What a wonderful little Filipino restaurant! The dishes are served cafeteria style where you choose…read morea side (rice vs pancit) and 1 or 2 main dishes. I usually shy away from this especially since Covid due to sanitary concerns, but all my worries went out the door when I put the food in my mouth!!! Pancit - 8/10 - great flavors, the noodles were a little dry but that may be because it was sitting out too long. Shrimp obud - 10/10- absolutely delicious! it had bamboo shoots in it and the curry was so flavorful I could drink it. Dinuguan - 7/10- it was tasty but couldn't get over that it was pork blood.... Pork Adobo and Chicken curry-8/10- both had great flavors. Really friendly guy behind the counter that recommended the best dishes.

One of our favorite places for Filipino food! We occasionally come here when my husband misses his…read moregrandma's home cooking and this cafe never disappoints! The cafe is more on the smaller side but it's cozy and the customer service is always happy and friendly! When you walk inside, there's a hot bar with all the food items available that day. You can check their Facebook page for their menu each day! You can get combos like an entree and a side, two entrees and a side, etc. On the shelves near the windows, there are local Filipino desserts like crinkles, puto (rice cake), flan, etc for sale. They also sell mac salad in the fridge and some dried fish on the shelves. What I love about this cafe is that they have a small snacks/drinks/candy market next to the dining area. The dining area is a good size and faces the parking lot. On this particular Saturday, we had the following entrees and sides: Lechon (roasted pig), Kaldereta (Filipino beef stew), and some rice! The lechon pieces were big and the skin (my fav!) was crispy, salty, and golden! The meat was also juicy and not dry. What I like to do is dip the meat into some white vinegar to give it some acidity since the lechon is on the heavy side after a few bites. The Kaldereta was hearty, rich, flavorful and it reminded me of an elevated beef stew. The potatoes and carrots literally melted in my mouth! I gave my combo plate a 8.5/10! My husband had Humba (braised pork belly that is slow cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, fermented black beans, and sugar) and he thoroughly enjoyed it. He shared some pieces of it with me and it was smooth as butter. It was sweet and salty and his rice soaked up all the sauces. Definitely a must try! I would give it a 9/10 because the flavors were so rich and it made me want even more! The prices are reasonable for how much food you're getting! They also sell desserts like halo halo (shaved iced with fresh fruits, taro ice cream, toppings like flan, condensed milk, jellies, beans, etc.) I've personally had the halo halo and it's one of my favorites! Super refreshing on a hot summer day. They also sell mango and taro flavored cakes but you have to call in advance for whole cakes. Their cakes are light, delicious, and fluffy! I especially enjoy the mango cake because you get chunks of fresh, champagne mangoes on and inside the cake. We've been coming here for years and don't plan on stopping. My husband is a bit of a Filipino food snob at times, but Lola's definitely has a special place in his heart! They do military discounts too, FYI!

The Roasted Brussels Sprouts appetizer is a delightful surprise.... simple at first glance, but…read morebursting with character once you take that first bite. Each sprout is roasted to crisp perfection, with beautifully charred edges that give way to a tender, almost creamy center. The flavor is deep and nutty, with just the right touch of seasoning to highlight the natural sweetness that emerges from slow roasting. It's the kind of dish that feels both wholesome and indulgent, transformed by technique into something far more memorable than a typical vegetable starter. Light, crispy, and full of layered flavor, it's a testament to Filipino Abstrakt Essence's ability to elevate even the humblest ingredients into something truly exceptional.

Always great! Mas Magandang…read moreIf you want great Filipino food. Go here. Great service every time. Great atmosphere Friendly people and good food, quintessential Filipino!

Purple Roots is back and they're better than ever!…read more They are currently in their soft opening phase and is offering a limited menu from 5:00 PM-11:00 PM. They removed the kiosks and transitioned to full-service dining. - They are under new ownership with exciting plans ahead. Their vision is to elevate the Filipino dining experience in Jacksonville while collaborating with the local Filipino community to showcase the richness of Filipino cuisine. One concept I'm especially excited about? They're planning to launch a Filipino-inspired Chef's Table experience, similar to an omakase, highlighting Filipino flavors in a whole new way. Jacksonville's Filipino food scene just keeps getting better, and I can't wait to see what's next for Purple Roots!

It's been a while since our last visit to Purple Roots, but after my husband suggested it for…read moreweeks, we finally stopped in this evening! Arriving around 7:45 after a busy workday, the dinner rush had died down, and the vibe was nice and relaxing. Our sweet server, Heidi, was absolutely wonderful. She was incredibly warm and welcoming, effortlessly managing our table alongside three others. The kitchen was completely out of the Pork/Beef Lumpia appetizers, so we started with the Veggie instead. The shredded vegetables were crisp and fresh, and paired nicely with the sweet chili sauce and vinegar. For the mains, Mr. C. chose the Beef Bulalô. The portion was incredibly generous, and the broth was deeply comforting--even on this warm night. LOL. ƪ(*‿*) If you enjoy Caldo de res, you will absolutely love this dish! I ordered the Pancit Bihon with Shrimp and veggies, which had great texture but was just a touch on the salty side for my taste. However, the Adobo Fried Rice completely stole the show--so delicious and packed with flavor. We made sure to save room for dessert and tried the Halo-Halo. It is definitely large enough for 2 to share. While I wished the ice cream scoops of Ube (my go-to favorite) and Buko Pandan were a bit larger for the $12.50 price tag, the jellies, jackfruit, and shaved ice were fantastic to "mix-mix." With a nice variety on both their lunch and dinner menus, there's something here for everyone! We had a wonderful overall experience and will definitely be back to try other menu items.

Reasonably priced beachside Filipino food. It's a stand with outdoor seating. Come in your…read morebeachwear or whatever you like. Tasty food. I want to try the platter the next time. In my order of preference vegetarian oriental noodles, chicken spring rolls, chicken empanadas, and chicken on a stick. Service was phenomenal. Questions were answered for understanding of dietary restrictions. Chill and relaxed area. Come as you are. You can eat outside. We took ours to go. Definitely will come back again now that we understand how to order and what to order.

Cash-only outside restaurant!!…read more Everything is delicious here. The garlic rice, lumpia and bar-b-q sticks are so flavorful. I ordered the Bar-B-Q combo #1, and it was pretty good but not filling, since they only give you 1 BBQ stick. We ended up ordering a platter of sticks to make up for it. This is the perfect lunch place to come during a beach day!

Food was absolutely delicious! Can't wait to eat here again. We ordered to go and it was ready…read moreright when I got there. We ordered the yellow curry and the pad ka prow - both were top tier!

Awesome restaurant although its in a somewhat dead strip mall... but figured this would mean the…read morefood is amazing, and it didn't disappoint. We stopped by for takeout on a Sunday night, and the host behind the counter was nothing but sweet. We tried a red curry with veggies and a jungle curry with chicken, and both were very tasty. The jungle curry almost reminded me of a soup, with clear flavorful broth and lots of veggies. The spice was just right at a level 4, cleared the sinuses without making me cry - ideal haha. Anyway, ambiance of the place is nice but no one was there on a Sunday night, but a great spot for takeout. Thankfully not too far from home. Can't wait to try out more!

A perfect tweak to a known saying would be 'The way to a…read moreFilipino's heart is through Max's Restaurant.' There may be several Filipino restaurants around, but this hits different. It is by far the closest to Filipino flavors. We always order Max's Fried Chicken paired with ketchup, Crispy Pata, Kare-Kare, Pancit, Lumpia, Chicharon Bulaklak and of course, Rice; Calamansi juice for drinks; and Halo-Halo for dessert. They are always very good, savory and very consistent. They have lots of options to choose from. One order is good for sharing hence I like that they offer Group/Package Meals from time to time that it feels like a feast, so we get to taste different items at a reasonable price. They also have 2 event rooms which we have reserved for one of our Christmas parties as they have mic and television which are perfect for either playing music or Karaoke. They also have Party Menu where they can serve in chafing dish, as well as To Go Catering menu. During our 1st time, I recall most of us saying, 'This tastes exactly the same', 'I remember having this with my family/friends after work', 'We used to order Crispy Pata during celebrations or drinking sessions', and a bunch of other stories to share over Max's meal, fit for almost everyone.

My wife and I were driving up from Daytona Beach on our way to Amelia Island and decided to stop by…read moreMax's. It has been a long while since we ate at a Max's...perhaps not since we lived in Hawai'i 8 years ago. In any case, we were looking forward to dining at Max's once again. Upon being seated, we perused the menu. My wife ordered the Max's Budget Meal (fried chicken leg quarter, lumpia and rice for $18) and I ordered the Lechon Kawali ($18) and an order of white rice (3 scoops for $7). The fried chicken was good as expected but I thought the banana ketchup, which is probably house made, didn't seem to have that familiar Jufran or UFC brand banana ketchup taste. The lumpias were OK but once again, we would've preferred a sweet garlic chili sauce to dip it in instead of the house made sauce. The lechon kawali had a nice and crispy skin with tender and flavorful meat but the house made sauce fell short of duplicating the familiar Mang Tomas lechon sauce. Of course we had to top off the meal with an order of Halo Halo to share and that hit the spot...although at $11, it was a bit on the steep side. All in all, we felt the food quality and flavors were good but the house made sauces were a bit off what was familiar. Perhaps we were focusing on nostalgia and memories of past Max's dining experiences, but this visit fell a bit short. Lunch for 2 with tip came out to just over $70.

This place is a Philippine fusion. The guys at the truck were super nice. The food was made with…read morehigh quality ingredients. Portion size was big. I will totally come back.

This food truck will knock your socks off. Quality is top notch, taste is phenomenal, and portions…read moreare huge. The guys working the truck were very helpful, and easy to talk with about the menu. 10/10 would recommend!!!

Warm and welcoming owners. This was a food truck who offered a variety of classic Filipino dishes…read moreas well as fusion dishes. The food was delicious and plentiful.

I attended my first Asian Night Market on Normandy Boulevard last Saturday and was pleasantly…read moresurprised by the huge turnout, the variety of Asian food vendors, and the fun karaoke contest with some impressive non‑professional singers. The highlight of my night was finding the Sa Mesa food truck. I had been searching for Halo‑Halo, and theirs was exceptional -- a generous tub filled with authentic ingredients just like in the Philippines: sweet fruits at the bottom, shaved ice, milk, ube ice cream, leche flan, and barquillos. At $15, the portion easily serves 2-3 people and they did not skimp on anything. The young Filipino couple running the truck were warm and friendly, and their truck was spotless inside and out. Truly a gem.