It was cold day last November, and I needed a place to write without the usual distractions of being home. I was leaving Centennial Plaza on sources, when I spotted Kalapaw. I hadn’t seen this restaurant before, and I had never eaten Filipino food. As it turned out, I stood out a little by being non-Filipino, but mostly by eating alone. It was full of families, but it was roomy and there was no judgement. I didn’t need a booth, so I sat in the middle of the restaurant and wrote, before, during and after my meal.
It was a lot of food, but I took it home and made it into three meals in the end. Both my appetizer and meal had tender eggplant, something I still find hard to achieved reliably (in part because I refuse to use as much oil as is probably called for!).
In the background is Ensaladang Talong which was listed as grilled eggplant, shrimp paste, taro chips, and tomato salsa. It was generous and would definitely be great to share.
In the foreground is Tortang Talong, an eggplant omelette served with rice on a bamboo leaf, with tomato salsa, and pineapple wedges.
I even splurged on a dessert, having safely stored my food in a takeaway container I keep in my car for just such occasions, and safe in the frigid temperatures outdoors. It was Buko Pandan de Leche, which was a vibrant green layered dessert with pandan gelatin, coconut strips, and milk. Having seen pandan in baking shows, but never tasting it, I am still not sure if I would recognize it. The dessert was good and full of coconut flavour as the dominant note. It went down easy, and I got my writing done with a cup of tea to extend my stay.
It was delicious food, but blander than I had expected. The hospitality and service were stellar. I will definitely return, but with friends or family next time!
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