/05/2026

You find me at a very Visayan time of my life... gearing up for my pop-up this Wednesday, which brings the flavours of Cebu to west London.
As part of this, I've been reflecting on one of the more unique ingredients I've had the privilege to work with: Visayan laurel, commonly called dahon ng laurel, paminta, mana, kalingag or kaningag, - or more specifically, the dried leaf of one of the 25 (!) Cinnamomum species that grow in the Philippines. As observed by and , the dried leaves are often used in a similar way to bay leaves; they are all part of the Lauraceae family, after all!
Since the bay leaf as we often know it derives from the Mediterranean version, I do wonder whether its introduction displaced local ingredients like local Cinnamomum leaves, which are often harvested wild from now-endangered trees.
Now that I have some (from ), I've tried using it instead of bay leaves in some of the Visayan dishes in my repertoire: in Humba, the sweet, savoury and fragrant pork belly stew that originated in Filipino-Chinese kitchens in the Visayas (photo 2); as well as in Adobong Pina-uga, a Cebuano version of confit adobo that has a likely pre-colonial heritage (photo 3). And I must say, it adds a wonderful, slightly sweet and cinnamon-y spiced and floral element to the dishes, much more pronounced than anything you'd get from bay leaves.
It's fascinating being able to explore local ingredients and reflect on the history and culture that surrounds their usage; it makes me feel like I can ground my dishes more solidly in an indigenous Filipino context.
If you fancy trying my Humba, I'll be dishing it up this Wednesday at the Dodo; link in bio.

16/04/2026

Preparations for the first wedding catering of the year are underway. Buko pie, or shortcrust pastry filled with a young coconut custard. One of the desserts to be dropped off at a wedding party this Sunday.
Wedding season for The Adobros has officially begun!

15/04/2026

CALAMANSI POSSET. Another classic flavour of the Philippines in a radically different format. Heated sweetened cream set with calamansi juice, it's luscious, smooth, tangy and overall just a great way to end the evening.
This one has been on the menu for quite a few years now: I've always loved possets (a traditional English dessert), and it was a very easy shift in mindset to swap out the usual lemon juice for calamansi, to blend in that sharp and zingy Filipino citrus that's a cornerstone of many of our marinades, sauces and dishes. English and Filipino... just like me!
And since posset is usually paired with shortbread, well of course that could be replaced by BROWN BUTTER POLVORON, my take on the toasted flour biscuit/shortbread that is a much-loved treat throughout the Philippines and the diaspora. I like to describe my polvoron as a satisfyingly biscuits biscuit, and it works so well with posset.
For the final touch, I riff off another flavour combo - calamansi and ginger, which we can often find in the restorative salabat drink - and throw in a sprinkle of candied ginger. Many recipes I found online get you to parboil and rinse the ginger, to soften its spiciness... but seeing as Filipinos often embrace that biting heat, I don't do that. And the resulting fieriness that's retained is my secret weapon here.
Pictured as served last week. Expect to see more of this on my menus this summer 🌞🌞🌞

14/04/2026

PALABOK DEVILLED EGGS. That old school classic (egg yolk mix piped into a boiled egg half) crossed with the flavours of pancit palabok (one of the finest examples of the many seafood sauce noodles in the Philippines, and one of my mum's favourite dishes). Prawny, fishy, garlicky, eggy, and topped off with garlic prawns and chicharron-chive crumb - it's such a flavour-packed oomph of a bite.
Devilled eggs came back into my life at a lovely seaside lunch (very sadly RIP) last year, and it got me thinking about how I could put this underrated yet pretty little thing on a menu in some way. Then, on my IG feed the other month, I saw making palabok devilled eggs... and I was intrigued. Now all I needed was a reason to try it out.
Last week's kitchen takeover was just that reason. And so, I took my own palabok sauce recipe (punches of prawn stock, garlic, patis, achuete, bagoong) and blended it with a hard-boiled egg yolk, then finished it off with garlic-fried prawns and chicharron blitzed into a crumb with chives. Now, here was something I was happy to serve up: an ode to the flavours of palabok, but in a radically different format.
Happy folks!

11/04/2026

First dish off the pass at last Thursday's dinner : a trio of Lumpiang Gulay, vegetable spring rolls flavoured with Five Spice, as they sometimes do in Cebu City. As they say, ain't a Filipino party if there ain't no lumpia!
Was great fun and honour to be given the opportunity to cook up a selection of Filipino dishes - some that are Adobros classics, and some that are new - for the late night crowd as well as those who came specifically for the food. I really do appreciate everyone who turns up and supports, I couldn't do this without you. And it fills my heart with joy when people enjoy the flavours of the Philippines I grew up with.
Thank you to the Alba crew as well for ensuring that the night ran smoothly. Maraming, daghang salamat!

01/04/2026

Happy ! Every April, Filipinos around the world celebrate and share the food and culinary culture that we all love. And this year, I've got a couple of dinners for you guys to come join, to enjoy a little taste of the Philippines!
Firstly, I'm taking over the kitchen on Thursday 9th April and serving up an a la carte menu of delicious bites that go oh so well with both their drinks offering AND the late night opening of the art gallery next door. Food, art, and drinks - the cultural triple header!
🗓️ Thu 9th April
🕜 6pm - 9pm
📍 Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street E1 7QX
✍️ DM me to book a table or to let me know you're coming!
Secondly, I'm opening up my dining room (a rare occasion these days) on Saturday 11th April for a charity fundraising dinner on behalf of . A set menu of some Adobros classics, it'll be a hearty, homely and intimate meal with friends old and new
🗓️ Sat 11th April
🕜 7pm
📍 New Cross SE14 (address provided to attendees)
✍️ Find the ticket link in my bio to book
Additionally, if I get around to it, I'll publish a couple more pieces on my Substack, For the Love of Adobo, which is my love (news)letter to all things Filipino food. There's some good reads on there already covering all sorts of topics from ginataan to the food of Mindanao to the Good Friday lechon of Bantayan Island to spice in Filipino cuisines. You can subscribe via one of the links in my bio.
Kain na tayo, let's eat!

31/03/2026

SUPPER CLUB NEWS - on Saturday 11th April, I'll be opening up my dining room in New Cross SE14 to throw a special fundraising dinner for . A southeast London-based charity with a focus on healthcare, maternity care, local community initiatives, education and animal welfare, they're doing good work both locally and globally.
I'll be serving up a menu showcasing some classic Adobros dishes: zesty and fresh kinilaw, punchy and savoury pork belly adobo, luscious and creamy leche flan. If there was any better way of experiencing the best flavours of the Philippines, then you let me know! 😄
Book yourself in for a delicious dinner in the comfort of my home, and help raise funds for a worthy charity. Link to book in bio, or go to https://www.brunbearfoundation.uk/product-page/an-award-winning-4-course-filipino-feast-awaits
Maraming, daghang salamat!

24/03/2026

Lechon Belly Roll. One of the mains at last Saturday's private dinner.
Butterflied pork belly seasoned then rolled with lemongrass and alliums; sous vide for 24 hours; then finished off in the oven for that cr-cr-cr-crunchy skin. Served with a lemongrass gravy made from its drippings
An ode to the lechon of Cebu, the whole roast pigs that the island province is famed for. As I told the diners, I do think Cebu lechon is the best (and I say this not under any duress from my Cebuana wife *blinks furiously*).
April onward I'm starting to get very busy with my big events, but there are still plenty of days available for small private dinners, if that's what you fancy!

19/03/2026

Continuing on with the ube thing... this is my ube cake. Slathered with cream cheese icing, and dusted with grated caramelised white chocolate. And, as in the last photo, served with some white chocolate semifreddo.
When I wanted to bake an ube cake, my starting point was that I didn't really like many of the chiffon cakes that typify most ube cakes. Always found them too sweet and too insubstantial. And so, the question I asked myself was: what cake do I really, really absolutely love? My mum's carrot cake.
It was surprisingly straightforward to swap in grated ube for grated carrot. And it really does work with all the trappings of my mum's carrot cake - the addition of pineapple and chopped nuts (I use cashew these days), and the cream cheese icing. And, through trial and error, I came upon the combination of white chocolate and ube. And then caramelising the white chocolate? One of the best things I learnt to do!
I baked this for a private birthday party I catered last month. And I really did wish that I could have stolen a slice for myself 😄

18/03/2026

POP-UP ALERT! Come celebrate Filipino Food Month in April with me on Thursday 9th April!
As part of their longstanding and popular Thursday Aperitivo Evenings, I will taking over the kitchen at Alba and serving up a selection of a la carte dishes to enjoy with their fine inventory of drinks - and the Thursday late opening of the art gallery.
Eat, drink and enjoy art - that is the essence of the evening!
I'll be drawing from my repertoire of classics - lumpia, lechon kawali, piaparan, ensaladang kamatis, calamansi posset - and introducing some newer dishes, like palabok devilled eggs and beef kaldereta tart. All in all, a great showcase of the many great flavours we have in the Philippines.
To book yourselves in, do drop me a DM!
🗓️ Thursday 9th April
🕜 6pm-9pm
📍Alba Caffe, Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street E1 7QX (nearest station is Aldgate East)
🍚 A la carte menu and drinks to order at the bar
Please do inform me of any dietary requirements/allergens so that I can provide further information or advice

16/02/2026

Last but not least, the sweet treats ending our 10-dish menu for mine and Filipino x Canto Lunar New Year feast, coming at you this Saturday 21st February. Wouldn't want you to miss out - ticket link is in the bio!
🍡 Ube Tong Yuen Bilo-Bilo - it didn't take us long to realise that Hong Kong tong yuen and Filipino bilo-bilo are very close cousins - glutinous rice balls served in a hot sweet soup. Something perfect for this weather! To ground this in a Filipino context, we serve them in coconut milk, and fill them to the brim with ube, the purple yam we all know and love.
🍘 Ampaw - this one is a favourite of mine: puffed rice bars bound together with honey and studded with nuts. Not only is it a classic sweet treat in Cebu, but we felt that the texture would match up well with the soupier tong yuen bilo-bilo. And, quite importantly, ampaw sounds very similar to angpao, one of the Filipino-Hokkien words for the lucky red packets, lai see etc. that are gifted at Lunar New Year, and we all love a good pun!
🍬 Brown Butter Polvoron - of course we have to finish the evening with some pasalubong, those little gifts that you bring home with you to show your loved ones that you were thinking of them on your travels. Polvoron, the crumbly and powdery Filipino 'shortbread', is one of the more popular pasalubong, and we think is just the right thing to send our guests away with, a pleasant souvenir of what should be a wonderful evening.
Tara na, come join us!

15/02/2026

Not long until the Filipino x Canto Lunar New Year Supperclub me and will be doing on Saturday 21st! Tickets still available, see the link in my bio.
What's on the menu for the main course?
🍚 Kiampong - an umami-rich glutinous rice dish with lots of lovely bits in it, finished off with adobo lechon kawali. Kiampong is a popular festive dish amongst Filipino-Chinese families, and like other glutinous rice dishes is symbolic of family 'sticking' together. As it often has a pork element, why not make that the quintessential Filipino deep-fried pork belly that is lechon kawali?
🐟 Steamed Fish Pinaputok - steamed whole fish is a classic festive dish, both in Hong Kong and the Philippines, so of course we had to add it. For that Filipino element, we are wrapping it up in banana leaves, and making it a pinaputok i.e. a stuffed fish that 'bursts', hopefully with abundance in keeping with new Year wishes. The filling will be a take on a ginisa, what we might call the Filipino mirepoix or sofrito or onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes. Delicious.
🥬 Cabbage Rolls - who doesn't love a delicious cabbage roll? Lovely pretty little things that evoke our time in Hong Kong, and updated just to be delicious and perfect for our current tastes.
🥦 Pinatisang Greens - a Chinese, let alone a Lunar New Year, feast is not complete without some sort of stir-fried veg. In keeping with the blending of our Hong Kong and Philippines backgrounds, our stir-fried veg will have a dash of patis, the Filipino fish sauce, which will add that extra bit of oomph.
🍲 Lotus Root Sinigang - sinigang-soaked rice was one of the first things I remember eating, and Chris also grew up enjoying its tangy tamarind flavours, so when we were thinking of a soup element for our dinner, it had to be that. Combining it with lotus root, a popular vegetable that is also treasured because of its rich symbolism, we feel that we are making it a truly Filipino x Canto sinigang.
Do come join us on the 21st! We'd love to cook for you and share our love of the food we grew up with.

11/02/2026

Fancy feasting at a Filipino x Canto Lunar New Year Supperclub, courtesy of and ? Coming hot and fresh to you on Saturday 21st February, . So what's on the menu?
To start us off:
🍡 Fishball siu mai - we love our siu mai / siomai in the Philippines and in Hong Kong, and they're always popular festive treats. In Hong Kong, instead of the classic pork and shrimp combo, you can more often find the fishball version on street corners as well as takeaway counters; springy, chewy, full of umami richness and a hint of the sea. Paired with an aromatic and gingery fermented shrimp paste and coconut sauce that riffs on the ginataan dishes of the Philippines, and hints at fishball curry, we think it's a strong start to the night.
🍥 Lumpiang Gulay - as we say in the Philippines, it ain't a party if there's no lumpia! A staple of Filipino-Chinese households that has crossed into the mainstream, lumpia is the Filipino descendant of Chinese spring rolls, which as the name suggests celebrates the ushering in of spring. Our version is spiced with Five Spice, paying homage to the ngohiong spring rolls of Cebu City.
🥗 Atchara Salad - atchara, the all-purpose pickle of the Philippines, is turned into salad form. With a tinge of sweetness and gingeriness, our atchara stands up well to the richer siu mai and lumpia also on offer, making for a great accompaniment that sings of freshness and lightness.
Tickets still available, so hit us up if you want a bite to eat! Ticket link in bio

09/02/2026

This one's coming up hot and fast! Just under two weeks until our special one-off x Filipino x Canto Lunar New Year Supper club taking place on Saturday 21st February.
For £75 a head, you'll get a fantastic sharing meal of 10 dishes that reflect the flavours and recipes we love from our common Filipino heritage and childhoods growing up in Hong Kong. We'll go through the dishes over the next few days, but suffice to say they are all BANGERS (we've been taste-testing them, so yeah we can say this).
Ticket link is in my bio - do come join us, we'd love to cook for you!

04/02/2026

What's this, a new Substack post? One that's been brewing for a while, but happy to get this up and published on For the Love of Adobo (many thanks to Salon Series a few days back for providing additional food for thought to get this over the line).
Say hello to my Filipino Market Stall Bingo, or a collection of my most common FAQs - some relating to customer service, but many relating to my identity as an English-Filipino mixed race kid who just wants to cook delicious Filipino food for people. Unsurprisingly, I don't always like it when someone questions my identity, particularly if they're doing so with a negative attitude.
Do have a read on theadobros.substack.com, and if you like the sound of it why not subscribe too?

31/12/2025

The new year is upon us! I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to a new year of The Adobros, and what it may bring. I say this, because I think that 2025, despite some setbacks, has been a good year for sharing my love of Filipino food - my first full-on wedding season, a few good pop-ups and residencies, and a nice little award - and so I think it's fair to say that there is opportunity to build on this in 2026.
But until then, here's a run-down of some of my favourite 2025 moments:
1) Jan - Lumpia for launch party for her book, An A-Z of Chinese Food (Recipes Not Included)
2) Feb - Private dinner kamayan feast
3) Mar - Buko Pie and Ube Ice Cream for
4) April - Calamansi Posset during my residency
5) May - Kamayan platters for .london wedding
6) Jun - Wedding snacks .arts
7) Jul - Food stall at a wedding
8) Aug - Lechon Kawali bites for wedding
9) Sep - celebrASIA
10) Oct - Fundraising for earthquake and typhoon relief in the Philippines (including a dinner )
11) Nov - Lunch meals for social justice charities
12) Dec - Christmas Market
Happy New Year everyone, Manigong Bagong Taon!

28/12/2025

If, like me, you've been struggling with a bit of ill-health and the cold weather, you might be looking for something hearty and comforting to restore and soothe the soul. Enter in the Filipino soup.
Perfect for the as well as trends, these soups are straightforward, relatively easy to make, and packing lots of flavour, warmth and nutrition.
1) Tinola, the classic Filipino chicken stew resplendent with ginger and aromatics.
2) Sinigang, the sour stew that sets Filipino taste buds tingling. Often tamarind-based but also using other sour fruits, the tanginess matches well with meaty and rich seafoods, or even pork belly/ribs.
3) Nilaga, an aromatic soup that turns tougher cuts of beef into a luxuriant and flavoursome experience.
4) Binakol, a relative of tinola that uses coconut water as the base, which adds a little sweetness to proceedings.
5) Larang, a sour and umami-packed fish stew from Cebu. Super-quick to make, a result of its origin as a 'fast food' for fishermen, it's a lovely way to enjoy fish.
6) Utah Bisaya, a simple vegetable stew that can be amped up with patis/fish sauce, or kept vegan.
Serve them all with hot and steaming jasmine rice, and they're a wonderful cure for all sorts of ailments.
If you want to read more about these and how to make them, you can head to my Substack, For the Love of Adobo. Bit of an old post, but it's still useful! https://theadobros.substack.com/p/knowing-filipino-food-soup-season

17/12/2025

Last Saturday at the Christmas Market, dishing up my favourite flavours of the Philippines whilst doing my best to look like an old school greengrocer.
I started the session by pushing some Lugaw - gingery Filipino rice porridge - topped with either oyster mushroom or shredded pork rib adobo, with additional condiments of choice, and this build-your-own lugaw was quite the hit! Hearty, warming, filling, comforting, and above all just delicious.
I then followed up by flogging some condiments, including my two Great Taste awardees - the Atchara (a great all-purpose pickle that goes with everything) and the Palapa Sprinkle (a highly aromatic and spiced umami sprinkle that provides the finishing touch to everything from soups to rice to salads). Always a joy to speak to people - who turned out in droves exceeding expectations - and help them introduce some Filipino flair into their cookery.
And last but definitely not least, the Bibingka that is an absolute hit every Christmastime - chewy, fluffy, spongy, not too sweet and with a hint of cheesy savouriness.
As I mentioned to someone on the day, having this space available for those of us with an ESEA background to share, showcase and just to be ourselves is invaluable. It is a wonderful community, and I thank those who brought me into it - particularly all the way back in the day.
Still a few things left to do, but starting the wind down to the holidays now. Maligayang Pasko everybody!

10/12/2025

First batch of Christmas bibingka dropped off at the post office for delivery. Thank you to everyone who put an order in.
Am all sold out now for delivery slots for this week and next - so if you are still wanting bibingka, the only opportunity you have left is to come see me at the Christmas market this Saturday 13th December, from 1pm-5pm.

30/11/2025

Bibingka news dropping soon... The Adobros' Christmas shop will be opening imminently. Fluffy, chewy, spongy coconut-rice batter cakes baked in banana leaves, with a keso de bola (Edam cheese) topping; available by post nationwide.
Sign up to the newsletter to hear about it first. Or you can wait for the social media posts that will follow shortly after.

15/11/2025

A late goodbye to summer - a tomato salad, ensaladang kamatis.
Isle of Wight tomatoes, garnished with brined shallots and rocket, and dressed in sweetened coconut vinegar. A wonderful side dish to complement any meal.
Although we do have a number of tomato salads in the Philippines (often with salted duck egg mixed in, an elite combo), this specific dish grew out of the relish my mum used to make - a mix of chopped onions, tomatoes, salt, pepper, vinegar and oil - most usually whenever she made adobo. Suffice to say, at the very first Adobros supper club, we had adobo and ensaladang kamatis on the menu.
Of course, the version I make nowadays is several iterations on from that, but when I get my hands on the most beautiful (my father is an island born-and-bred caulkhead), I still feel a closeness to both my parents.

13/11/2025

"Not your average sandwich tray"; no indeed not - catering for a small office lunch yesterday with Filipino rice bowls
🍗 Pyanggang Manok - burnt coconut turmeric lemongrass chicken in coconut milk
🍄 Oyster Mushroom Adobo - roasted then tossed in my Filipino Adobo Glaze
🥦 Ginataang Gulay - butternut squash and green beans with miso in coconut milk
🫘 Tempeh Kawali - fermented soybean cake simmered with lemongrass and alliums then deep-fried
Always a joy to surprise and delight people with the flavours of the Philippines I grew up with.
Fancy having the same for your team?

Address

New Cross
London
SE14

To get to the Filipino restaurant and caterer in New Cross, London, one can take the Overground or National Rail to New Cross Station. From there, it's a short walk to the restaurant. Alternatively, one can drive and park on nearby streets or use a car park in the area.

Website

http://theadobros.com/

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What people say

Filipino restaurants are known for their warm hospitality, social sharing, and delicious flavors. The Adobros in New Cross, London is no exception. This Filipino supper club offers a unique dining experience that captures the best of Filipino food culture. The culinary team of Mike and Mark Corbyn have been serving up home-cooked and hearty Filipino meals since 2013 through their home meal kits, supper clubs, pop-ups, and private events.

The Adobros' take on classic Filipino dishes is distinctively delicious. From their signature adobo to their crispy pata, every dish is made with care and attention to detail. The warm welcome and festive feasting make dining at The Adobros a truly memorable experience.

Located in Southeast London, The Adobros' flat has been transformed into a cozy dining space where guests can enjoy authentic Filipino cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Whether you're looking for a quick bite or a full-on feast, The Adobros has got you covered.

So if you're craving some Filipino comfort food or just want to try something new, head over to The Adobros in New Cross. Kain na tayo! Let's eat now!

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