Patatas in Adobo? The Internet is Divided Over One Controversial Tweet
May 30, 2022 • Kyzia Maramara
May 30, 2022 • Kyzia Maramara
There are a few questionable food combinations in life that would have you almost gagging at the thought of its existence. For example, raisins in anything that isn’t a bar of milk chocolate is a crime. Pineapple on pizza has long been a contentious issue in the foodie world. But who knew that people could get into impassioned debates over patatas in adobo? That’s exactly what happened recently on Twitter.
Because suntukan na lang
— Gabe Mercado (@gabemercado) May 28, 2022
If you were scrolling through Twitter over the weekend, you might’ve come across a controversial tweet. Gabe Mercado (from theiconic Yakult commercial “Okay ka ba tiyan?”) expressed his opinion on a classic Filipino dish via a tweet: “This is your reminder not to put extra things like patatas in adobo.”
To those who would disagree with him, he only had one thing to say: “Suntukan nalang.”
Now we know adobo recipes differ based on a family’s palate or own take of the dish so that tweet was bound to ruffle a few feathers on the Internet. And that’s precisely what happened.
Would netizens take something like this lying down? The same people who have fought for decades about whether pineapples deserve to be on pizza? Of course not.
Patatas in adobo is god tier, lalo na kapag pinrito. I think the extra thing that shouldn’t be here is your opinion on my feed eme. I just love potatoes so much tho https://t.co/Cm2NrodJYe
— jay #AngatBuhayNGO 🌸 (@JEOMARCUS) May 28, 2022
“Patatas in adobo is god tier, lalo na kapag pinrito” one Twitter user said. “I think the extra thing that shouldn’t be here is your opinion on my feed eme. I just love potatoes so much tho.”
Mercado’s original tweet has garnered 13.2k likes as of writing, so quite a few people agree with him. But a quick scroll through the more than 4k quote tweets will reveal that almost everyone didn’t appreciate the potato slander.
i love patatas in my adobo. actually, i love patatas in almost everything lmao
i think he mispelled carrots… hmm? https://t.co/LssM1jazvd
— jireh. (@ninxvjrh) May 28, 2022
WDYM!?!? ADOBO W/O PATATAS IS NOT ADOBO, DON’T TALK TO ME IF UR NOT FOND OF POTATOES!?!! PATI CORNED BEEF, KAILANGAN MAY PATATAS DUUHH
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻— you are (@etheryelI) May 29, 2022
This is your reminder to put extra patatas in adobo. https://t.co/zZ3qR67Hnu
— seiruhhhh 🎀 #AngatBuhay (@lakwatsarah) May 28, 2022
The barrage of tweets shows that so many Filipinos enjoy having potatoes in their adobo. But aside from the sheer love for these yummy starchy tubers, why do people put potatoes in adobo? A tweet that replied to Mercado’s debatable opinion explained that Filipinos use it as an extender, something to increase the serving size if there isn’t enough meat. Potatoes can also help balance out the saltiness in the dish.
However, there are those who didn’t find the light-hearted debate amusing. Some netizens reminded everyone that extenders were a means of survival for some folks with tight budgets and many mouths to feed.
“I’m sorry but to me, this is such a privileged take,” tweeted one netizen. “Patatas in adobo and corned beef are ways to increase the serving size.”
I’m sorry but to me this is such a privileged take. Patatas in adobo and corned beef are ways to increase the serving size. https://t.co/wPStY1Ze4C
— Ganda Mo (@anggandagandamo) May 29, 2022
“All this adobo debate on Twitter is plain proof that many people here have never experienced being poor before,” said another. “Adobo can have patatas, saba, papaya, boiled egg, etc. These are not just silly experimentations on food… they are creative means of survival.”
All this adobo debate on twitter is plain proof that many people here have never experienced being poor before. Adobo can have patatas, saba, papaya, boiled egg, etc. These are not just silly experimentations on food… they are creative means of survival 🙂
— miji #AngatBuhay (@miji_art) May 29, 2022
Aside from agreeing with this (HELLO YES ADOBO WITH PATATAS SUPREMACY), this got me thinking….. food and class struggles. Wala lang, it’s interesting to think about our food culture in the lens of class struggles. Syempre may mas afford ang mga mayayaman kesa sa mga mahihirap. https://t.co/PyOz59si71
— • Tin ᶦˢ ᵗᶦʳᵉᵈ • (@dasucchi) May 30, 2022
The bottom line is you might not like patatas in adobo but there are people out there who do. Feel free to add anything you want to your dish — patatas, eggs, heck even pineapple!
adobo with only garlic and onions is ok
adobo with pinya is ok
adobo with patatas is ok
adobo with siling mahaba is ok
adobo with income tax return is ok
adobo with college degree is ok
adobo with nexus event is ok
adobo with vaccine is ok
adobo with anything is ok— VAS (@basteboi) May 29, 2022
Your preference is valid.
I apologize to all the lovers of patatas in their adobo.
Do you also put patatas in your corned beef?
Because I am team sibuyas lang ang malakas.
— Gabe Mercado (@gabemercado) May 28, 2022
Mercado wasn’t satisfied with dividing the Internet with his patatas-in-adobo take, he also had to tweet another hot take: corned beef shouldn’t have potatoes.
“Do you also put patatas in your corned beef? Because I am team sibuyas lang ang malakas,” said Mercado.
Yes to corned beef + patatas!! 🙋🏻♀️
— Aika Robredo (@aikarobredo) May 28, 2022
None other than Aika Robredo, Vice President Leni Robredo’s eldest daughter, replied to Mercado’s tweet expressing her love for patatas in corned beef (yay!). And based on her reply with 18.5k likes, lots of people agree too. Onions in corned beef is good but onions and potatoes in corned beef? That’s a top-tier budget dish right there.
Some even replied to Mercado’s post saying they add cabbage and water to their corned beef dish as extenders. Where do you stand in this debate?
Do potatoes deserve to be in adobo? Share your opinions with us in the comments!
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Kyzia spends most of her time capturing the world around her through photos, paragraphs, and playlists. She is constantly on the hunt for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, and a great paperback thriller to pair with it.
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