Ba Bar Capitol Hill ★ 4.3
Ba Bar Capitol Hill in Seattle is the city's only proper late-night Vietnamese kitchen: pho until 02:00 weekdays, 03:30 weekends, bahn mi at the counter.
Try: Pho ga at 02:00
History
Filipino adobo descends from pre-Hispanic Philippine preservation techniques that paralleled (not derived from) the Spanish term adobo. Seattle has one of the largest Filipino populations on the US West Coast outside California; Beacon Hill and the ID anchored the community from the 1920s. Musang, Hood Famous Cafe and Inay's all run notable city versions in 2024-2026.
Common allergens: Soy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 1.2kg bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 120ml cane vinegar (Datu Puti) or white wine vinegar
- 120ml dark soy sauce (Filipino is best; Kikkoman as substitute)
- 60ml water
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar (optional, for Visayan-style sweetness)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 small bunch spring onions, sliced, to garnish
- Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
- Sliced cucumber and tomato salad, to serve
Method
- Pat the chicken thighs dry. Marinate 30 minutes in a large bowl with the vinegar, soy sauce, water, smashed garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and brown sugar if using. Do not skip the marinade.
- Lift the chicken from the marinade; reserve the liquid.
- Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken thighs skin-side down for 4 minutes until the skin is deep gold.
- Flip the chicken. Pour the reserved marinade back into the pan with the garlic and bay.
- Bring to a simmer. Cover partially and cook 30 minutes, turning the chicken every 10 minutes.
- Uncover and turn the heat to medium-high. Reduce the sauce for 12 to 15 minutes until it thickens to a glossy syrup that coats the chicken.
- Spoon the sauce continuously over the chicken in the last 5 minutes so the skin lacquers.
- Taste; if too sharp, add another teaspoon of sugar. If too sweet, splash in more vinegar off the heat.
- Plate the chicken with the garlic and bay clinging. Pour over the reduced sauce.
- Scatter with sliced spring onion. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and a cucumber-tomato salad.
Tip from the editors. The vinegar-and-soy ratio (1:1) is the canonical Filipino balance; do not add more soy. Cane vinegar is sweeter and rounder than white vinegar; seek it out.
Where to eat filipino adobo
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