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| - It'd been years since we last ate here, maybe within months of opening (a while ago). I should begin the review with an explanation/disclaimer; growing up, after finding out what everything was, in filipino cuisine, I became a picky eater. I was the one cutting off all the fat off the meat. I don't like greasy foods, in general (plus, being pregnant, things are not always agreeing with my system). I stuck to safe things because in all honesty, I don't eat all animal flesh (limit it to beef, chicken, sometimes pork, turkey, seafood and shellfish). And it's not like I don't eat fatty foods at all, I just select the days (I eat carefully on most days, but on the weekends, I eat what I want; it helps my figure). We don't go to a lot of filipino restaurants (but this doesn't mean that I'm less of a Pinay, I know alot about the history, I do know Tagalog, though I am not fluent, and I could go on and on about Pinoys in Hollywood, believe me, I am proud).
Located in Amall, on the corner of Sahara and Maryland Parkway (the one with 7-11 on the corner), the cafeteria-style restaurant (you select your items and pay at the end of the aisle, before sitting down to eat) is located in the elbow of the strip mall. Inside is spacious with lots of seating, tables & chairs. Trays are placed on top of the trash cans located near the doors. Bathrooms are located in the back of the restaurant. It is clean, however, we did see a dirty tray (had food stuck on it), which the employee promptly picked up upon seeing that it was set aside. And when we sat down, noticed that there was a B grade up on the wall. My husband also noticed that something was cleaned up with a dirty rag, which was then placed on top of the counter.
We had cousins, and my auntie, in town so we met them here for lunch last saturday afternoon. My husband and I each chose the two-item plates (two scoops of rice, pancit, and BBQ sticks), a drink, and I also got the bibingka, and my husband got the turon (oops, forgot to tell him it was made with filipino bananas). The cashier was nice and cracked a joke about the sticky balls on a stick (carioca). The rice was plentiful, the BBQ sticks were cold and more on the fatty side, and the pancit was ok. (Also, another reason why I am picky with filipino food is that my mom's pancit and lumpia were the best. When there is such a high standard, it's hard to have anything else). The caldereta did look good, and maybe I would've enjoyed my lunch if I had that instead. Ok, I have to share this funny story abut our nephew, my sister's oldest. I didn't know that he liked dinuguan, and I told him what it was before he ordered it, when we were in line. He was eating it, and had this uncertain expression on his face. And then said, "What is this?" My immediate reaction was to laugh heartily, as I always do (sorry, I have a loud laugh). My husband later said that he wished he had recorded the whole thing (see, he can't have dessert unless he finishes the meal, it's the rule). I did enjoy the bibingka, I do love filipino desserts! Masarap. The turon @ $1.50 was really good and such a generous size too. The cost of our meals was over $21.00. My sister, brother-in-law, and their older boys split a couple halo-halo's- served in glass dishes similar to ice cream sundaes, which looked good, but I love Chow King's version (in Seafood City). If I wanted some filipino dessert, I could stop here, since it's in the neighborhood.
There were other customers in the restaurant but I would't say that it was crowded, especially for the weekend (when we moved here in 1991, there weren't many choices and now due to a higher pinoy population, there are lots of choices for us; and the most popular is Seafood City).
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