Manila Inasal
Filipino restaurant · Westlake ·
Modern Filipino cuisine with creative twists and generous portions
Modern Filipino cuisine with creative twists and generous portions
"A modern Filipino restaurant at the meeting point of Silver Lake, Historic Filipinotown, and Virgil Village, this festive, always-Christmas-feeling dining room hosts live music on weekends and offers large, connectable tables for big family gatherings. Born from chef Natalia Moran’s pandemic-era collaboration selling lumpia and desserts, the full-service spot now slings sizzling pork belly sisig, crab-topped tortang talong, and grilled bangus basted with sweet-soy inasal. Crab tortang talong makes an impressive starter—an eggplant omelette dabbed with aioli and covered in shredded crab floss—its sturdy egg encasing custardy eggplant, with creamy aioli and briny pops of orange fish roe creating something truly special and big enough to share. The lechon belly sisig arrives on a sizzling cast-iron plate, crisp pork belly pieces under an even dusting of crumbled pork skin and “umami seasoning”; spooned over warm rice and sprinkled with lemon, it’s a stunning, decidedly heavy version best shared. Grilled bangus inasal serves meaty milkfish butterflied and properly blackened at the edges, tinted orange from annatto oil, while ube mochi brownies land in bite-sized cubes that are chewy and satisfying after a comforting Filipino feast. Insider tip: skip the sliced chicken inasal, which tends to arrive dry, and order the bone-in grilled chicken instead; both chicken inasal servings come with enough garlic rice for a few people, so you can skip a side of rice. Best for groups of at least four (up to 20), since portion sizes mean solo diners and pairs will likely max out at one dish per person." - Matthew Kang
"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
"This Filipino spot in a Silver Lake strip mall knows a thing or two about hosting celebrations. The family behind it used to run a catering operation, so they are well-versed in big, party-friendly portions of Filipino classics. Here, they're reimagined with fun riffs: crab-stuffed tortang talong topped with fish roe, housemade focaccia with a creamy coconut-taro dip, and sizzling pork belly sisig. It’s BYOB, which means you and your crew can show up with bottles of whatever you want to toast with, and the staff is happy to shove a couple of tables together for larger groups. There's even live music on weekends." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"Manila Inasal started as a family catering operation in the Philippines serving aluminum trays at birthdays and baptisms. These days, it’s a cute restaurant in a Silver Lake plaza. We love a good come-up story, but we love Manila’s fun riffs on Filipino classics even more. Stewed taro and coconut milk are reinvented as a dip with housemade focaccia, and crab-stuffed tortang talong comes splotched with aioli and fish roe. The portions are suited for parties, so plan to do some Tetris-ing to fit everything on the table. On the weekends, there’s live music: sometimes local musicians, other times the owner’s dad strumming a guitar under a neon sign." - sylvio martins, brant cox, cathy park
"Manila Inasal started as a family catering operation serving aluminum trays at birthdays and baptisms. These days, it’s a cute restaurant in a two-story Silver Lake plaza. We love a good come-up story, but we love Manila’s fun riffs on Filipino classics even more. Stewed taro and coconut milk are reinvented as a creamy dip with housemade focaccia, and a beautifully browned, crab-stuffed tortang talong comes splotched with aioli and fish roe. The portions and vibes here are both suited for parties, so plan to do some Tetris-ing to fit everything on the table (wedge the sizzling pork belly sisig nearby—it disappears fast). On the weekends, there’s live music: sometimes local musicians, other times the owner’s dad strumming a guitar under a neon sign." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park, garrett snyder, cathy park, cathy park, cathy park, brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park, brant cox, brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park, brant cox, sylvio martins, brant cox, cathy park, brant cox, brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder, sylvio martins, cathy park