Forks down, this is the one

For Father's Day or any feast, Mr. Cochinillo's signature roast delivers flavor without fuss

- FELICIANO RODRIGUEZ III

The street is quiet. 16 Major Santos Dizon in Marikina City is a narrow, unassuming road lined with rustling trees. Across the Nativity of Our Lady Parish Church, a two-story building stands quietly. Inside, a slow fire burns and pork skin crisps.

This is the Cochinillo Table, home of Tinee de Guzman, known throughout Manila simply as Mr. Cochinillo. For more than a decade, he has roasted suckling pigs until the skin blisters to a perfect crackle and the meat falls apart under a spoon. His cochinillo has become a fixture at birthdays, holidays, and family gatherings.

Guests are welcomed first into the downstairs space, a tribute to the tactile. Vinyl records line the shelves, vintage bric-a-brac, and audio equipment that looks like it could still belt out a Sinatra tune in full analog glory. It feels like a collector's living room, a place built with memory, with music, and with care.

That sense of togetherness is part of what defines the Cochinillo Table.