As a country of immigrants, we’re lucky that our populace has links to world culture representing every imaginable cuisine. Many have taken hold and morphed into their own Americanized versions. We have easy access across the entire country to dishes with Italian, Mexican, and Chinese origins. Indeed, restaurants serving these cuisines are ubiquitous.
But unless you live in a megalopolis like New York or Los Angeles, where there are literally hundreds of different ethnic restaurants, choices are more limited. Tampa Bay is lucky to be well-represented with everything from excellent Korean to Ethiopian. There are some cuisines, however, that are particularly, under-represented, and yet, most delicious.
When I first tasted lechon kawali (Filipino deep-fried pork belly), I had never even heard of it. I had just joined CL Tampa Bay and my first words in print included the not-so-surprising conclusion that “fat tastes good.” That was June 2012. Fast forward to 2020. I grab a “born and bred” Filipino friend and head to Delio and Ellen Mata’s Philippine Cuisine.
As we enter, all eyes go to the brown craft paper roll menu and to a chalkboard listing today’s specials. I have no idea what anything means, but my dining companion is bursting with excitement. “OMG, they have… ”
It’s a casual place with everything ultimately served in styrofoam trays from large family-style stainless steel pans accompanied by scoops of steamed rice. We’re offered the opportunity to taste it all before ordering. Indeed, it is a family affair. An aunt (or “tita”) is in the back finishing the chicken adobo with chunks marinated in vinegar and soy sauce plus a backbone of garlic, black pepper and bay leaf. I want it.
While we wait for that tray to be ready, I take a tour of all the traditional dishes. Joining my adobo is sisig, usually made from tiny cubes of pig head and ear meat—waste not, want not—diced onions and peppers with bright acidity from calamansi (Filipino lime). I have no idea where this pork comes from, but it’s terrific, especially served with the chicken liver sauce. Pancit features soft, thin round rice noodles (think vermicelli) with some veggies and bit a Chinese sausage. Nilaga is hot soup with chunks of chicken, green chayote squash, squares of cabbage and bitter melon (ampalaya). Pinakbet, an indigenous dish from up north, combines steamed eggplant, carrots and green beans. It all exhibits layers of satisfying flavor; you really can’t go wrong.
We finally take a seat after slurping these tastes from tiny plastic cups and start with ultra crispy lumpia Shanghai, a trio of yummy golden fried, meat-filled spring rolls that resemble fat Cuban cigars. When the lechon kawali arrives, it seems well-nigh perfect, which my friend corroborates with a most contented sigh—pointing out the exquisite crispness.
There’s no alcohol, so we go for cans of two Filipino juices. Guyabano “soursop” nectar has a whiff of pineapple with a fruit mashup of light berry, apple, and a touch of citrus. And calamansi, which adds such a bracing note to the pork sisig, also makes a refreshing limeade.
One of the great surprises is Magnolia ice cream, imported from Manila. The flavors are colorful and surprising. Mango, avocado (which I’m informed a Filipino would never put on a salad because it’s a dessert item), and the lovely ube (purple yam) or ube/macapuno, which adds coconut. It’s a deep lavender color and just sweet, creamy and utterly scrumptious.
The display case has a few celo-wrapped bibingka galapong, a traditional holiday cake made from rice soaked overnight and then ground into a paste. Many recipes call for rice flour, which I suspect is what was done here based on the texture. The crumb is similar to traditional Western yellow cake. It’s baked, however, in a banana leaf round that’s about 5-inches across and nearly an inch deep. The egg and coconut milk batter makes for a delightful, delicious cake. “Where have you been all my life?” I think to myself. My Filipino companion has a wrinkled nose, sharing that it’s even better right from the oven slathered in butter. OMG! In any case, don’t miss this one if it’s available.
The servings are so large that we leave with to-go bags. If you’ve not yet encountered this cuisine, you can’t go wrong here. And the price is right. I’m reminded of a line from that new source of popular culture wisdom, Broadway’s “Hamilton,” which stopped the show: “Immigrants, we get the job done.”
CL Food Critic Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. See Tampa Bay’s 50 best restaurants of 2019, according to the area’s longest running food critic Jon Palmer Claridge. Check out the explanation of his rating system. His recent published book, 'Drink.More.Wine!', can be found here.
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