Tambayan Filipino Food Review: Crispy Pata vs. Sisig, Sinigang & Halo-Halo

Tambayan Filipino: pork Sinigang, Beef Kaldereta, Crispy Pata with pork-knuckle crunch, and Halo-Halo with ube ice cream. Crispy Pata wins.

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I had a growing list of Filipino dishes I needed to try: Bicol Express, Kaldereta, Sinigang, Bulalo, Kare-Kare. We decided to tackle it at Tambayan Filipino Food, a spot new to us. The inside feels like an old-school convenience store, which immediately made me like it.

Drinks: Calamansi Juice

We started with a fresh Calamansi drink, which is essentially Filipino lemonade. Very smooth, refreshing, and balanced between sweet and sour. If you have never tried Calamansi juice, it is worth ordering here.

Course 1: Pork Sinigang

The broth is sour, as expected, and the sourness is actually refreshing as a counterbalance to the heavier, fattier dishes. The pork was the real surprise. I expected it to be tougher, but it was incredibly tender and fell apart in the soup, like it had been pressure-cooked. The sourness and the soft pork together worked really well.

Course 2: Beef Kaldereta

A tomato-based sauce that is rich, savory, and slightly sweet with a hint of spice. It reminded us of a hearty stew curry, or a very rich beef ramen broth. Comforting and familiar, even if it was our first time having it.

Course 3: Crispy Pata

When we ordered the Crispy Pata, they asked if we wanted it chopped. Say yes. Unless you want to eat an intact pork knuckle with your hands.

The skin was unbelievably crispy. It made a loud crunch when we bit into it. The meat underneath was fatty, soft, and deeply flavorful. It comes with a dipping sauce that reminded us of Korean Jangajji: a soy sauce base with onions and scallions.

We brought our own containers to take leftovers home. This was a big portion.

Crispy Pata vs. Sisig?

Vincent and I both love Sisig, but for me, Crispy Pata is the winner. The combination of the crispy skin and the tender meat underneath makes it my new favorite Filipino dish.

Dessert: Halo-Halo

We were full. We ordered dessert anyway.

The Halo-Halo arrived topped with a giant scoop of Ube ice cream, a slice of flan, green jelly, sweet red beans, and sago at the bottom. The technique: eat the top layer first, then mix everything together. It was not overly sweet, and the contrast between the creamy ice cream, chewy jellies, and shaved ice was excellent.

Halo-Halo translates to "mix-mix," which tells you exactly what you are supposed to do with it.

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