Take in the low, L-shaped counter-which moonlights as a room divider separating the dining area from the kitchen at Ricebar-and you might feel apprehensive.
The unremarkable-looking Filipino food spot is tiny: There's only the counter that seats seven, a taller one by the window that seats two, a square table and the kitchen.
And space often fills up fast.
Tiny too is its menu, printed and laminated on equally unremarkable paper. At this joint, there are usually only four main courses in rice bowl form, a couple of specials, some pan de sal sliders and dessert.
It's what Ricebar is-simple, unembellished, uncomplicated. Incidentally, it's also one of the best restaurants in downtown Los Angeles. Here, the tinola, a chicken soup dish often enjoyed with white rice, is shoulder dropping and the bisteg tagalog is delicious.
Shortly after luscious Filipino cuisine became the next Vietnamese, modest spots like Ricebar have been all the rage in Los Angeles, so much so that one of the new things to do in the City of Angels is to feast on Filipino fare. Take stock of these other Filipino restaurants on the list and jump on the bandwagon.
This new culinary trend is here to stay. Kainan na!
Max's
This Glendale restaurant, part of a local chain in the Philippines, is quite ordinary to the casual eye. Don't let appearances fool you. Jonathan Gold has name-dropped Max's as one of the best Asian fried chicken joints in L.A.
The other items on the sizable menu are pretty fantastic too. Do it the proper Filipino way and have a family feast of lechon kawali, bangus, pork sinigang, sisig and garlic fried rice. Drown it all down with bukojuice then have halo-halo for dessert. 313 W Broadway, Glendale
LASA
Casual seems to be the common theme in most Filipino restaurants, at least in L.A., (as it should be). Chinatown's LASA is no different, though it does have a bit of that hip L.A. flair as well. Helmed by Filipino-American brothers, the aptly named spot is one of L.A.'s most highly rated and is, therefore, a must.
Feast on the dishes that might be harder to find elsewhere. These include inasal skewers, rice flour chicharron and drunken pancit. Crowd-pleasers include the lechon kawali bowl. Ginataan is the way to go for dessert. 727 N. Broadway, Los Angeles
Jollibee
This is essentially the Philippines' version of McDonald's. Although the American food chain has a number of locations in the archipelago, Jollibee still has it beat. If you're seeking a quintessential Filipino experience, then a meal here might be essential.
The specialty is crispy fried chicken, which comes in regular or incredibly spicy. The pancit palabok, however, is also tasty. Though you might not take to its sweet twist, the Filipino-style spaghetti is a must try also, if only to say that you've had it before. 3821 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles
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