Fiesta Grill has a steam table filled with all sorts of unmarked stews, meats, veggies. Lunch time was too busy to ask the counter guys for much explanation, so for this, my first visit, I stood at the end of the line, watched what other people were ordering, and copied them. The $3.95 lunch special is rice or pancit with one side. The $5.95 special is rice or pancit with two sides. I ended up, after some confusion, with a lunch special of pancit, pork adobo and kare kare.
This is the pancit. Pancit are noodles, and these are tasty. The rice noodles were mixed with snow peas, carrot sticks, bits of roasted pork, not too greasy, not too salty, they soak up the flavors of everything else on the plate.
Adobo pork. Really good. Chunks of soft pork, meaty and fatty pieces, with a great soy flavor. I like adobo. There were a few pieces of raw onion mixed in, adding crunch and bite to the dish.
Kare Kare. When I pointed to this stew and asked what it was, the countermen laughed. "It's beef in peanut sauce" they said, "do you still want it?" Um, yes, please. What's so funny about beef in peanut sauce? Oxtails, to be exact, braised and tender, along with some unidentifiable gelatinous pieces, soft green beans, greens, and bok choy, all cooked in a peanut sauce. It was good. But this is where I become word-less. One of the reasons that I began this adventure was to explore; to experience unique preparations and combinations of ingredients that I have not yet eaten. To go places that I would not necessarily have gone before. It's a great feeling, but I can't quite explain it. All I can say is thank you, Fiesta Grill. I shared my first kare kare experience with you. And it was not laughable. I am very serious about my love of food.Fiesta Grill
69-12 Roosevelt Ave
Woodside
What an endearing post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy!
ReplyDeleteaaaw.
ReplyDeleteweird, they didnt give you shrimp paste to eat with it?!
i think they are amazed that you are "brave" enough to try it.
their food is OKAY to me. the buffet lunch special in krystals (during the weekdays) is better bang for your buck.
Oh no! They did give me shrimp paste and I forgot to take a picture of it. I will definitely be going to Krystal's too. But I did go there for the Brazo de Mercedes and it just isn't the same as Red Ribbon.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much to get here, I'm almost up to 10 on my punch card! the pork is so hard not to get. I like the rice better than the noodles, but I think the food is great. The only thing I couldn't take was some dish wtih whole okras. other than that, I like the coconut sauce dishes and the pork.
ReplyDeleteOk I need a punch card too.
ReplyDeletethe gelatinous pieces in your kare-kare should be tripe. yum; it's one of my favorite dishes of all cuisines.
ReplyDeleteOoooh! Dying to try Fiesta Grill! A little bit further down is Engeline's and they have some of the most delicious pancit palabok! Try it, you won't be dissapointed. I actually went into my local Filipino Grocery/Hot Table bar in my town in NJ yesterday and they were so heartwarmed to see a non-filipino coming in for their food! love!
ReplyDeleteEthan- I have been meaning to go to Engeline's as well, and I'll definitely get some pancit. Thanks!
ReplyDelete