Visited from San Francisco and heard this was a great spot for modern Filipino food! The ambiance was clean and did give a Filipino homey vibe. Lots of people doing work and drinking coffee. Makulay Coffee - 4/5 - did not get the amazing colorful visual as seen in the pictures, getting a white and yellow blob lol. Taste was there, reminding me of a brown sugar, vanilla cake. Black truffle ensaymada - 3/5 - Heavy on the black truffle, as it overpowered everything else. Appreciated the this twist in a classic. Ube Chori Burger - 4/5 - Awesome presentation, juicy, saltiness was not overpowering for chorizo. Did remind me of longanisa. Fries were hella good! (5/5) Kare kare - 3/5 - Served deconstructed and flavor was there. On the watery side. Lechon was crispy but dry and not as fresh as expected. Pandan cookie - 5/5 - this was amazing. Soft, packed flavor, truly delectable. Service was a let down with the only cashier being cold by not providing a greeting, making eye contact, or a smile - as if he did not want to be there. There were also flies in the pastry display. My mom ordered black coffee and we had to ask for cream & sugar. They didn't have cream so asked for milk. Aside from the service, would come back to try more coffees and food if in the area. read more

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Hiraya is a decent Filipino restaurant on H Street. We tried two drinks and two entrees. The ube latte ($6) was one of the best-looking drinks I've ever seen, decorated with purple swirls, but the turon latte ($6) was no slouch either. Then, we had the tapa ($25) and tocino ($24). Each bowl featured delicious marinated meat (beef and pork, respectively), alongside purple-and-white rice, pickled vegetables, and a gently fried egg. The food was definitely tasty, but above all, they made quite an effort to make each dish look good, and it paid off. I very much enjoyed my meal here. read more

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A hidden gem on H Street, Hiraya is a Filipino restaurant with instagram-worthy dishes! The taste of the food lives up to its hype! They are colorful, flavorful and bring joy to your tummy! The ambience is casual, kinda like a nice eatery. The seating is whatever is open, no one is there to escort you. You order the food at the counter, pay there, and then they will bring food and drinks to your table. The ambiance is nice casual, perfect for family, friend group or even first date (you'll have a lot to talk about)! Note that this location will close down by end of June. The new location will be at DuPont circle and called Kayo. I was relieved that they are not closing down - just moving to a new location with a new name! read more

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Run. I I'll be sending anyone who wants good DC recommendations here, as this place was outstanding. First off, went for a rainbow latte, which was absolutely gorgeous and SO delicious. Several of the flavors sounded so so good, but I needed the rainbow :) My friend got the chorizo breakfast sandwich and said it was absolutely fantastic. Sad we didn't try more! They have takeout and an upstairs that serves several coursed menus which looked absolutely outstanding, and the place was so cozy and beautifully decorated. The space was full when we walked in and was a wait as well as a line of takeout. Very friendly, family oriented space. When you go in the bathroom, look at the photos. It's all the chefs, owners and family and they're SO cute! Walked out with an UBE drink with cinnamon and it. Was. OUTSTANDING. I can see how people come JUST for that. Love this space, love the service and so glad I stumbled upon it!! Will DEFINITELY be back!! read more

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Really wanted to give 5 stars but after reviewing the online menu and finding not even half of it was available really put a damper on our morning. We got 2 coffees & an ube horchata - they were all delicious & also very aesthetically pleasing haha. For food my husband got the chorizo sandwich, the patty had a little sweetness too it & was good. I got the brisket croissant which was good as well, but honestly not what I wanted. So so bummed they weren't offering any bowls. I couldn't even order sides of rice or atsara (available after 11) The guy working was really kind! & they have high chairs which is always useful to know. We didn't have issues parking - there was street parking up to 2 hours up 2 blocks read more

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Hiraya is a Filipino cafe on H Street. It was the colorful specialty lattes that beckoned to me. The beautiful makulay latte, with flavors of yellow cake and brown butter, as pretty as it was rich and sweet. The colorful ube latte and the guava berry croissant, crisp and striped with fruit flavor. We stopped in one morning and had some pastries. Kind of funny -- my friend wanted the garlic rice with two eggs, so they gave him two bowls of rice, each with an egg on it. I tried the wok fried farm vegetables with jasmine rice. This was comfort food. Would love to try the ube chori burger with the ube bao bun. When we visited, the menu was limited and some of the items were sold out. read more

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Heard that Hiraya was closing on 6/30 so made a special trip to try the cafe today but was told that it was closed when we got there at 3pm and that dinner doesn't start until 5pm. The website says that Hiraya Cafe is all day on Saturday from 8am-9pm. Please update your website hours if that is no longer accurate so that customers don't try to come here and leave disappointed. read more

Hiraya Cafe - Inaccurate Website Hours - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great place for some coffee, breakfast and lunch, very cute inside. I ordered the chorizo burger, it was very tasty and unique, out of many drinks options on the menu only two were available, unfortunately, I ordered the tea one. They do need to make sure to inform customers that you have to place an order at the counter , I seen many people coming in, sitting at the table, and waiting to place an order, some even left. Also the place is small in a busy day you might have to bem wait be seated. read more

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I stopped by in the morning to grab coffee and breakfast so this will be a takeout only review. While I did not dine there, I did enjoy the ambiance of the cafe, with warm lighting and some greenery by the entrance. Seems to be plenty of seating as well. I got an iced Ube Latte which was good, ube flavor was aromatic and not too sweet. The Brisket, egg, and cheese was a good sandwich choice for breakfast. The brisket was overflowing out of the bun and the gruyere cheese gave it a lot do flavor. The brisket could be a bit more tender but it's still good. I would come back again to try their Filipino rice bowls! read more

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What a unique spot! We came by for their happy hour special to grab a quick bite. The staff were so nice since we ordered multiple rounds of drinks/food bc we were more snacking than we thought. At the end, they were having a deal to sell their pastries for the day so we bought a couple of desserts. All were very yummy and I would be happy to try out their brunch if we were here for longer. They also were so sweet on giving us a bunch of leftover pastries that they had for the day. I don't remember the specific names of our drinks but they were all very good and had unique flavors that are Filipino inspired. The lumpia were hot out the frier and was cleared instantly. read more

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I came back with more hopes that it would be a better experience this time, and it definitely was! Came during a Sunday brunch, and wasn't too busy! It is counter service during the day, but service was still well done. The Brunchin' combo deal is very worth $25 for a savory plate, non alcoholic drink, and a chef's choice of pastry. I really enjoyed by Ube Horchata!! Amazing flavor and creaminess. I also loved the Loco Moco, Chicken & Biscuits, and Wild Mushroom (cripsy enoki served with hierloom garlic fried rice, egg, and atsara (pickles)). All so delicious and filling! I was intrigued by the Spam Cinnamon Bun, but it was a miss. The salty spam did not pair well with the sweet pastry. The prices can definitely add up here so be careful! read more

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We wanted to try a Filipino Asian fusion restaurant, since we don't have it in Texas and this place was great!! We found a table then went to the front to order our food and drinks. We got the longanisa and tapa breakfast, and an ensaymada since I've never had it with truffle before. It felt like I was at home, since the place smelled of fried garlic rice while they were cooking our food. The breakfast was really yummy and my fave was the longanisa. The tapa was different than what I've had before, but wasn't bad. The ensaymada just tasted like bread with butter and cheese. Not much on the truffle side, but still good. Overall it was a fun and delicious experience eating the food of my people with a twist. Definitely a place to check out if you're live in the area or are visiting. read more

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The pandan latte was fantastic, I will come back for that for sure! Definitely one of my favorite lattes I've had in DC (good coffee is difficult to find in DC, so this means a lot). The rice bowl was alright, I think a bit over priced because I couldn't taste the mushrooms very much. Them being fried made the dish a bit too dry for me. Rice was perfectly cooked though. As for the atmosphere, very beautiful and I liked the layout. Music was too loud for my liking though so I'd keep that in mind if you are dining with people. read more

Hiraya Cafe - WILD MUSHROOM - VEGETARIAN PANDAN LATTE - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Let me tell y'all the ube burger with chorizo was chefs kiss. I really wanted to try the ube horchata drink but it wasn't available during the time I went. My friends really enjoyed the desserts they gave as restaurant week was still ongoing when I went there. Personally I didn't like it because I don't like lemon treats. read more

Hiraya Cafe - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This review is for the Cafe Section only: Don't get me wrong, I think Hiraya is a wonderful place to eat, socialize and perhaps get some brunch in but I don't think I could justify the price for food if I were to come back again. Walking in you are met with a pastry cafe and a counter. It's interesting but you pick a table and then you go up to order your food. The food gets delivered to you from the kitchen in the back. The ambiance is a bit mixed where it's a bit loud and it was a bit hard to over hear my friends conversation while sitting down but we made the best of it and changed tables as a result. The music selection is great, you will hear Filipino music. The restaurant embraces itself with so much culture I will have to give them props for that. I ordered a Makulay Latte and I will say that the presentation on the art alone is worth it. It reminds me of a birthday cake because of how pretty it looks with so many colors on it. The taste was definitely on point like how I described it. It was a great cup of latte and I do want to get more. The Filipino Rice Bowl that I got was the Tapsilog or the Roseda beef marinated in soy garlic with Heirloom fried rice and Atsara. To me, I felt the dish was a bit small but the dish itself was very pretty and presentable. I did enjoy this dish but I don't know if I could spend the same amount if I were to go again. Maybe I'll feel better if I just stick to lattes and sweets. read more

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So, I read all the reviews and couldn't wait to try Hiraya based on that. Unfortunately, they have minimized their menu to accommodate their new location. We considered leaving on learning this but stayed to give it a shot. I'm not sure it was the right decision. I had the Sisig, which was greasy enough that it detracted from the flavor. I was grateful my friend ordered rice to go with it. The Ube Latte was positively delightful and I was grateful to have tried it. I know restaurants face so many challenges these days, but I hope Hiraya will return to its winning formula once things settle at the Union Market. read more

Hiraya Cafe - UBE LATTE - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Low key breakfast/ brunch spot. Order at the counter. Music is very loud. My friend and I paid separately meaning our food came out at different times. She was finished with her lunch before my entree even came out. I had high hopes for the banana latte but once mixed the banana flavor was not existent. The OG cheeseburger was great but they forgot the adobo onions which was an important ingredient. read more

Hiraya Cafe - Banana latte - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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10/10! Currently making plans to visit in person. (This order was from uber eats) After viewing pics and reading reviews, I was highly convinced this would be good. They did not disappoint. read more

Hiraya Cafe - GUAVA CREAM DANISH - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Very cute cafe! The theme-ing was nice and made it feel very spacious. The drinks were really yummy! We got an Ube latte and an Iced Turon latte :) We didn't try any pastries but we'll definitely have to if we're in the area again! read more

Stopped here on Sunday before they closed and had a great experience! I loved the use of colour in their food! And the flavors were well executed. It was my first time trying Philippine food and now I'm a fan! The crispy belly was a little too crispy/chewy but very delicious. Honestly the rice was the star! Very soft and chewy and the ube horchata was some of the best horchata I've had! Service is fast since you order and pay first and they deliver to the table quickly. And I loved the homey/ tropical but modern cafe feel. There's enough seating to walk in with a party of 4 depending no on how busy it is. My only recommendation is the plating makes it a little more difficult to eat/ use a knife as the plates are not flat but upturned at the edges like an extra large bowl. read more

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Just stopped in for lattes. The pandan is nice and subtle but you can tell it's not plain coffee. The makulay is sweet and delicious. read more

Hiraya Cafe - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

There was things I liked and things I felt this place could do better. I enjoyed the food, decor, & portion size. But as for the environment, organization, & drinks, they could definitely improve. Pros: The food was definitely tasty. I've heard good things about this place so I really wanted to check it out. I got the mushroom silog which a decent portion size for the price & absolutely delicious. They did a great job on the mushrooms & I loved the texture of the rice. I liked the decor as well. It was warm & inviting. Cons: As for the rest, it's a bit loud in there with music. Not the biggest fan. Also it's kind of unorganized. You walk in not knowing if the tables are reserved since the numbers are there & then no one greets you to know what you're doing. We eventually knew that tables were first come first served & you order at the front but it felt weird since there were people serving us water & food so not sure why our order couldn't be taken as well. I got the pandan latte but I couldn't really taste the pandan kind of disappointed there. I would come back to try the pastries & maybe something else but they definitely need to do better. read more

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Hiraya has been on my list for a bit and so im glad I got to try it for brunch over the weekend. They do not take rsvp but when we walked in we were immediately sat. You order your meal from the counter and they bring it you. Now price wise it's a bit expensive, it costs us about $80 for two coffees and two dishes. But the flavors and taste was worth it. Also, there is ton of history about the food and the Philippines around the restaurants. I definitely will be back to try out their dining room experience. read more

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I came here for lunch before heading over to Union station to catch my train. I saw someone make a Tiktok about this place and their Ube Latte caught my eye. This restaurant is located on a busy street so parking wise you'd likely be better off parking away and walking over, public transit, or using Uber/Lyft. I didn't have a reservation but I was immediately able to sit down at a table in their cafe and order. Ube Latte - 2/5, this was sadly a miss for me :( I was looking forward to a sweet Ube flavored drink with coffee in the background but absolutely Ube primarily in the foreground, but this wasn't it. I think what would make this a 5/5 for me was if there were more Ube present since after I blended the drink together it became predominately coffee flavored with just the bare hints of Ube Tapsilog - 4.5/5, presented so beautifully!! The egg yolk when broken over the rice and beef is so yummy and the beef is well seasoned and tasty. Minus half a star because it's so difficult to cut with the knives provided at the tables. Looking back, I should have (and you definitely should!) ask for a steak knife. I'd come back and try swapping the Ube Latte out for the Ube Horchata and trying more of their cuisine since that was the absolute highlight of the cafe! read more

Hiraya Cafe - Ube latte - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I love this place. I've been here before. This is a Filipino restaurant. The girl waitress is super sweet. It gives me SEA vibe. We got the rainbow latte. This is one of my fav latte. It's so pretty that I didn't even want to drink. I got the street platter which they gave another skewer because usually skewers are $3.50 each. The duck adobo is so smooth and juice. I wish it was served with rice for the price you get because that's how it typically it is like purple patch. Another recommendation is they should put the cafe menu on there too. read more

Hiraya Cafe - Rainbow latte - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Trying something different for breakfast today. Didn't disappoint, Wish they had more selections on their menu tho. For eat in you order from front post then pick a table number to get served. read more

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Came with family for lunch. We each got something different. And loved each dish. Very comfortable atmosphere. read more

Hiraya Cafe - UBE CHORI BURGER - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love this spot! Amazing lattes. Tried the makulay latte which was sweet and delicious. It was also adorable. This place also had some amazing brunch and pastries. Stop in for sure! read more

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Grabbed a quick lunch at Hiraya and was very pleased with the Tapa soy garlic beef dish. The rice was soft and the beef was well seasoned. The picked veggies and egg definitely added to the dish. I also had the ube cupcake which was delicious - so much that I ate it all before remembering to take a photo! Service could improve but food came out quick. read more

Hiraya Cafe - tapa - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Filipino food is a significant part of the DC culinary scene (and relatively distinctive to the area), and each new place offers something different. This one runs as more of a cafe, with breakfast entrees and pastries available by morning as well as a separate dinner menu. The offerings are distinctive, and they do have a few vegan options that are new and different. I sampled some kind of donut with a creamy filling, and it was as wondrous as it looked. Ordering a pandan latte confused me; I was expecting the pandan syrup mixed with milk, but it was in fact a coffee drink, so really the additional flavoring hardly mattered. Fine for what it was, I suppose. It's a pricey place with an included service charge, though I'll give them credit at least for not trying to trick me into more of a tip than they already do by default. And given that it was a delicious donut, I wasn't upset to have paid for it, and would be intrigued to come back and try more of a meal. read more

Hiraya Cafe - Donut - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We opted for Hiraya's *EIGHT COURSE TASTING MENU * 145 pp. There a plenty of options to choose from their "A la carte" menu (shareable) but 8-course tasting is highly recommended! *EIGHT COURSE TASTING MENU * 145 pp includes the ff: Nilaga: aged beef bone broth. Pampagana: scallops. calamansi sabayon. ramps. togarashi. hamachi. watermelon radish. nori. MD crab lumpia. kaluga caviar. strawberry-rhubarb foie gras adobo. shallot jam. milk bread. chives. Bitso: crabfat doughnut. lardo. Raviolo: sunchoke. wild mushroom. curry emulsion. Alavar: monster prawns. herbs. annatto oil. fava beans. Adobong Luntian: shenandoah valley lamb. white asparagus. english peas. Kinaskas: calamansi granita. chèvre. strawberry. Buko Pandan: coconut-lime parisienne. marcona almond. Pasalubong: sweet finish. Ally, our host, did a such great job! The whole dining experience took about 2 hours. We learned a new word in Tagalog dictionary: "Hiraya" means I hope; Imagination. Resy had 3 options for rsvp: A LA CARTE: Upstairs - Intimate/Lounge CHEF'S COUNTER - Upstairs - Intimate/Lounge CAFE DINNER: Downstairs - Café style (Different Menu) read more

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So sad Hiraya's is closing :( truly one of my favorite spots in the DMV. I recommend it to all my friends and family. I've brought guests to DC here. I've come multiple times myself. The staff is always so friendly and chill. The vibes always immaculate. The food and drinks always perfect. The place gives me west coast vibes (I'm from Cali) and I'll miss it when they're gone. read more

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Ordered to try these following items: Ube latte with oat milk (purple yam) - yummy latte with a hint of ube and sugar. It was not too sweet like other places, which I enjoyed very much! Turon latte with oat milk (caramelized banana & brown sugar) - amazing taste as it's a hint of caramelized banana and brown sugar... to compare with ube, I think it's a bit more sweeter but enjoyable alike! I'd order this drink again as it's very good and unique compared to other places that may not offer this type of latte anywhere (at least in DMV?). Black Truffle Ensaymada (brioche. truffle cream. cheddar) - amazing savory pastry! A hint of truffle inside the soft brioche was scrumptious then a hint of cheddar was a nice and explosive combination... I'd never thought of trying truffle, bread and cheddar altogether. Good one! Polvoron Cream Puffs (puffed rice. condensed milk) - interesting taste but much better than any cream puffs I've had before... and it was a nice twist to puffed rice and condensed milk flavors! Tocino (sweet porkbelly marinated in pineapple. dark soy. annatto & garlic) - it is one of Filipino breakfast options, it's also made up of heirloom garlic fried rice, farm egg, & atsara... it was amazing and juicy as you take a bite of rice, egg, pork belly, and a bit of atsara (minced veggies kind)! Absolutely loved it and I'd order this bowl again...it's very filling. Service was quick and friendly. The seating around is nice and chill as they opened the garage doors to make it more open and airy with outside. It was nice to take some time to wind down and people watching. read more

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Excellent service and not a long wait. We loved our brunch here. The longaniza is homemade, the menu says, and it's delicious! First time visiting this restaurant and as a Filipina, I was quite pleased and it was very delicious! Will be back to taste more delicacies! read more

Hiraya Cafe - Longaniza breakfast! - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

5 stars for coffee, but knocking down to 4 stars for pastries. We stopped in to the cafe at Hiraya around 9 on a Saturday morning and waited in line around 15 minutes-- a good sign that this is a popular place! We ordered an iced ube latte and the Makulay latte (yellow cake and brown butter with a beautiful rainbow design), and an ube flan cupcake. Both coffees were delicious. The iced ube latte is the best I've had. It had a rich mouthfeel without being too sweet. While the Makulay flavors typically aren't my favorite, I went for it for the photos (it is gorgeous!) and surprisingly really enjoyed it. It is on the sweet side, so if that's not your favorite I'd ask them to cut the sweetener in half, but the cakey almond-y brown butter flavor comes through well. The ube flan cupcake, however, was a bit of a let down. The icing was too thick and lacked flavor, the cake itself was a bit dry and also missing the light ube flavor I expected. There was a bit of filling that I believe was meant to be the flan but again lacking the right texture or flavor. The idea is amazing but unfortunately we just didn't enjoy it. I would try another of their pastries in the future though. Overall, I recommend making the stop for coffee and would go early because this place gets packed. read more

Hiraya Cafe - Iced ube latte & ube flan cupcake - Filipino Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is a review of the cafe dinner, ordered a la carte. The meal was pretty good but didn't wow me. Hiraya has a couple different concepts and menus and I'm still a little confused about the differences. The first floor is a coffee shop and restaurant (they call it the "cafe") that serves both a set and an a la carte menu for dinner. The upstairs (they call it the "restaurant") has a Chef's Tasting menu and an a la carte menu. I don't know if the a la carte menus are the same. Their website is clear about the Cafe menus which they have online, but they don't have any online menus for the upstairs portion. The downstairs space is very stylish and larger than I expected. I like the modern decor a lot. It was pretty quiet for dinner when we arrived near 5 PM on a Sunday; it got busier later, but never full. We got the Wild Mushroom Sisig ($19), Porkchop "Not Dinuguan" ($36), Cauliflower Kare-Kare ($26), Milo Crepe Cake ($14), and a Red Horse beer ($9). There was also an included 22% gratuity. For some context, I'm not very familiar with Filipino food, but I enjoyed a few meals at Bad Saint years ago so I was excited to try the dishes here. Everything was pretty good -- flavors, portions, cooking technique, etc. The sisig reminded me of meat. The sauce on the pork chop was kinda weird and jelly-like; it was okay. It wasn't as flavorful as I expected, like it was missing something or needed a bit of a boost. The cauliflower dish was huge and I really liked the peanut sauce. The crepe cake was also enormous; plenty to split. I liked the chocolate and malt flavors. I found the milk jelly weird, but not off-putting. In general, the food was good, but didn't wow me. The service was a bit lacking. We asked about the Sinigang dish and got a really confusing explanation so we didn't order it. We had to wait for staff to notice us or flag them down multiple times. There were only two people covering the dining room and some other tasks which wasn't enough. They were friendly enough, though. The service definitely did not live up to the 22% auto-grat. read more

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Caught up with a friend at Hiraya recently. Really happy to see a Filipino cafe in the neighborhood. The decor is hip, and the music definitely matches the vibes. It's pretty much first come first serve seating, and you're expected to place your order at the register and grab your own plates and silverware. I ordered the Tocino Filipino breakfast (which they serve all day) and my friend got the Chori burger. We also split the pandan ice cream. I thought the pork belly in my breakfast bowl was pretty good, but the dish overall lacked flavor. It may have been the most bland Filipino food I've ever tasted. My friend enjoyed the burger, but thought the bread was a bit much, and overpowered the meal. The ice cream was good. Overall, I would recommend trying out, and I would come back to check out some other dishes and drinks. read more

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You won't find prettier lattes in DC, I promise you! The wait was about 25 minutes and the host was so sweet ( I didn't get her name but she did her own nails and they were so beautifully done) The cafe is very nice and has plants at the entrance and around the interior. It makes the place feel so comfy. I had some questions and Alex helped me out with some tips. Here is what I ordered: Ube purple yam Makulay yellow cake & brown butter Chori Burger: double pork chorizo patties & atsara. ube bao bun served w/ kamote fries. Chicken & Waffle: Inasal fried chicken, annatto waffle, smoked maple. Breakfast & Lunch: Filipino-inspired pastries, rice bowls, salads, and sandwiches. Dinner: Chef's tasting menu & an optional wine pairing. They also offer a bar & À la carte menu Hiraya: 1250 H Street, DC Street & metered parking Mon: Closed | Tues-Sun: 8AM-9PM 3.50 - 25 read more

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Hiraya pulled it off: a Filipino fine-dining experience that encapsulates the iconic comfort foods while elevating the flavors to new heights. The chef included the subtle flavors while balancing out the salty, sweet, and fatty elements that tend to overpower Filipino dishes. The result is a Ratatouille-like medley of flavors that bring back days of youth. When you visit the restaurant, you will have a choice of the cafe (a la carte) or restaurant (seven-course meal). The interior was open-aired and modern, with a view of the cooks and warehouse garage doors that open up to sidewalk seating during warm days. I appreciated the fresh plants at the front. My server was polite and attentive. I tried a la carte and ordered a three-course "salo salo" dinner, which included an appetizer, two shared entrees, garlic rice, and a dessert. The Filipino Street BBQ included pork belly that was cut and seared to perfection. The cut had a low but suitable level of fat that enhanced the flavor. I could tell the meat was selected and prepared with care. It came with a tangy dipping sauce that worked well. Next came the Adobong Pusit Paella, Pork Chop Dinuguan, and garlic rice. These dishes impressed me to no end. The paella had deep fried calamari and a pleasant creamy sauce on top of soft rice, while the dinuguan included a light layer of pork blood sauce that contained the salty and sour flavor without smothering the pork chop. To top it off, the garlic rice included freshly minced garlic that burst with flavor. Lastly, the Milo Crepe Cake came as a multi-layer cake with chocolate powder, sugar, and a surprise childhood delicacy: Filipino canned cheese. The artificial cheese substitute is a classic Filipino junk food. Somehow, the chef incorporated the cheese into a creamy top layer that worked out to complement the sweetness of the cake. Color me impressed. I cannot wait to return to this restaurant. In fact, I booked a reservation for the next week to try the seven-course dinner. My date was memorable. For Filipinos, Hiraya is a celebration of culture. For the uninitiated, the food is worth a trip and stands among the greats of DC -- in fact, the United States. read more

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8 a.m. is when you want to go to Hiraya, a Filipino all-day cafe along H Street NE. It's when they open every day except Monday. There's not a line (yet), but the pastries and lattes are so good that you'll want to go when they open. Meeting a friend at Hiraya for breakfast, I ended up ordering twice because the menu is so enticing. There are five lattes on the menu, breakfast sandwiches, pastries, cocktails, and more. To start, I ordered the guava cheese danish and the Makulay latte. The danish was unlike any I've had before. The cheese is inside the pastry with the guava sauce poured over it. Wow- it's so good! The Makulay latte is sweet and is decorated with sprinkles on top creating a party. For second breakfast, I ordered the Ube latte, which is purple sweet potato. It's not overly sweet and very good! (There's sugar at the bar if you want, but it really doesn't need it.) I also got the "Tapa" Filipino breakfast, which comes in a big bowl with rice, condiments, and short ribs. It's very tasty, but this hesitant-meat eater found the meat a bit tough (and it comes on the bone). Service was excellent and the space inviting. There's plenty of seats, guaranteeing a spot for my friend and I. If you love coffee and breakfast, go here! The coffee is from the Philippines and comes from a woman-owned roastery. read more

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