
7

"A modern Filipino restaurant in Silver Lake that finally took me straight back to Manila, it pairs a wide, grill-centric menu with polished presentation in a bright, ample dining room where Christmas decorations hang year-round, a small weekend stage hosts live music, and a huge communal table anchors family gatherings. Prices might surprise titos and titas who won’t pay more than $15 for chicken adobo, but it’s worth it: the calamansi aioli–topped crab tortang talong shows real finesse with its roasted eggplant omelette, fried crab floss, and bright orange cod roe; the bangus inasal (grilled milkfish) arrives butterflied and juicy, brushed with a garlicky, peppery sauce and properly blackened at the edges—dip it in the spicy green chile sauce and it’s hard to stop eating. The lechon sisig arrives sizzling with a raw egg to soak up the pork fat and might be the best version I’ve had on this side of the Pacific, its crispy, browned pork belly begging for a splash of white vinegar to cut the richness. The only dish I’d maybe skip is the straightforward chicken inasal. This has instantly become our family pick for striking the right balance between new- and old-school Filipino." - Eater Staff