Filipino Restaurants – Page 12

Leocynn’s Lumpia- another hole in the wall

April 26, 2007 Cathy Filipino Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is never on vacation. Someone is always blogging, because one of us has most likely had something to eat. This time, its Cathy. Kirk is too busy with something else today.

Hi again. I was driving about aimlessly one day, sort of near the Spring Valley Swap Meet, just off of the 54, on the edge of San Diego and Spring Valley and saw Leocynn’s, where I remembered having a nice meal quite a long time ago. It’s still there, and the sign on the front is thanking people for patronizing for the last four years. Well, it’s lasted this long, so still must be good.

There is a steam tray and two tables inside, a menu on the wall and some handwritten ‘specials’, all of which consist of the items in the steam tray and all of which cost$5.75. The generic (ground pork/ground beef/veggie) lumpia can be purchased individually from the steam tray for 54¢ each, or certain ones can be made special for $1 each, or you can order in bulk. All are made on site. Nothing frozen here.

I opted for 2 of the freshly made ground meat/veggie ones and the pork adobo/rice/pancit meal. The total cost was $6.83.

Excellent adobo- a nice twang of vinegar. The pancit wasn’t watery and really fresh tasting, the veggies were crispy and there were plenty of pork pieces interspersed and the rice was absolutely perfect and plentiful! When I ordered, the nice lady went in back and told me I would have to wait for the rice. (Less than 3 minutes).

A cross section of the other lumpia.

You can see there is plenty of meat and a small amount of carrot. The crust was definitely fresh and crispy. It came with a home made sauce, more sour than sweet, which complimented the meat well. I would rather have sour than sweet any day. Leocynn’s has withstood the test of time and is great.

Leocynn’s Lumpia 8360 Worthington (at Paradise Valley Road- Take the Jamacha Exit from 54) San Diego 92114 (619) 267-8210.

M-F 11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m./ Sat 11:00 am-7:00 p.m./ Sunday 11:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Phil-Am Kitchenette

April 12, 2007 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants

*** Phil-Am Kitchenette has closed. It's now Homestyle Hawaiian

I'd seen a sign similar to this one countless times while waiting for the traffic light to change at the intersection of Mesa College Drive and Linda Vista Road.

And I've probably made a mental note to check this place out just as many times, only to file it in the nether regions of my grey matter……

During a recent lunch hour, I decided to grab a bowl of Pho, only to find the restaurant closed when I arrived! Somehow, two of my lonely three remaining brains cells managed to rub against each other, and produced a memory of said sign. I arrived to a little shop that looked like a small convenience store located in a strip mall on Mesa College Drive.

With some hesitation, I entered the small and dark shop, past the shelves of Boy Bawang Cornicks and other snacks, and up to the little steam table set-up. I had also snuck up on the poor lady behind the counter and scared the crap out of her in spite of the fact that I set off the entrance "chime" when I walked in. The steam table held 8 trays of various items, some of which looked pretty good, some of which looked a a bit off….in fact the heating lamps for the steam table was turned off, doing their part to conserve energy perhaps? But when the lady saw me she smiled and turned the lamps on.

I chose a 2 item and rice combination, which went for the standard price of $5.50.

Along with the huge amount of rice, I'd ordered Longanisa(Filipino sweet sausage), since I figured that if you can't make Longanisa, you really can't make anything…

The sausages done well…no burn marks, fully cooked through. You can't really go wrong with Longanisa. I also opted for the Pork Tausi.

Now if you think this looks strangely like Pork with Black Bean, you'd be right…."Tausi" is fermented black bean…also known as "Dau See" in Cantonese. Of course the similarities in name are not coincidental. The pork was tender and had a decent, not overly salty flavor. One other thing, it was not as fatty as most versions of Tausi I've eaten. Also, even though the portion sizes were not as large (obscene) as those at Tita's Kitchenette, it was more than enough food for me, in fact I shared some of the food with our Filipino Administrative Assistant, who thought it pretty good as well.

I also grabbed a handy dandy pseudo-menu….

What I really enjoyed was the daily menu portion…."great, I can plan my lunch around what's on the menu…" Until I read the bottom portion(always read the fine print) which listed "alternate" dishes that may be substituted. I think there were 15 or 16 different dishes. To me this meant that they'll make what ever they feel like…I mean they could substitute every item on the daily menu twice over if they decided, right? This really cracked me up!

The other thing on the menu that caught our eye was the coupon, a buy 2, get 1 lunch free deal. Baaaarrgain City! Which meant a few days later we were back at Fil-Am. The problem this time was that we arrived at about 1115 am, and not everything was ready. It was a Friday, but there were only 2 items that matched the scheduled "menu". We still made the best of it….$11 for 3 plates is a bargain.

This time I got the Pork Adobo. The cubes of pork was fairly tender, and the flavoring was on the milder – black pepper side. In keeping with my previous visit, it was also less fatty, and not as salty as many versions at Turo-Turo(Point-Point) places.

The Nilaga Baka had a mild flavor, but was passable.

The meat was tender, and the veggies surprisingly were not over cooked. Best of all we got another coupon!

So, being the ravenous bargain hunters we are, we returned on another day. As before, most of the items served did not match "the list". But we did manage to find items we liked….You know I can't turn down Lechon Kawali(boiled than deep fried pork belly).

The lechon was on the "tough" side, the "skin" very hard and chewy, and the meat on the dry side. What really tasted good was the Beef Mechado(Beef Stew). (And it's not even mentioned on the menu!)

The chunks of beef were very tender, and the "sauce" was full of tomato-y goodness, nice and rich, not overly fatty. This was great with rice. No more coupons for us after this trip…I think we used up our quota!

To sum things up, the food a Fil-Am Kitchenette is a mixed bag, you never know what's on the menu for any given day(except Longanisa), but some of the dishes are prepared well, and have lots of flavor. The portion size is decent, as is the prices. I don't know if I'm the only one who noticed that the food is not as rich as most turo-turo places. For example check out this 2 item combination plate from Tita's Kitchenette:

So much food(at least 3 meals), so rich, so fatty, so good…so much guilt!

The two ladies at Fil-Am are very nice, and I'm pretty sure you'll find two items to your liking, I just wouldn't follow the listed daily menu. Fil-Am fills a void in an area filled with Pho restaurants and Taco Shops, not a bad thing necessarily, but it's nice to have choices. Fil-Am also serves breakfast, according to the menu:

So if you're in the area, and are longing for some Longsilog and Garlic Fried Rice…..

Fred’s…Ummm Ed’s Bistro

March 25, 2007 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub, Sisig

*** Ed’s Bistro has closed.

I’d heard about Ed’s Bistro in National City a while back…well I thought it was Fred’s Bistro.

Tucked on a side street between 8th Street and Plaza Boulevard in a very unassuming space next to a barber shop and laundromat, I’d say that Ed’s is in a pretty strange location. I was also told, that Ed’s (Fred’s) was well….."a bit different". I kinda got a hint about the name when I saw the Application for Ownership Change posted alongside the front door. As for a "bit different", when we entered, "Ed’s" revealed itself.

And I couldn’t stop smiling! Call it a "lounge", "bar & grill", "pub", or in this case "bistro", Ed’s was an honest to goodness "bar"! The large karaoke set-up, really cheap furniture, 3 "lounge lizards" sitting at the small makeshift bar toward the rear of the dining area gave it away. You see I grew up with what I call the "Pau Hana Time Generation"…in this context, Pau Hana means "finished with work", and Pau Hana Time means basically Happy Hour! So "back home" there would be a "phone chain" of sorts, and without fail a few(or more) times a week, the phone would ring, and the following "conversation" would take place:

"Yeah?"
"So wea?"
"xxxxx"(name of the place)
"wat time?"
"’bout 5?"
"’kay den…."

So whether your pleasure was darts, karaoke, or just having "a few" and some good "grindz"(guess which I was), we had a pretty regular rotation. And it goes without saying that we all had our favorite dishes at the various places; be it the "Fat Fat Chicken" at Fat Fat Bar and Grill(it is a real place lovingly called "8 Fat" by us, RIP Sy – we all miss you), Steak and Mushrooms at Hibiscus Club, maybe something from Anyplace Cocktail Lounge, or some really good grinds from Side Street Inn(also nice post here.) You get the picture, some of the best food was to be found in these, dark, sometimes a bit seedy, neighborhood bars…though Side Street has risen above it all when it comes to "Pupu" culture, with mentions in Savuer and Gourmet magazine.

The preferred language at Ed’s is Tagalog, and the menu is a study in Filipino Bar Food:

There was one main reason we came to Ed’s, it was for the Goat Kaldereta(Goat Stew – $13.95), we both love Kaldereta….though we often have to deal with, "you know this is goat, right?" At first the Missus was somewhat concerned with the price, but when the food arrived we realized the portion size was on the large (as in family-style eating size):

Though a bit short on the nice and gamy goat, this was some reaaal good Kaldereta, a bit salty, the tomato sauce based "gravy" was nice and tangy. The best part were the potatoes, which seemed to have been roasted before entering the stew, and the olives which added a nice briny flavor to the dish…there’s not enough rice in the world for this dish.

Not knowing how large the portion sizes where we ordered some Pancit Bihon (Stir fried noodles – $8.95):

I’ve had better pancit, but this was a nice version with lot’s of black pepper. The photo belies the size of this dish, to this day we haven’t finished all the pancit. We got our money’s worth on this.

I couldn’t leave without ordering what I consider one of the ubiquitous bar dishes(along with garlic peanuts), the Sisig(not the Pampangan Sisig, but the regular – $8.95). Just a side note…I didn’t which photo to use for this. Was it this one?

Or perhaps this one?

The Sisig was good, though I enjoy mine a bit more sour and spicy, but the Lechon Kawale used for the Sisig was plentiful and very good, I’m used to Sisig made with leftovers and lot’s of onions so this was a ncie change. At this time, Ed’s started getting filled up, and Karaoke was going full blast, and every table had a plate of Sisig on it, so I guess I made a good choice. The Sisig tasted better the next day. I also wanted a beer to have with my Sisig, and in keeping with the atmosphere, there’s no frou frou microbrew beer served at Ed’s…don’t get me wrong, I love Stone Brewery, and my trip to Portland was an education in microbrews…but the selection at Ed’s is simple, "MGD, Bud ,Bug Light, Miller Light…and the premium beer, is Heineken!" Bottles, of course……

As we left Ed’s the place was going full blast, there was a large family, with kids in tow celebrating a retirement…..a Gal had come in to help keep everybody in beers and handle the Karaoke. And I felt a twinge of homesickness…….

Some notes on Ed’s: The lady working was very, very, nice, and was the young lady who came in later, and tried to get me to sing. At heart this is a Mom and Pop Bar and Grill, so don’t expect your food to arrive at your table in a blink of an eye, there’s just one guy cooking in the back, and it’s pub grub after all. The portions are pretty large, we made the mistake of ordering waay too much food(of course we ate a lot of rice as well), though leftovers are a good thing. Even though most of the people converse in Tagalog, everyone understands English…what a nice bunch of folks, and I’ll never forget the lounge lizard who made sure to sing 2 BeeGees songs before heading home….sigh. There are times that I miss home!

Ed’s Bistro
933 S Harbison Ave
National City, CA 91950

Open Tues-Thurs 5pm – Midnight
Fri-Sat 4pm – Midnight

We’ll be back…and I think I’ll do a post on our next visit…..

Did someone say Sisig????

(Rail)Road Trip: Los Angeles

December 11, 2006 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Salvadoran Restaurants, Sisig

Over the last 5 months or so, I've been juggling a few ideas in my head. The ideas had come from a variety of sources; on my trip to Portland I truly enjoyed the walking and public transit, so I kept thinking about doing this in large sprawling LA. After all Angelinos always joke, "nobody walks in LA…are you kidding?" Then, there's Andy, the ABC, who will often catch the train down to San Diego to visit his sister. There is a third part, to be revealed at the end of the post. And finally, the fourth part, which was The Missus telling me, "why don't you just get off your butt and do it?"

And so I started doing a bit of planning back in September, and here I was at Santa Fe Depot catching a ride to Union Station on the Surfliner.

I enjoy traveling by train, the Missus and I really enjoyed taking the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Oakland a few years back.

This trip from San Diego to Union Station took about two hours and forty-five minutes, and here I was in LA:

I arrived pretty early, at about 9 am, left Union Station, and headed off in the direction of the hotel I was staying at, the New Otani. Once there, even though it was too early for check-in, I checked my bag with the Bell desk, and started on my way.

You see, I hadn't had breakfast, and my belly was starting to protest.

Unencumbered, I headed up first, and eventually arrived at the Grand Central Market on Broadway.

This bustling public market has about 40 vendors selling a variety of items.

Everything from meat to produce are sold at the various stalls.

You do see an interesting cross section of people at the market, though most of the clientele are of modest means.

I've always enjoyed all the neon signs……and of course, nowhere do the signs shine brighter than over the various food stalls.

The variety is also pretty stunning.

Though I did have something already in mind.

Yes, I'm finally getting around to the food. I decided on a Pork and Cheese Pupusa($2.00), and you could watch your pupusa being formed than made.

I had a seat at the "badly in need of a wiping" counter, and a container of Curtido, that pickled spiced cabbage "slaw". And in a few minutes my Pupusa arrived, which I quickly garnished with a nice amount of curtido and a touch of hot sauce.

First thing I noticed was that the masa(dough) was much lighter and not as dense as the versions I've eaten in San Diego. The filling was fine, though a little light on the cheese, and though the pupusa seemed very light, it was very hard to cut with the plastic knife…in fact I snapped the first one in half! The curtido was on the mild side, crisp, and did not have a strong pickled flavor, though it was quite refreshing.

Now properly invigorated, I stepped back out on gritty, noisy Broadway, and was on my way….

Grand Central Market
317 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Open Daily 9am to 6pm

I decided that since it was still rather early, I'd walk back down to Mitsuwa Market and check out what was going on. There is one building located in that "dead area" between Broadway and Little Tokyo on Main Street.

On every trip into the area, the Linda Lea Theatre has a strange pull on me. I've always passed by, thinking that it might be gone, but it's always been there. From what I've read, the building was built in the 1920's, and in the 60's became a Japanese movie house. It has been closed since the 1980's, and reminds me of one of those sad scenes of sentimental, aged disrepair we often see in movies. After I arrived home, I found this article, and it seems things are looking up. I hope so.

I walked past the Higashi Honganji on Third Street:

I crossed the street and into the monolithic Little Tokyo Shopping Center.

And was quite surprised at how quite and almost empty the entire shopping center was, at 11am in the morning!

I decided to walk on over to Chinatown, on the way through Honda Plaza I saw a long line of people. Geez, it was like they were waiting for the second coming of Elvis or somethin'.

But no, they were in line waiting to get into Sushi Gen, at 11am!

As I was walking through El Pueblo Park, I took a short side trip to the Chinese American Museum, located in the historic Garnier Building in El Pueblo Park.

This used to be the "center" of old Chinatown in Los Angeles. Chinatown was moved to make way for Union Station and the 101 Freeway.

Here's a photo of the Nativity Scene in Plaza de Los Angeles.

I wandered up Spring Street…

And than over to Broadway. Here's the obligatory photo of the Chinese Gateway.

About this time I started getting a bit hungry, so I started through all the usual suspects Empress Pavillion, Mandarin Deli……..but decided on something else. A few weeks ago Peter from Sandwich Emporium, mentioned a Filipino Restaurant, Asian Noodles, so I thought I'd give them a try.

Located on the far South end of Chinatown on Spring Street, Asian Noodles is a clean, well lit, and very modern in appearance. Signatures of Brian Viloria, Jasmine Trias, and many others decorate one of the walls in the restaurant.

Upon entering the restaurant, I noticed that the portions looked to be pretty large, and since I was on my own I needed something I could finish, and really didn't want any Mami – the Filipino Noodle soup. Now added to this was that Creen's posts on Tribu Grill, had sent me over the deep end, I decided to order the Sisig($9.95):

First thing I noticed was that this wasn't like most of the Sisig in San Diego, which tends to use left over Lechon Kawali(stewed than fried pork belly). This was without a doubt pork head, and ummm "parts". The meat was chopped and stir fried with vinegar, chilies, garlic, and other spices, onions are added, and it's served on a sizzling plate with some lemon. The flavor was on the gamier side, but not bitter, and there are a few "crunchies", but the flavor is not bad. I could've used a stronger vinegar flavor, but this dish wasn't as oily or salty as Sisig tends to be. I'd eat here again, and though the Manager is quite rude and a bit surly, the Wait Staff were very nice, especially after they saw me plow through this and a full order of rice($1.50), in about 15 minutes.

On the menu the Asian Noodles in National City was mentioned, but the menus share only a few similarities. The menu at Asian Noodles also contains a few dishes like Bicol Express that are not commonly served at the Filipino restaurants that I've been to.

Asian Noodles
643 N Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Open Mon-Wed 11am-930pm
Thurs-Sun 11am-10pm

While finishing up lunch, my partner in crime for this trip, Captain Jack of San Diego Restaurant Reviews called me on my cell. You see I had made reservations for dinner at a tiny little restaurant called:

I did take a few photos, but I don't know if anyone's interested…….

Guess the Restaurant…..it’s Zarlito’s

August 9, 2006 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants

The Missus hasn’t been feeling real well, and all those cravings have kicked in, so we went out and had a bunch of food, and a took a bunch of photos. Since I received a few Emails asking for another "guess it" contest, I thought I’d do it again.

So here goes. In this case you can either guess the restaurant or name the 7 dishes – I’ll name the eighth for you. If you name both the restaurant and the dishes I’ll send you an Espresso drink coupon from Peet’s. But remember, take the chance and you’ve got to get both correct. Or you can either name all 8 dishes, or the restaurant, and I’ll send you a cup of Peet’s. First seven correct Email answers win!

Personally, I think this one is too easy.

Here are the dishes

1: Kare Kare($6.50) – We both found the Kare Kare broth to be very mild, and somewhat underwhelming. There were 4 large pieces of oxtail, which were soft and flavorful, along with the eggplant. In what we found was a recurring theme, Zarlitos goes for the "meat-lover" in all of us, to make up for flavor short comings.

2: Nilagang Baka($6.50).

The broth was very light and mild in flavor. The Missus corrected the flavor with a healthy dose of Bagoong Alamang(shrimp paste). As with the Kare Kare, there was meat in abundance, though the beef was on the dry and tough side.

3: Sinigang Sinampalukan(Chicken, not Baboy – $6.50). Though not "sour" enough for the Missus, She still enjoyed the broth. This version was made with Chicken Drumettes and Wings, quite a few of them(I ate them all), and I really thought they tasted pretty good.

4: Pancit Palabok($6.20). Really bad, bland, oily, with under cooked noodles.

5: Whole Crispy Pata($15.00)

Personally, I though this Crispy Pata(boiled in seasonings, than deep fried Pork Leg) was superior to the version at Villa Manila. The skin of the Pata had a perfect crunch, with the wonderful pork flavor coming through. I could have done with more "gelatin", but man it was good. The Missus thought the flavoring of the meat was weak. My response? "Meat? What meat?"(I could only eat about 4 bites before Pata-guilt took over) Frankie loved the remains of the Pata, and even took it to bed with Him……

6: Lechon Kawali($6.50) Nice portion size, but the lechon had been sitting for a while and had lost much of the crunch. Though not very oily, we both thought the flavor to be on the weak side. Still quite a bit of lechon, here.

7: Daing Bangus($6.50). The Missus loves a good boneless Daing, and enjoyed this large piece.

8: Here’s the "freebie"…he-he-he, it’s Rice, of course!

At Zarlitos, you pretty much get what you pay for. Most dishes are under $7(taxes already added in), and there’s quite a bit of meat in most of the soups. Of course, there’s that Pata……

Of course the restaurant is in San Diego.

I’ll return with the prices of the dishes, as well as our impressions tomorrow.

As usual 1 winner per IP address. This one is easy, don’t give away the answers. You can either gamble and try to name all 7 dishes(you don’t have to be "perfect") and the restaurant. Or just name either the 7 dishes OR the restaurant.

The restaurant is…….

Yes, Zarlitos Family Restaurant in National City.

Zarlitos Family Restaurant
505 East 8th St.
National City, CA 91950

Congrats to Ed who guessed Zarlitos correctly, and Denny who got all the dishes, especially the Sinigang Sinampalukan.

Point Point Joint Restaurant

June 29, 2006 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants

** Point Point Joint has closed

Yes, that's the name of this Turo-Turo( literally "point-point" in Tagalog) "joint" in National City. Why "point-point"? Well these type of restaurants, serve up steam-table fare, and you can order by just pointing at what you want.

On this afternoon, I happen to be in National City, and my stomach was rumbling away. I also hadn't had rice for almost 10 days!!! I thought about driving up to Tita's Kitchenette, but since it was already past 2pm, and I was just a few blocks away; Point-Point was an easy choice. The spartan, dark, and simple interior of the restaurant was quite crowded, and the television eternally tuned to TFC(The Filipino Channel), was playing some Karaoke All-Star program.

I simply walked up to the counter, did my "point-point" duty, and got my usual 2 item combination($5.50). Lechon Kawali and BBQ Chicken:

For those who don't know what Lechon Kawali is; it's pork belly that has been boiled in water and seasonings, then drained and dried. And finally deep fried until the skin (Chicharon) becomes golden and crisp. When done to perfection, each bite of lechon kawali is an amazing combination of textures; crisp cracklins', rich gelatinous fat, and moist meat flavored by the seasonings and the two-step cooking process. Needless to say, it should be eaten soon after cooking. When I had mentioned the food at Point-Point to my Buddy Jack; he was quick to point out that, "with Point-Point, you either have to get there early; or luck out and be there when fresh batches of food comes out." A perfect assessment of Point-Point timing. On this visit, some of the pieces of lechon were excellent, while other were not very good. A few pieces were extremely hard, and the meat had become very dry. I enjoy the BBQ Chicken at Point-Point, it is very different from it's counter-part at Tita's, it has a sweeter flavor, more reminiscent of Teriyaki. Today the chicken skewers were very good; still hot, moist, and with nice "charry" bits.

I finished my meal(except for a few pieces of lechon that were too dried out) while watching the Karaoke All-Stars, and before leaving, got some take-out for the Missus. 2 BBQ Chicken skewers($1.50/each), and a "medium" Chicken Sinigang (Chicken Sour Soup – $2.50). The portion of soup turned to be quite generous as it filled one of our soup bowls.

The Missus enjoyed Her bowl of soup, which She found to be refreshingly sour and tangy, and though a bit on the salty side, not oily in the least bit. There was a generous amount of chicken and eggplant in the soup as well.

Though the portions at Point-Point are not as massive as those at Tita's, I sometimes enjoy the nicer Staff at Point-Point. I also usually never have to deal with the psycho parking lot, crazy Plaza Boulevard, and the mass of Humanity at Tita's. Point-Point serves up all the usual suspects, Tapa, Dinuguan, Adobo, and other favorites, all you have to do is point….point.

Here's a photo of another recent take-out from Point-Point. On this occasion the lechon was very good.

Point-point Restaurant
916 E 8TH St Ste 1
National City, CA 91950

Manila Fast Food and Desserts

April 11, 2006 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants, Sisig

*** Manila Fast Food has changed owners. An updated post can be found here.

The Missus had heard of Manila Fast Food from one of Her co-workers, who told Her that the food there was pretty good, and worth a try. So on a recent weekend morning we headed over to Mira Mesa. Manila Fast Food is located in the same strip mall as the Mira Mesa location of Seafood City.

For some reason I recall another restaurant being in this location.

When we entered the restaurant, there was quite a crowd of people waiting for the "turo-turo"(point-point) type dishes, even though it was 10 in the morning. And they looked really hungry.

We decided on each ordering a single entree plate with rice which goes for $3.49 (Two choices is $4.99), and "something else". On this morning I felt like some Sisig:

As with most of "turo-turo" joints in San Diego, Sisig is usually left over Lechon(roast pork), stir fried with onions, lime or vinegar, and chili pepper or other flavoring. Not to get off the subject, but many Jazz Musicians use something called the "Real Book", which is actually a "Fake Book"(a story for another day), now the "Real Book" consists of a large collection of "standards" that every Jazz Musician should know, usually consisting of only a "lead sheet"(the melody) and the chord changes. After that, it's up to the Musician(s) to decided how to make Autumn Leaves, Alone Together, or Days of Wine and Roses interesting. Likewise, it can be a real challenge creating a tasty dish from what is essentially "left-overs"(a standard). Like any good "number" performed by a trio or quartet, harmony is important, as is the support(rhythm section), not only is it important that the "lead instrument"(in this case the lechon) be very clear, but the rhythm needs to keep everything in time preventing the whole creation from becoming a "train wreck". The rhythm section should never become the lead except for perhaps a "solo", not only is it important to know what to play, but also what NOT to play. If this Sisig were a Jazz Quartet playing a standard, I'd say that the rhythm section is driving a bit too hard, too much sour and sweet. And the Lechon(the lead) too passive, on the soft and soggy side, I'd prefer the pork to have a bit more "chew" with hints of crunchy "goodies". I did enjoy the spiciness, though I'd say that even that over-shadowed the pork. One the positive side, this version of Sisig was not very greasy.

The Missus decided on Beef Sinigang(Sour Soup):

Though not as oily as versions I've had before, I thought that other then a vinegar "sour"(I prefer more tamarind – tangy) flavor, there wasn't much going on. There was quite a bit of fairly tender meat though.

Of course we weren't through. The Missus also ordered a Crispy Pata ($9.99 + a 15 minute wait). Well, if the Sisig was the Jazz Quartet, this should be the entire "Big Band"!

We got it sizzling hot just out of the fryer and brought it over to our table. The skin was nice and crisp, though there was not very gelatin, nor dark meat. I think this "Baboy"(pig), might have been on a bit of a diet. The flavor was very mild, and the richness somewhat muted. Like all of the dishes we ate, the Pata was not very greasy at all.

In the end, nothing outstanding. No amazing Pat Martino single line guitar solos or Jim Hall harmonic solos. More like a good garage band playing Louie-Louie, but hey, that's a "standard" too, right?

Manila Fast Food and Desserts
8979 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

Sorry for all the silly analogies…..I don't know what came over me! In case you're wondering if some music was driving me over the edge; yesterday I was listening to Corrinne May, and today Tal Farlow and Lenny Breau, strange how music can affect your posts!

Manila BBQ & Grill

December 14, 2005 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants, Plate Lunch

**** Manila BBQ & Grill has closed

Back in November my Buddy Jack told me that a new Filipino Take-Out had opened up in Point Loma. So on a recent Friday that I had off I decided to pay Manila BBQ and Grill a visit.

I found the little take-out place in a stand alone "Food Court" in Point Loma Plaza. In fact, no permanent "signage" was yet in place.

I don't know what the "seafood" sign is about, there's no seafood on the menu! I looked over the menu and went to order. Unfortunately, my first two choices were "not ready" yet. I'd come a bit too early(1045am), and many items were not ready yet. So I finally settled on a Combo Meal with Teriyaki Short Rib BBQ (I find the Teriyaki and BBQ to be a bit redundant here), and Pork Adobo($6.50):

There were two cross cut short ribs and several large chunks of Pork Adobo served over a large bed of rice, a pretty good size portion of food. The short ribs were tender and moist, with a nice bit of carmelization, but fell "short" in flavor. In fact, the ribs were pretty bland and unremarkable. In comparison to say, L&L, I'd say, much more tender then L&L, but L&L's "Kalbi" had much more flavor. In fact, I really don't consider this "teriyaki" by any means, not even Hawaiian Style Teriyaki. It's closer to Hawaiian BBQ.

Many consider Adobo, along with Pancit and Lumpia to be one of the quintessential dishes that represent Filipino Food. Pork Adobo for those who do not know, is pork cooked in vinegar and soy sauce, and seasoned with bay leaves, garlic, and my favorite in adobo, a touch of black pepper. This version had a pretty good sauce, with a nice touch of vinegar. But the downfall of the dish were the overly large chunks of pork. The smaller pieces had absorbed the flavor of the sauce and were nice and tender. The larger pieces did not have enough flavor and were also on the dry side; a big no-no when it comes to adobo. Also the slight hint of black pepper I enjoy was missing. On the good side, was that the Gal who put this dish together placed the adobo over the rice, making the rice very tasty.

I had made up my mind to do a follow-up visit. And so a month later I paid Manila BBQ & Grill another visit. Now open about 2 months, I was pretty sure that all the wrinkles would be pretty much worked out. I dropped by and ordered a Combo Meal($6.50) with Teriyaki Chicken BBQ Skewer(wow, talk about a mouthful), and the Chicken Adobo.

Talk about deja vu all over again! The chicken adobo were really large pieces of chicken that really didn't absorb some of the flavor. The sauce was the same as the last time, and really not salty enough. As large as the pieces were, it was mostly bone, except for a whole drumstick. As a whole I wish the adobo was placed on the rice as the last time, since there was a huge pool of sauce with nowhere to go at the bottom of the container.

The BBQ Chicken looked beautiful, and were nicely grilled. But don't lose that little container of teriyaki-ish sauce, as a whole these were under-flavored. The chunks of chicken were moist and nicely grilled, but the overall flavoring was quite weak, though I'm pretty sure I tasted a faint peanut-butter flavor. I did pour the sauce over the chicken for flavor.

If I were to return, I'd order the Pork Adobo with the BBQ Chicken Skewer. In retrospect, I wonder if this place would survive in National City or Mira Mesa? But they have the market cornered for Filipino food in Point Loma and are probably better then some other options. The portions are large and service is very nice and friendly. So if you're in Point Loma, and really need some Filipino "grinds"; Manila BBQ & Grill is nearby. The menu is short but feature other items such as Pancit, Grilled Pork Chop and Beef Steak(I think it's probably Bistek).

Manila BBQ & Grill
3615 Midway Drive Suite C
San Diego, CA 92110

Ben’s 1615 – Dine and Dish??

December 6, 2005 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants

**** Ben’s has closed

Ya’ know, I’m not really good at all these “blogging event” kind of things – except if Reid or Alan asks me to do something. After all, they may “know somebody, who knows somebody, who knows somebody, who’s related to me”. Maybe I’m really a “Flakey-flake” like Professor Salt says! LOL! But when I saw the subject of the most Delicious Sarah’s Dine & Dish no. 5 – Asian Persuasion, I thought I had it made. After all, a good 70% of what I post is “Asian”, and even more amazing I’m Asian! And so is the Missus! But of course, I have a bad habit of not being able to follow my instructions; so I had to ask Sarah if I could do Filipino:

Kirk said… Sarah – Is Filipino OK?

kirk: ANYTHING asian…though i will be honest i may have to check with some filipina friends because i’ve never been quite sure if filipino is asian. but no FUSION!!
(did i mention i have very strong feelings about asian “f*ew*sion”? LOL!)

Okay, I screwed up again! I ended up eating at a Filipino-Fusion Restaurant, and no it’s not Yi Cuisine in LA. This one is called Ben’s 1615 and is located in National City:

Located on Sweetwater Road, Ben’s is owned by a local Physician and offers a variety of Filipino, and Fusion Filipino dishes. The restaurants decor is a definitive Southeast ASIAN, featuring bright colors and clean lines. There’s even a “waterfall fountain”. The menu is varied and divided into separate sections featuring Soups, Salads, Pasta(???), and Traditional Filipino “Favorites”.

So after looking over the menu, we made our decisions, and were served these “buns”, that really looked like…..well, you know!

Actually these pseudo-Pan De Sal, were nice and warm, but really just plain.

But if there was any doubt; that this was Asian food, this pretty much answered all questions for me. A true monument to all that is Asian! The great pyramid of rice:

At sunset no less! This monument to rice came as part of the Crispy Pata($13.75) that the Missus ordered. For those that don’t know what Crispy Pata is; in short, it’s a stewed pork leg(pata), that is then deep fried.

In this case, the “pata” is actually removed from the bone and chopped, much like lechon kawali. This actually decreased the “pork-fat” guilt. The ~~lechon~~ pata was fried to a perfect crisp and was alot milder in flavor and less greasy then the “normal” pata. I really don’t know if I consider it more refined, but it was definitely alot milder in flavor. A ramekin of tasty adobo-like sauce(not quite lechon sauce) was provided for dipping as well.

I ordered the Chicken Pandan($8.50):

There were three large chunks of chicken, marinated in coconut milk, lemon grass, and sesame oil, then wrapped in Pandan leaves and deep fried. The chicken was very moist, with a nice crust developed from the frying, and a very pleasant mild flavor. The only item that didn’t belong was the lousy sweet chili sauce. Adding the overly sweet sauce to any of the mildly flavored courses would just mask any flavor. The Missus actually enjoyed the chicken alot more then the pata, but the tastes and presentation left us a bit intrigued, and we’ll be back to try other dishes.

Some Notes: As with many “fusion” type dishes “your mileage may vary”, I’ve heard that there are some real “clunkers” on the menu. Specifically, I’ve heard from more then one person that the Pasta dishes are borderline terrible. Especially the “adobo-pesto’s” . I’ve also heard that the “bar” upstairs serves up some pretty good eats (specifically the “spicy seafood”).

I don’t know if this will qualify for Sarah’s Dine & Dish, but I need to send some “gratitude” her way – especially for always being a good sport! LOL Sarah!

Ben’s 1615
1615 Sweetwater Road
National City, CA 91950

Saturday Desserts and Other Silliness

December 3, 2005 mmm-yoso Desserts, Filipino Restaurants, Salvadoran Restaurants, yoso-silly

Lately, one of the Missus’s obsessions have been Filipino Desserts, like Bibingka(sweet rice cake), Biko(rice cake), Puto(steamed cakes), Leche Flan(egg custard), and other merienda (afternoon snack) type snacks. Let me just explain that one does not trivialize the cravings of the Missus. To do so could mean an "ugly death"! Also, unless you can do the "tricks" that Sammy does, don’t even try stealing a bite!

Since I don’t really have a sweet tooth, I thought I’d just share the locations, and a few pictures of the Missus’s Filipino Dessert places.

Bread Deluxe Bakery:

Located next to Seafood City in both National City and Mira Mesa; we’ll never leave here without a few snacks.

And many times, a good portion of what is purchased will not even make it to the car.

Bread Deluxe Bakery
1420 E Plaza Blvd Ste E
National City, CA 91950

Filipino Desserts Plus

With locations both in National City and Mira Mesa, they make the Missus’s favorite Biko. Good luck with finding parking in the National City location with Red Ribbon Bakery, ChowKing, and Popeye’s in the same mall.

Most desserts are prices between $1.50 to $4.00, and are a bargain. I’ll refer any questions on flavor and taste to the ~~Boss~~ Missus for comment. But this place is quite popular. There are times when the lines are out the door.

Filipino Desserts Plus
2220 E Plaza Blvd Ste Q
National City, CA 91950

There are many other locations where one can pick-up snacks in National City; Manila Sunset is known for their Bibinka, and Valerio’s is also very popular. But for the Missus, these are part of her rotation.

We were able to attend the annual "Jingle Ball" concert last night at the Sports Arena after a nice dinner at our favorite restaurant, Ba Ren. We try to attend every year; and this year was a must see for us. The Missus’s favorite group, Train, was one of the performers:

This annual concert is a benefit for "Becky’s House" a transitional home for victims of domestic violence and their children in San Diego. This years line-up included Los Lonely Boys, Hootie and the Blowfish, Switchfoot, Alanis Morrisette, and The B-52’s. What a blast!

All the Missus needed was "something sweet to end the evening", looks like another dessert run is in order!