"Keep your phone handy at Tadhanà, because the food at this Lower East Side restaurant begs to be documented—like when you open what appears to be a book, only to discover two tiny appetizers hidden in a mini-garden inside. At this 24-seat Filipino spot, you won’t find any lumpia or adobo among the seven courses (with nearly a dozen more little bites between). Instead, expect playful, fancy takes on regional dishes, and some exceptional flavors that'll linger longer than the food pics taking up all your cloud storage. We’ll be thinking about the tender water spinach stewed in coconut milk, grilled chicken wings stuffed with embutido meatloaf, and the absolutely electric house-made vinegar that's paired with the pork belly for a while to come. The presentation is less banana leaf and more liquid nitrogen, and when those flourishes work—a cloud of chicory smoke hides wagyu ceviche, a jackfruit puree is transformed tableside into halo halo—it’s pure magic. photo credit: Patrick Dolande photo credit: Patrick Dolande photo credit: Patrick Dolande photo credit: Patrick Dolande The inclusion of premium ingredients like caviar and truffles sometimes feels disjointed though, even forced, as if to reassure the customer that their $165 was well spent here. We’re never upset to be served wagyu, but that house-made vinegar is the far more exciting ingredient. With flavors this great, there’s no need to gild the lily. Or, more accurately, gild the kinilaw (the yellowtail ceviche arrives shining with gold leaf). Also, the stiff formality of some of the dishes doesn’t extend past your plate. With a sweet Pinoy hip hop playlist and a BYOB policy, Tadhanà is a good choice for a splashy date if you've got something fun to celebrate. Food Rundown photo credit: Patrick Dolande Gamet At Lato Tartlet & Okoy The sea grape salad tart isn’t our favorite. The english peas are a cool addition visually (and let’s be real, with a dish as Instagram-y as this one, visuals are important), but distracting texturally. But the okoy—a divinely crispy sweet potato vegetable fritter laden with briny trout roe—more than makes up for its fraternal twin. photo credit: Patrick Dolande Sinuglaw For this course, you’ll uncover a lidded dish to unleash a cloud of chicory smoke. When it clears, voila: Grilled wagyu ceviche with uni on delicate “invisible bread.” Made in house from kuzu starch and potato starch, it’s clear and wafery, not totally dissimilar from rice paper. We love a reveal! This bite is a standout: tart, sweet, and deeply savory. photo credit: Patrick Dolande Insal Na Relyenong Pakpak These grilled chicken wings are stuffed with embutido meatloaf (which involves, among other deliciousness, golden raisins and minced hot dog from the beloved Filipino brand Tender Juicy). They're charmingly adorned with pickled papaya stars to reference the flag of the Philippines. This makes for a very rich mouthful of food, and we especially appreciate the beautifully burnished skin on the chicken. photo credit: Patrick Dolande Penoy At Caviar There is no world in which we wouldn’t be delighted by duck egg custard in a special egg cup designed to resemble a duck’s webbed foot. That’s showbiz, baby. But unfortunately, the sheer volume of minced shallot here overpowers the caviar, and the custard itself is a little grainy. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Inihaw Na Liempo This grilled pork belly is juicy and the soy glaze pleasantly sweet, though it’s upstaged by the punchy sinimak. Tadhanà’s aged vinegar is the hot, sweet, and sour platonic ideal of an accompaniment to pork belly. If they ever start bottling and selling it, we'll be first in line. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Sugpo At Buro, Halabos Na Gulay & Inihaw Na Pugita We like both the grilled prawn with tamarind brown butter, and the grilled octopus with pili nut gremolata on either side of it, but the halabos na gulay—water spinach with anchovy foam—is cooked to perfection. The leaves absorb a ton of bracingly spicy, coconut milk flavor, while the stems retain a satisfying but not off-puttingly fibrous crunch. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Halo Halo In One Bite Would you like to see a magic trick? At Tadhanà, jackfruit purée is transformed tableside with liquid nitrogen into a petite mouthful of halo halo. It’s slightly more fun to watch this dessert get made than it is to eat it—but it’s still pretty damn fun to eat. The texture is a little like a meringue, or if astronaut ice cream actually tasted good." - Molly Fitzpatrick
