Find Filipino dumplings and halo halo at South Tampa's Lucky Tigré

I took my daughter, Mo, to Manila for some book work in 2014 and now have a deep appreciation for Filipino cuisine.

Trust me when I say Tampa's first sari-sari counter Lucky Tigré, which opened late last year, should be on your radar if you like steamed buns, sticky rice, and Filipino dumplings.

• We tried almost everything on the simple menu and fell in love with the Suman Malagkit, which is jasmine rice soaked in coconut milk and steamed inside a banana leaf, and the dairy-free halo halo dessert, made of ube ice cream, coconut milk, crushed ice, banana, sweet red beans, mango jelly, strawberry jelly, lychee jelly, brown sugar boba and coconut slices.

Bonus: A good portion of the menu is plant-based.