So I followed the yelp reviews and found CARiN de RiA and I ordered food to go since we were meeting up with friends at a local park. The lumpia was classic and crunchy. However, there were only 4 or 5 small rolls for $4 then tax so it's like $1 per lumpia. Was it worth it? Yes and maybe...? I would say yes if you don't want to travel a bit for food. I've been to Mira Mesa and there is a reason why they have the nickname as Manilla Mesa. I also ordered the sizzling lechon sisig which came hot and with bell peppers and onions. This was $16 and I would say was all right and worth trying. There were just way too many bell peppers and onions for my liking and I wish the sisig came a bit more fried. I was surprised that a scoop of rice did not come with the dish so I paid extra for that. Overall I would give the extra star for the service which was kind and welcoming. The food was ok and I would say there is not many options in north county San Diego if you are looking for filipino food, I'll look around when I'm up there again but I'll leave my ratings below: Food 3/5 Price 4/5 average for that area. Service 5/5 Decor and cleanliness 5/5 read more

Archie the owner is usually there Service great Classic panset and lumpia great Lichon always a favorite Would like traditional chicken adobo I've been dining over a 2 dozen times read more

So nice to enjoy a Filipino meal in Encinitas!!! We got the small family feast for 2 people. Sinigang was healing :) Even though we didn't finish all of the food, I was excited to bring back leftovers! Everything was delicious and super cool they have one of the draft beers "serbesa" brewed by Belching Beaver! Can't wait to come back. read more

BEST FILIPINO FOOD IN SAN DIEGO. Run, don't walk down here. Highly recommend their lumpia, sizzling pork sisig, cardeleta and flan. We're so happy to find a good restaurant that serves filipino food, we've been all over and have been underwhelmed with the quality of options as they tend to favor quantity over flavor. You're probably wondering well what does she know? I lived in Mira Mesa aka Manila Mesa for 10+ years so I've had great homecooked filipino food from moms of friends. And I know Mira Mesa and National City is the mecca of filipino food but they have nothing on this. Don't be off put by the "hipster"ness of this place, its authentic and fairly priced for the quality. If more Carins opened up, I'm sure filipino food will finally gain traction and spotlight similar to other asian cuisines. Wow, this place changed our life. We were this close to giving up and just saying its impossible to find a good filipino restaurant in america but thank goodness for Carin! read more

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I found this place when I was driving around Encinitas. I got the pork adobo, garlic fried rice, sisig, and pancit. The food was not bad, but I did have an issue with some of the food. The fried rice and pancit were good. The pork adobo was dry to my liking, and the sisig is different from what I am used to. I'm used to having sisig with the lechon crispy and having less vegetables. Maybe it's just a personal preference. I would come back and try what other foods they have. read more

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Very impressed. Authentic, tasty with some unique surprises. The kare kare soup was thick and flavorful and the meat plentiful and tender. Wonderful vegetables of string beans, eggplant and bokchoy. First time I've had crunchy peanut butter as the thickener and its great! Kare kare for the hard core Pinoy is complimented with bagoong, a salty shrimp paste used sparingly. Very very high quality bagoong. The plain white rice was perfectly cooked. The server, Hannah, was kind, friendly and attentive. Archie came out to say Hi and asked what I thought. Definitely two thumbs up. Congratulations for a gem in North Coastal San Diego. Can't wait to order a whole lechon this summer! read more

CARiN de RiA - Oxtail kare kare with bagoong. - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

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What a great find for a cozy meal! I stopped by yesterday during their lunch hour with a friend and ordered the Tapa with Garlic Fried Rice and it did not disappoint! The service was also great! We were greeted as soon as we entered and got to choose where to sit. I definitely want to come back again soon to try the oxtail kare kare and their pancit. Thank you! read more

CARiN de RiA - Tapa with Fried Garlic Rice - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

Oh my tastebuds! I love a good Filipino food in San Diego. I brought my Boston friends here and they absolutely loved the food. We probably ordered like 10-12 dishes and it was gone in a matter of minutes. I don't think any of the dishes we ordered were a miss. The owner was super friendly and it felt cozy like home. Omg the reason I give this place 5 stars is for their halo halo. That thing is out of this world good. It had the flan - it had the crispy rice - we even order more on top of what we had :). read more

Visited my son in Encinitas and he said he was craving for pinoy food so we look for one, and we found CARin de Ria. It's pricey $$. We ordered a Combination package. Our dish was pancit bihon, beef kaldereta, beef filipino bsteak, BBQFilipino chicken, chicken curry, and garlic rice. I know what kaldereta looks like, but this one, ohh boy the gravy was thin and runny, don't even taste as kaldereta, we didn't even eat it, the pancit bihon we ask to put chicken instead of pork, the chicken you can taste that the meat is old or been on the freezer for a while. The beef bistik was not enough lemon so it turns out to be salty. The garlic rice was ok, chicken curry and the chicken bbq was ok. read more

I was quite hesitant in coming to this restaurant the family wanted to try. I have had Filipino food before and it didn't suit my taste. Everything I tried I really liked. The vegetarian egg rolls are very tasty. They are super hot when they come out so let them cool if you don't want to burn your mouth. The chicaron were so light and crunchy. We polished off that dish. We had the glass noodles with vegetables. That was delicious! We had the twice cooked pork belly that was excellent!! We had to reorder that one again. We also had the pork belly saisig that was good too. The chicken curry was delicious. The oxtail was tasty. My son in law polished that off. I think we have found a new favorite restaurant to come to when we visit Encinitas. read more

Cute Filipino restaurant in Encinitas. Stopped in for a quick meal after reading some reviews and I'm v glad I did. Our server was v cute and nice :) Street parking was easy during the week too. Caldereta - braised beef in a hearty, savory stew. The potatoes and carrots were cooked very well and infused with flavor. Beef was nice and tender also. Such a comfort food eaten warm. Pancit (veg) - I prefer a drier pancit, but this was still good. They added a good amount of veggies since we didn't order additional protein. Portion size is also quite large. Can't go wrong w the classic Tofu and Bean Sprouts - on the saltier side, but since we had rice with the caldereta it was perfect. Tofu was deep fried well and still soft enough to chew easily. Portion was slightly smaller (we were told it was appetizer-like). I really don't have anything bad to say about the experience. Regrettably, I was too full to order halo halo, so the next time I'm here, I have to. Would return with a group! read more

We happened upon this place while we were in Encinitas and decided to give it a try. Happy we did. Everything we ordered was delicious. We started with the pre-requisite lumpia. Delightful little bites with a nice light sauce. We then ordered pancit, the glass noodles with vegetables, sizzling salmon sisig, sautéed green beans and finished off with flan. We will definitely be back to dig deeper into this menu. And make sure you meet Archie the owner. He is worth coming in for! read more

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Every time I come here the everything is so delicious! We make the 1 1/2 drive just to eat here. The owner is friendly and always welcoming. Everything is so fresh. The inside is small and clean with seating outside on nice days. I recommend this place for delicious Filipino food. We ordered Pancit, classic lumpia, sautéed green beans, leachon kawali, beef salpicao, chicken tinola soup, garlic fried rice, banana turon, and chicharon. EVERY single thing was delicious. read more

CARiN de RiA - Pancit, sautéed green beans, leachon kawali, beef salpicao, chicken tinola soup, garlic fried rice. - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Only ordered the oxtail kare kare to go but wished we got to dine in and order more items to try. The kare kare had plenty of veggies and the meat was tender & cooked to perfection...just as good as my moms :) Will definitely be back with the family next time we're in the area! read more

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This place was AMAZING. The food is so authentic. We had Kare-Kare, sizzling salmon sisig, garlic rice & chicken bbq. Everything tasted delicious l. You can tell they use super fresh ingredients. I was surprised that they service alcohol. I tried the Lychee Beer and it did not disappoint. It was so refreshing. This is definitely my new go to place. Service was amazing! read more

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Beautiful restaurant with amazing Filipino dishes. Turon with Ube ice cream is a must. Hospitality is always on point from chef and staff, giving it that authentic Filipino familial vibe. Great find in Encinitas, will most definitely be back. read more

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I am so glad we have a Filipino place in Encinitas that is so delicious! Our go to is the pancit -- flavorful without being over cooked. We also love the lumpia! Get twice as many as you think because they will disappear quickly! read more

This review is based on 3 dining experiences. This is a gem of a Filipino restaurant in Encinitas where I work. Since discovering it, I've fallen in love. My first time eating here was on a date in October. The woman I went with has a gluten allergy so when I called to make a reservation, I asked about how they cooked their food. I was reassured that no cross contamination occurs so all was good. When we got to the restaurant, we again asked how they cooked the food before we ordered. We were told they would use different cookware when our food was made. Our server was very kind and patient with us as we asked more questions about the menu. We ordered the Kare Kare with lechon (delicious deep fried pork belly) and a side of white rice. Kare Kare is a peanut butter based stew with veggies and protein. I am Filipino and have had Kare Kare many times in my life. This was the first time I've had it with lechon and it was AMAZING. The stew is typically eaten with a shrimp paste (don't knock it till you try it) which adds more umami and saltiness. My date was game and went for the full experience. The restaurant is on the smaller side and the ambiance isn't amazing but the food is the star. Kare Kare rating: 5/5. A pro tip: the I Street Viewpoint is a 4-minute walk from the restaurant so if you go here on a date, catch a sunset and then walk over to the restaurant for amazing Filipino food. I went here a second time a few weeks ago and ordered the lechon sisig (love me some deep fried pork belly!) and garlic fried rice. Sisig is a dish made with a protein (usually pork) which is marinated with calamansi, vinegar, onions, and chili peppers. I've had lots of sisig over the years and this was the most unique version I've had of it. The dish came out on a sizzling platter. On top was an egg that cooked as the food sizzled on the plate. I was impressed. I cracked the egg and let the yolk mix with the white part which is normally how I eat my eggs. For an appetizer I ordered 4 lumpia (deep fried egg rolls) which was served with a tangy sweet and sour sauce. Another amazing choice. You must try both when you go. See my photos for my reference. Sisig and lumpia rating: 5/5. Two weeks ago, I dined at CARiN de RiA a 3rd time because I love their food so much. I can eat breakfast any time of day so I ordered Tocino, eggs, and garlic fried rice. This was on their "not so secret" part of the menu. Tocino is deep fried pork cut into strips and typically seasoned with salt, sugar, and other spices then marinated for a few days before it is prepared. The meat is tender, savory, and slightly sweet. I got my eggs sunny side up which was a good choice. I normally eat pretty slow but the food was gone in minutes. My belly and I were very happy after the meal. 5/5. I intend to come here a 4th time and try all of their delicious food. You should too! Treat yo' self! read more

CARiN de RiA - Sizzling pork sisig with lechon and a deep fried egg on top. Highway to heaven but well worth it. - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

LOVE THIS PLACE!! i'm so glad to have a filipino place up in north county. i always crave some good filipino comfort food when im sick, and boy do they deliver. i wouldn't be surprised if i found MY OWN lola back in the kitchen. im pretty sure this is a mom and pop which im so happy to support! the food is GREAT! and the serving sizes are pretty fair for the price! i just kinda wish they had like combination plates but i do like having the leftovers! 10/10 read more

Food was awesome and was def so satisfying and felt like soul food. The kare kare was honestly a perfect seasoning for me but the adobo was slightly salty for my taste. The pork in the adobo was great though. And the lumpia is to die for :). read more

THIS RESTAURANT HAVING A POOR SERVICE THE STAFF AND THE OWNER AS WELL... I been celebrating my wedding venue in this restaurant last May 18,2024 and all of my guests complained their food and their service. The food is tasteless and their staff are mean to my guests... If i can do it again my wedding i will never choose this restaurant... My husband and I are wasting our money to chose this restaurant... Treat the customers bad... Having a food doesn't have a Taste... In general words I wouldn't recommend this restaurant for you to have a party or even gatherings. You will be disappointed at the end... read more

CARiN de RiA - I will never recommend their food as well.. - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

What an amazing place! They are located close to the beach & the service was top notch. I love the fact that they have a lot of veggie options, gluten free & healthy eats for a Filipino restaurant. They have truly gone back to the roots of healthy Filipino dishes. This place still offers your regular Filipino dishes but the options of healthy is there. I ordered their beef steak (beefstek) which I was expecting the Filipino way of it being cooked. Then comes a steak in a plate with a dipping sauce. To my amazement....I was completely taken back at first glance of this beef steak version they have.....OMG! It was so amazing! The dipping sauce was on point! Truly was impressed by the way they made their beef steak at their own creation. Really really good! The pancit (noodles) was amazing also! We enjoyed the veggie options it came with & the flavor was amazing! I really recommend people try this place but keep an open mind because they have incorporated healthy options to the traditional Filipino cooking. You can still get your Filipino food fix but try they healthy veggie options! read more

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What a hidden gem, definitely some of the best Filipino food I've ever had. I've tried many kare kare dishes and even make it when I have time at home, but this was the best kare kare I've ever had. The sauce was so creamy and peanut buttery, without being oily like how others can be. I literally could have just ate the sauce by itself like a soup if I could. I loved how they used their garlic peanuts as a topping to add a nice, roasted flavor and crunchy texture. The oxtail was so so tender. They weren't kidding with the SIZZLING sisig. I knew it was coming because I could hear the sizzling from the kitchen until it got to our table. The hot plate gave the vegetables and pork a nice char. Though I was so full, I am so glad I did not skip out on dessert. BEST HALO HALO I've ever had. The snowy texture of the ice was so smooth, milky and melt in your mouth. My husband and I appreciated how there were no red beans and how they did not skimp out on the ube ice cream. The leche flan sample in it was so good and silky. Great service, seating available outside and inside, not too far from the water. Luckily Carina de Ria is located a little bit past the busier part of the downtown Encinitas strip, so parking was not hard to find. Definitely coming back! read more

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We started off with Chicharon with vinegar sauce as an appetizer, it arrived to the table crackling hot! We both ordered the lunch special, one spicy chicken adobo and one braised beef stew, each came with garlic rice, pancit and lumpia. Everything tasted like pure cozy comfort and love. Mary was our amazing host, her energy felt super kind, attentive and friendly. Over all, CARiN de RiA was affordable, delicious and had incredibly warm, welcoming vibe. We will definitely be coming back soon and with loved ones in tow! read more

CARiN de RiA - Lunch special, spicy chicken adobo and braised beef stew, each came with garlic rice, pancit and lumpia. - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

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I'm impartial to rating Filipino restaurants only because I know my family can cook better, but this place blew my mind away. It's been years since I've had my Lola make me and my cousins bistek. This place took me back to when my Lola used to make us this when we were visiting. My wife says this is the atypical taste of bistek Tagalog, i guess I've been doing it all wrong. I have posted a picture of the post eaten bistek, which took me back to my childhood. I had to pack this up to keep the memories. In all seriousness, this place is beautiful, it's a small quaint restaurant that has very classical beautiful Filipino food. I think the price of the food is fair, trust me when I say this ain't not turo turo restaurant. We ordered the family meal B with lumpia Shanghai, vegetable pancit, chicken tinola, bistek, one scoop each ube and coconut/pandan ice cream and the mango float. I'm total we paid about $90 with tip since the food and service were good. The second star of our meal was the mango float which was spectacular. Unfortunately we had the last one, but it was delicious. We were actually trying to order 2 more but they said they were out, considering it is a Tuesday. I'll eventually have a follow up to this restaurant and see if it's not a fluke. You guys must try that mango float! read more

CARiN de RiA - Aftermath bistek - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

Super yummy and quaint. My family walked for 3.5 miles around the Bontanic garden which was just 9 mins drive away. We got here with an appetite and we're not disappointed. The server was so punctual and attentive. Since it's was around 2pm the place was very quiet which was super nice. All the dishes were so good. read more

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Had an amazing meal here of Pork Adobo with fried garlic rice and lumpia. The Adobo was unreal and will haunt my dreams. Chill family vibe to the place. read more

CARiN de RiA - Pork adobo, fried garlic rice, lumpia, pancit - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

Good food! What else can I say. When food is made with fresh ingredients you can taste it. I make it a point to come here just to eat lunch as my first stop in town. Will definitely return next visit. Pictured is Beef Salpicio, pancit, garlic fried rice, garlic green string bean and lumpia. We also had chicken tinola soup, and lechon Kawali. Whew!!! Lots of food ;) Enjoy! Have a good day! read more

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Great food and cozy place. I ordered the veggie Kara Kara and it's delicious but the thing I mark them down is because there was hardly any veggie at all in my dish. That was very disappointing. Seems like it's missing the other portion of the vegetable. The garlic rice is really good and halo halo is a two thumbs up! It's not too sweet and I shared it with my two friends. Love the halo halo there. We had to wait a while to get our foods (there were 9 of us) and when we're done we had to wait a while too there was only two ppl there working to take orders and serve. I would confirm back again but pls put more veggies on that veggie Kara Kara and faster service and asking us if we need more water and stuff instead if us having to ask and wait. read more

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Such a cute place near downtown Encinitas! I've only ever had filipino food once before so that's the basis for my review FIY. The 3 of us decided to go for the family feast which came with your choice of classic or veggie lumpia, choice of pancit with meat or without meat, white or brown rice (or add extra for garlic rice), chicken bbq or pork skewer, and a stew or soup. There were small servings of each but thankfully for us we have smaller stomachs so altogether it was enough to make each of us full. The lumpia came with 4 pieces and the garlic rice came in a bowl piled to the top. I will say that I think my favorite was the chicken bbq because it came with this tangy sauce that complimented the grilled chicken. We also finished off our meal with a halohalo which came with ube ice cream over shaved ice and jello, and sweet potato with shredded coconut sprinkled around it. All in all a cute place with good food and good service. Parking on the street was not bad but we also came on a Thursday night so that's probably why. read more

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Wonderful little cafe, nice selection of traditional dishes. Did NOT disappoint!! Must try, you will love it!!

Yum yum! I don't typically go out for Filipino food, but this was great! I got the pork belly sisig and my friend for the lechon kawali with garlic rice! Both were cooked to perfection and tasted great. We both had leftovers because it was filling for us! the service is great and very home-y. Parking is street parking but there are spots on the side! We didn't really have any trouble finding parking but it was a weekday when we went. After, we walked to the end of the road and there was a cute little look out to the beach! I loved it. There was also a small table there if you wanted to get your food to go and eat it there. read more

CARiN de RiA - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Coming from someone who grew up eating Filipino food, I 10/10 love coming to this place! The sizzling sisig is hard to pass up as it's a showstopper when it comes out of the kitchen and everyone's head turns to see where the amazing smell is coming from. Whenever I come here we share the plates tapas style so we can experience all the different dishes. If you've never had Filipino food, or don't know what to order, I definitely recommend the lumpia, chicken adobo, and sisig! You won't be disappointed! read more

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I am very excited to see that Filipino flavors have made its way to Encinitas. CARiN de RiA offers a variety of classic Filipino dishes including grilled specialties, braises/stews and so much more. Growing up on Filipino food it tends to be very meat forward however, I do appreciate that they do have vegetarian options. CARiN de RiA also has a "family feast" option which is a great way to share and try different dishes and flavors. Some of my family's favorite dishes were the carinderia steak, pork rib sinigang soup, my sister in law loved the coconut stew, and my little kiddos of course loved the lumpia. In addition to the food they offer a selection of different Philippine beers and other beverages. I do recommend that you try to make reservations as it is a small restaurant and a family owned business. The restaurant itself is fairly small but there is also seating available outside. There is street parking available so its probably hit or miss on whether or not you'll find parking quickly depending how busy the day is. I definitely recommend others to try out CARiN de RiA. read more

CARiN de RiA - Classic Lumpia / IG: diningwithchristine - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

Food was amazing. Service was fast! Plenty of parking in the surrounding area. We will be coming back for sure! read more

CARiN de RiA - Bistek Tagalog Lechon Kawali Beef Salpicao Grilled Pork Belly (Sinugba) Fried Garlic Rice - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

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PORK SKEWERS - food, good - price, fair - portion, fair Familiar aromas, cases and cases of Red Horse stacked, and community feels... you know you've come to the right place. Encinitas needs a splash of culture!!! Let's give it to them. I've come to the conclusion, while very minimal Filipino restaurants exists in north county San Diego, north county Filipino restaurants seem to have better quality than many in the southern areas of San Diego where majority of the Filipino restaurants are. This one is Family ran. One person running the front of the restaurant and one auntie running the kitchen. Food is made fresh per order - so be patient. WEEKDAY LUNCH SPECIAL - pork skewers, rice, pancit, and 2 lumpia. I went for the garlic fried rice and the classic lumpia. Very clean and nice presentation. I could tell the food was about quality over quantity. The best thing in the plate were the pork skewers, it was SO GOOD. Reminder me of how my parents prepared them. Loved the charred ends, we all know that's where the flavor is most flavorful; you can taste the grilled, marinade, and the savory of the pork all in one. The skewers were moist and tender AND not overly coated and glazed with sauce unlike how many other places do it. Less glaze is better and I thought they executed that to the t! It's my favorite Filipino pork skewers in all of San Diego county. The least favorite on the plate was (unfortunately) the garlic fried rice. The fragments of the garlic were overly burnt that my garlic fried rice tasted bitter. The dipping sauce on my plate was poured over my rice and that helped hide the bitterness. Everything else in between was average (pancit, lumpia). I can't wait to try many other dishes here! JABA APPROVED. Until the next bite... read more

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Very nice location. Cozy small restaurant . We ordered Lechon sisig , Pinakbet and caldereta. The taste is fine but i cannot say excellent.

Ok oh goodness... sooooooo good!!!! Decided to come here for a monthly girls dinner. Large portions!! Definitely shareable. I was able to take some home for leftovers and tasted just as good the next day!!! I got the classic lumpia and pancit with chicken and a side of garlic rice! Everything was delicious, will definitely have to come back and bring the husband! It's off the main road so ample parking! Enjoy! read more

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I was very excited to try here after eating lots of tasty food in the Philippines. Chicken was cooked perfectly. Pancit was almost as good as in the Philippines. I definitely want to try more dishes here. read more

CARiN de RiA - Chicken BBQ with garlic rice, Pancit Canton with chicken - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

Came back here for another delicious dinner with my family and friends from Las Vegas tonight. We ordered the oxtail Kare Kare, garlic fried rice, and a mango float. We had the Oxtail Kare Kare here before and it was soo yummy we had to get it again. It was so creamy, the veggies in it went well with the oxtail! The garlic fried rice was cooked to perfection! Also the lechon kawali was so good! It had the perfect amount of crunch and fat in it, good alone or with rice! And we ended it with a mango float, at first we didn't think it looked like it but once you take a bite you'll understand why it had layers of delicious flavors in one small cup. I loved th graham crackers, condensed milk and chunks of yummy mango in the bottom. It looks very small but has a lot of flavor packed in there. Also the lady in charge came by to check on our table to see if we enjoyed our food. And my cousins loved it! We will be back very soon thanks. read more

CARiN de RiA - Oxtail Kare Kare - Filipino Near Me - Encinitas, California

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