This was my first time trying out this turo turo place, and I have to say, I was excited! I recently moved to Los Angeles from Bakersfield, but I'm originally from the Bay Area, so you can guess I've enjoyed my fair share of delicious Pinoy cuisine (and as a proud Pinoy, I'm always on the lookout for good food!). I want to share my experience based solely on the food and what I encountered, so I hope you find my review helpful, even if it gets a bit lengthy for just three comfort food dishes.
First off, I was impressed by how clean and well-kept the restaurant was--definitely a plus! The staff member who served me was super friendly and polite, which always makes a dining experience feel special. Now, let's talk about the food. Since it was morning, I opted for three comforting "log" dishes: longsilog, bangsilog, and cornsilog. The common threads among these dishes are garlic (bawang), fried rice (sinangag), and a fried egg (itlog). However, I have to mention that the rice didn't have any garlic in it at all --not a hint of it! Just plain fried white rice, which left my wife and me a little disappointed. I'm hoping this was just an oversight and not a regular thing, especially since they marketed it as garlic rice!
The fried egg was simple--a single sunny-side-up egg. The other turo turo establishments I visited usually give the egg a quick flip to make it a little over easy.
Now, let's get to the main dishes. Starting with the fried Daeng bangus (milkfish marinated in vinegar, salt, and pepper), I have to say that it was delicious! The portion size was originally good, but they cut in half, lengthwise, before it was served. If you love your bangus crispy like I do, I recommend enjoying it right there at the restaurant instead of taking it home.
Next up was the corned beef and potatoes. The taste was pretty solid--who doesn't love that comforting flavor? However, I'd suggest that the cook double-checks the doneness of the potatoes before serving. They had a bit more crunch than I would've liked. Growing up, my mom always said that potatoes should be really soft rather than crunchy, so I couldn't help but think of that while eating!
Lastly, I saved the longsilog for last. The star of this dish is the longanisa, which is a sweet Filipino sausage that varies in flavor and spice depending on where you're from. Unfortunately, this time around, the longanisa didn't quite meet my expectations. It was as if the the sausages were boiled. And they were quite Pink! Sadly, their longanisa didn't seem to have that beloved fried look or taste I'm so familiar to eating. To make matters worse, it was served from the same tray as the tocino, which also didn't appear fried, just boiled and a bit too pink. My wife even had a little trouble serving it to her patient, as it was quite rubbery from overcooking.
Overall, I hope my experience adds some insight for anyone considering this place. I'm just sharing my thoughts on the food and my first visit--nothing more! read more