SESSIONS RECOMMENDS IS OUR WEEKLY SERIES WHERE WE SIT DOWN WITH A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM FOR A 5 MINUTE CHAT ABOUT THEIR CURRENT FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS.
Dot is our Finance Assistant at Sessions. She travels a lot, almost as much as paddle boarding and eating lots of delicious food.
WHERE ARE YOU EATING AT THE MOMENT?
I crave filipino food as I grew up with it so when I started work in London, I knew that I had to find the perfect place to go and eat. This particular place I found because I had had to google "Asian Style Food in London" - not very inventive is it...
Kamayan Sa is tucked into an alley way in Earls Court and actually the first time I went, I did find it a lil dodgy. That said as soon as we went inside, sat down and started eating, it felt like being back home.
Now I must have been there 85 times...no, actually 84. I know this because every time I go, I tag them on facebook aha. It is comfort food for me - my go to place and so I also take a lot of friends there.
The first thing I ever tried there was the Lechon which is crispy fried pork. It is still my favourite thing on the menu and I do get it most times I am there. They are also famous for doing a traditional serving that you normally only find back in the Philippines called a Boodle Fight. It is basically a massive long table with banana leaves as plates and the food is all around it and you eat with your hand. Rice, chicken, fish, vegetables, soup, all on one big table. For 4 people it takes around 3 or 4 hours to eat AND their servings are HUGE.
Traditionally you drink coconut water (but from the actual coconut) with the Boodle Fight, if you really need a drink but in my culture we don't really like drink while we eat. So sometimes we don't order any drink until we've eaten or until we really need one. The thought process behind this is basically that the more you drink, the fuller you are, and so less you can eat.
Sometimes I might also get what is called Sinigang which is like a tangy soup which is eaten with meat, or fish, or just vegetables but I normally like it with fish. Milk fish to be exact.
OUR FAVOURITE FILIPINO RESTAURANTS IN LONDON
KASA & KIN
Here you will find that family-style cooking but with a unique twist takes centre stage. The restaurant aims to be a place where friends and family can come together over home-cooked food. The restaurant comes from the same team behind Romulo Café & Restaurant. At the helm is Michelin-starred chef Pat McDonald, as well as Romulo’s executive chef Jeremy Villanueva. On the menu are selection of hot broths, marinated bowls, robata grills as well as sides, dips and sauces. Try the chicken tinola broth or pork belly glazed in honey, tomato and pineapple.
DISH TO TRY: Soy-cured Beef Rib Eye tapa
BINTANG
This is a super fun family-run restaurant in the heart of Camden and provides a great variety of Filipino food as well as dipping into Thai, Indonesian, Japanese & Chinese flavours. Prawn tempura, chicken satay or crispy duck & pancakes make ideal sharing plates for big groups and if you are still peckish you could go for the Beef Bintang in a coconut & lemongrass sauce, deep-fried squid in a garlicky black-bean sauce.
DISH TO TRY: Beef Bintang
LUTONG PINOY
Lutong Pinoy is a Traditional Filipino restaurant founded by Mario Malata since 1996. In Tagalog “Lutong Pinoy” translates to home cooked Filipino Food. The restaurant offers Kamayan meals, a buffet, as well as an á la carte menu, representing the various regions of the Philippine Islands. Slow on the service but the food is great.
DISH TO TRY: Beef Kare Kare
JOLIBEE
No review on Filipino food could finish without Jolibee. Fried Chicken and Spaghetti, what more could you want...? You may love this place or you may hate it but one thing is for sure, you can't get spaghetti at any other fried chicken joint in London
DISH TO TRY: Honestly, up to you
