A Philippine restaurant??

I'm scheduled to meet a friend for lunch this week at a new(?) restaurant along Frankfort Ave. that reportedly specializes in cuisine from the Philippines.

Sounds interesting....has anyone dined there yet and can brief me....thanks in advance.

Yes, unless something new has opened, it would be Sari Sari.

I very much like the food there, as does my half-Filipina wife, but my full-Filipina mother-in-law says that it's not totally authentic. It's pretty close, and very good in her opinion as well, but has been "Americanized" somewhat.

Of course, if you know anything about Filipino cuisine, you would know that it's really hard to define what it is. Some kind of hodge-podge of Southeast Asian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and American (plus others), but not known to be overly spicy, hot, etc. Basically, take what you would expect to find on an island in Southeast Asia, and then add in the influences of everyone who has occupied or otherwise had a military presence there over the years, without allowing things to get Indian- or Thai-hot.

So, basically, I'm not really sure how true Filipino food can be "Americanized," since it's really quite undefineable, but I believe she just meant that something was missing from what she grew up on in San Francisco.

Either way, its good, and the adobo is especially nice.

Annemarie/Brad...

Thanks for the input....we'll give it a try and report back.

If anyone else has dined at Sari Sari, please weigh in -- thx.

We've eaten there several times and always enjoyed it. I find the sauces, which seem to be soy based a bit salty, but I also like salt. But Sari Sari in no way can be considered new. It's been part of the Louisville dining community for , what . . . 4-5 years?

[Robin Garr]

It's been part of the Louisville dining community for , what . . . 4-5 years?

It opened in the early summer of 2006, so three years plus a bit.

Here's my LouisvilleHotBytes review soon after opening:
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/happy ... -sari-sari

Pete Chamberlain has moved on, I believe, but Lourdes is still cookin.

Pete has moved on, sorry to say, we enjoyed talking to him. And he was always quietly singing, finger drumming, whistling to the background music. Never offensive, just very quiet in the background.

Service has not fallen off one notch since Pete has left. In fact, when we arrive and take a table, inside or outside, Lourdes or her boyfriend(?) bring my wife her lumpia, without asking. They know it is her favorite, that she orders it every time. For her, that's why we go to Sari Sari at least once a month.

Well, I made it over to Sari Sari for lunch -- what a little gem!

Ordered the Sesame Chicken (prepared in a light, delicious peanut sauce), w/a side of red beans and rice...a different twist to sesame chicken the way most are accustomed to eating it in a Chinese restaurant -- diced chicken with a melange of veggies cooked in that peanut sauce (and sprinkled w/sesame seeds)...Sari has a proprietary hot sauce that you can lightly dab over the dishes for a little extra "kick"....indoor seating is limited (about 6-7 tables in the small dining area), plus a few sidewalk tables outside....will definitely return! Thanks again for the feedback....