Comparing the Cucinas...

On Saturday night, why not continue the chorister trend from last week and continue the Filipino theme with Cucina Manila at Pharmacy Ave. and Lawrence Ave. Where were these restaurants when I was little? The cucina I ate from was my mama's (with papa's cooking!.. just joking mama, I loved your shepherd's pie:) ) and sometimes my various titas and titos and if we were lucky my lola's cooking, honed in the carinderias of manila... The days of filipino take-out have arrived my friend, and its flavourful, tangy, conglomeration of Spanish/Chinese/Indigenous/Indian schizophrenic dishes (always served with a bed of rice) result in a true fiesta on the dinner table. Cucina Manila serves the mainstay combo, $5 for rice and one dish (served in actual dishes as opposed to the styrofoam take-out kind), and $6 for rice and two dishes offered up cafeteria style. If you're lucky, try the in-house made pandan jelly desserts, the halo-halo (crushed ice sprinkled with tropical treats), and various cash and carry. Yum! My favourite of the Cucinas so far...