Perla
Filipino restaurant · Passyunk Square
1535 S 11th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Highlights
Filipino BYOB serving traditional kamayan feasts on banana leaves
Filipino BYOB serving traditional kamayan feasts on banana leaves
"This Filipino BYOB only offers one dining option, and it's a great one: the kamayan feast. Tablecloths are traded for banana leaves, and rather than using utensils, you eat with your hands. Your meal at this East Passyunk restaurant is layered on the table with a base of garlic jasmine rice followed by a few different proteins and vegetables, like pork belly, fried whole fish, and bok choy. Sort through the homemade sauces on the table to customize each bite, and don’t be surprised if you need a to-go bag for your leftovers." - candis mclean
"When you want something other than Italian but are still looking for the same candlelit environment, head to Perla in Passyunk Square. Your kamayan meal easily feeds four people, so it can work for two or a double date with whomever your best friend is enamored with this week. The table is layered with a base of garlic jasmine rice followed by different proteins and vegetables, like pork belly, fried whole fish, and bok choy. Sort through the homemade sauces on the table to customize each bite, and decide if how they chew is a deal breaker." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"Chef Lou Boquila’s modern take on Filipino food comes as a prix fixe Kamayan-style of communal dining on banana leaves at Perla, with everything from pork lumpia to a whole fried fish. If you’re bringing beer to the restaurant just off East Passyunk Avenue, consider a bright lager or pale ale; for wine, an off-dry riesling or a pinot grigio would be perfect." - Annemarie Dooling
"This tiny Filipino BYOB is one of the only places in the city serving a kamayan feast. For $50 per person, you'll get a crispy whole fried fish, lemony chicken inasal, jasmine rice, a few other proteins and soy-drenched vegetables. It's a ton of food, and therefore a good option for a group." - alison kessler, candis mclean
"Celebrate your birthday with a massive kamayan feast at this tiny Filipino BYOB—it's the only place in the city that does it. For $50 per person, you'll get a crispy whole fried fish, lemony chicken inasal, garlic fried rice, and crispy lumpia, along with a few other proteins and soy-drenched vegetables. It's a ton of food, and therefore a good option when you want a delicious meal with 10 people who like you enough to buy you things." - candis mclean, alison kessler
