Kamayan's beloved Filipino cuisine beckons

Thomas here. Last week, my friends, girlfriend and I managed to snag a table at Kamayan, the Buford Highway Filipino restaurant that grew out of a wildly popular (and vividly colorful) pop-up.

• It was one of the best dining experiences I've had in a while.

Catch up quick: This past summer, Mia Orino and Carlo Gan opened the brick-and-mortar incarnation of their roving restaurant (pronounced "Kah-mayan") on Buford Highway in Asian Square.

• Highlights on the breezy and bright restaurant's menu include lumpia spring rolls (shrimp, pork, tofu), Bihon-Canton pansit (chicken or tofu and vegetables with rice and wheat noodles), and lechon kawali (sliced crispy pork belly).
• I ordered the vegan Bihon-Canton pansit, which was enough to share around the table. The lumpia is a great starter, as are the wok-fried bagiou beans.

Of note: For dessert, finish with the Halo-Halo Espesyal, an overflowing rainbow of tapioca pearls, plantains, ice cream, jackfruit, coconut jellies, purple yam jam on shaved ice with milk.

• Or the ube churros, ube flan, or puto. The whole menu is delicious.