Casa Filipina Bakeshop & Restaurant (2 Plates)

Been here twice... Been disappointed twice... So this deserves twice the star.

Sorry 'kababayan' ! I hope you can take this constructive feedback to become a better representation of our food. 

I can proudly say that I know Filipino food. I think I have some credentials. Being a Filipino and growing-up in Philippines surrounded by good and authentic Filipino food should give me enough basis for my feedback and critic.

Let's start with the good. Place was clean and it did not have the oily and fishy smell of a usual Asian restaurant. Service was good. We were greeted as soon as we walked in. Food was also served quick and at the right temperature. The Halo-halo had a good balance of sweetness and creaminess. The Leche Flan on top of the Halo-halo had the firm and velvety like consistency that is common to a Filipino Leche Flan. The sweet Taro at the bottom gave the dessert a genuine Filipino flavor. Even the shaved ice is a positive. It is really easy to ruin a Halo-halo with brick like sizes of ice. The Sago't Gulaman was also really good. I got ahint of vanilla on every sweet sip and the jello had its own characterand flavor. The Tapioca balls was made the star of the drink with just the right bite but had the softness common to  a tapioca back home in the Philippines. 

Now the bad. It breaks my heart that I am criticizing a Filipino restaurant but I love Filipino food so much, I just want to make sure it is represented well.

I would have wanted some water. I believe water should still be served even if our order had Halo-Halo and Sago't Gulaman. We also got a little bit of a funky smell on our Pancit Malabon (common to improperly stored rice noodles/sauce). Knowing what a really freshly cooked Pancit Malabon smells like, I just know that the sauce or the noodles on my order may have not been handled properly. Since I have already mentioned the Pancit Malabon, I might as well finish my review of the could have been noodle delight. The pancit flavor was very very very flat. It was very far from the layers of salty, sweet, garlicky, seafood umami flavor. I was saddened by the lack of seafood (got maybe 3-4 smal shrimps). The crunch from the pork rind was none existent. I was also looking for the smoked fish saltiness that makes Pancit Malabon a pancit from Malabon. 

I have tried their adobo and caldereta on my last visit. Both fell very short on flavor and character. A little more salt and pepper and maybe a lot more garlic might make difference. 

I've tried their Crispy Pata as well. Which I think was AWESOME! 

There are some goods, but I've had more bads during my previous visits. I just wish Filipino food can be represented a little better. I wish the layers of flavors and texture present in each bite of a Pinoy dish comes out the next time I visit the restaurant I have been trying to love.