Stashed way out on the eastern edge of 21st Street is a delicious little Filipino joint. With the sort of unpretentious murals on the walls one might find in a beachside restaurant, this place feels like summer anytime of the year. When it is warm, there are a few tables to sit at outside, which is what we chose to do... and from there we could see into the kitchen. While peering through colorful rows of cans containing products we could not pronounce, we watched as the chefs wrangled meat and vegetables on and off an enormous grill. When our waiter came by, we admitted that we were a little lost, but he ably stepped in to guide our whole party through the menu without overburdening us with too much information. We started off with Lumpiang Sariwa, a large bowl of tiny deep-fried spring rolls. These were delicious- - incredibly crunchy and stuffed with refreshing vegetables. We shared some of the entrees beginning with the Pinakbet. On the plate was a combination of sauteed melon, string beans, squash, eggplant and some other vegetables accompanied by shrimp. The vegetable medley was recognizable except for the melon that was shockingly bitter, though very interesting when paired with the light, shrimpy saltiness of the sauce. Next came the Kare Kare, which is large bowl of oxtail and tripe swimming in a thin peanut sauce. First time diners will find this assortment of flavors odd, but many at our table thought it unusually delicious. The last dish to emerge was the Kalderete, consisting of beef chunks with potatoes cooked in spices and tomato sauce. Arguably everyone's favorite, but perhaps this was simply because it was a little more familiar to us. The spices were more robust and less sweet than an average stir-fry, and the deep red-colored oil that was left behind after we demolished this dish was readily poured over garlic rice as we sparred for the last forkfuls.
