Kapatad Kitchen and Cafe - Review - Far West - Austin - The Infatuation

"Austin has a lot of strip malls, most of which contain some combination of a nail salon, a vape shop, and a Pilates studio. Tucked into one on Far West Boulevard is Kapatad, a restaurant serving a mix of homestyle Filipino dishes and Chinese-American takeout classics. And while you can get a solid plate of sesame chicken here, it’s the other half of the menu, with sizzling platters of pork sisig and crispy pork belly, that you should be visiting for. The menu reads like a greatest hits collection of Filipino staples—dinuguan, adobo, kare-kare—all served hot, fresh, and ready to satisfy. Start with a few pieces of thin, crispy lumpia for the table, then order pork belly in one of its many forms featured across the menu. Whatever you do, save room for the sisig. It arrives on a blistering hot skillet, loud enough to make even the most loyal Chili’s fan rethink what it means to sizzle. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Food Rundown Lumpiang Shanghai Thin, crispy, and generously filled, these are served with a standard-issue sweet-and-sour sauce—the kind you’d find at a typical Chinese takeout spot. They won’t blow your mind, but they’re a solid way to start the meal photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Lechon Kawali Kapatad’s pork belly is fried a little longer than most, yielding cubes that lean more crispy than juicy. But thanks to the fatty nature of pork belly, the meat stays tender enough to avoid drying out. It’s a heavy dish—maybe too rich for one person—but perfect to share. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Sizzling Pork Sisig Here’s the main event. This finely minced pork dish is a textured mix of savory meat, crispy bits, and just a touch of liver funk. A punchy lime-and-chili dressing gives it brightness and heat, cutting through the richness with every bite. Don’t skip it. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary" - Nicolai McCrary