Hapa SF

Yes, I went all the way to California to eat at a Jollyjeep! Well, a gourmet one created by chef William Pilz. I first found out about Hapa SF through the mouthwatering photos of Jun Belen. 

I wanted to take my folks out for some Filipino food since I was nearing the end of my visit to the US. Hapa SF  looked too good to resist- gourmet Filipino food at food cart prices. I checked them out on Facebook and saw that they would be in Berkeley that afternoon. So after our sidetrip to the Napa Wine Valley, we headed over. What was on the menu? Sisig, adobo, pancit, and lumpia. I had the sisig taco. 

 I liked how the flavorful meat contrasted with the citrusy freshness of the greens. Too bad they ran out of lumpia which I heard was their bestseller. 

My parents gobbled up the sisig rice and adobo quicker the lightning. Afterwards, my mom said that her cooking is better. Of course, it’s understandable she’d say that. All Filipino moms would say that! I think she's comparing it to how Filipinos usually like their food- nanunuot sa lasa.

What I liked about Hapa SF is how it’s tempered Filipino dishes to suit a global crowd. Pad Thai from a Thai restaurant does not taste like the Pad Thai you get from Bangkok but it’s extremely popular. I want a Pinoy restaurant in every city, and although that’s a tall order maybe the best start is with a roving restaurant.

I always hear about Filipino restaurants closing down abroad so it was a nice surprise to see Hapa SF drawing in the crowds. There were 7 food carts, two of which had long lines around it. One was a burger place (how typical!) and one was Hapa SF. 

Eating al fresco and seeing these Filipino dishes up in lights made my day.