Kapamilya

Formerly known as Fritzie’s, Kapamilya is one of the many “turo-turo” style restaurants in Little Manila. These types of restaurants - where you “turo,” or point, to the food you want from a selection laid out on a steam table - can be found as far as Saudi Arabia, and anywhere else there’s a significant Filipino population. The compact space also features a table with their current selection of pastries and kakanins.

Ask for some puto. Yes, you read that right. A term that could earn you some stares at any of the Ecuadorian, Mexican or Colombian restaurants down the block is used to describe a whole class of steamed rice cakes in the Philippines. Like most kakanins, puto can be eaten for breakfast, as a snack, or even dessert. Our favorite is the salted egg version where the background sweetness of the cake is accented by the salty funk of cured egg yolks on top.

The Putoflan, a combination that makes as much sense as the Cronut, contrasts textures by fusing the fluffy cake with creamy flan. And for a more substantial treat, nab a few of their suman sa lihiya. Suman are rice cakes steamed in leaves, and we prefer this one that comes in banana leaf with a side of coconut syrup as it’s cooked in lye water for a chewier texture. Make sure to grab a pack of hopia too. These Chinese mooncake-like pastries were brought to the Philippines by Fujianese immigrants and feature Filipino fillings like mung bean, ube, and even pork.