We had noticed Casa Manila open on the Danforth sometime during the pandemic and added it to our long to-try list. We then heard that Suresh Doss and one of the chefs from Lake Inez are fans, so we got around to trying them for takeout recently. We really don’t know Filipino food that well, but overall the food had rich and interesting flavours.
Tamarind Soup (Sinigang) - we went with the vegetable version with imported dried tamarind (no MSG), garlic, onions, tomatoes, bokchoy, okra, daikon, Asian eggplant, and green beans. The broth was tangy and vibrant and great for a cold night.
Atchara Pickled Papaya Slaw - made with young papaya, carrots, ginger, raisins, and red pepper. This was fun, not too vinegary, and a nice contrast to the richer dishes below.
Adobo Tofu, Green Beans & Eggplant - adobo sauce, tofu, eggplant, green beans, and a blend of spices. Complex sweet sauce with a bit of tang.
Peanut-Garlic Beef Stew (Beef Kare-Kare) - beef in peanut garlic sauce, with eggplant, green beans, and bokchoy - rich nutty flavour, with a highly umami fermented shrimp paste as a condiment.
Seafood Noodles (Pancit Palabok) - rice vermicelli dish with a sauce made from boiled shrimp heads and shells, topped with shrimp, squid, fish flakes, chicharon, boiled egg, fried garlic, and green onions. A riot of flavours and textures, and very, very rich.
Ube layer cake with ube halaya inside and a buttercream icing. Eye catching, but a bit dry and ho-hum.
