The #filipinofoodmovement is heating up in Los Angeles, and Chef Margarita Manzke‘s Sari Sari Store is a standout among the panoply of newly opened Pinoy places. (Previously, we dined at LASA for The Astronomer’s 34th birthday.)

Sari Sari Store’s cooking was so very good that my cousin Jessica and I didn’t mind sweating through our lunch this afternoon. The 1917-era building that houses Grand Central Market heats up like you wouldn’t believe, especially during the peak of summer, but man it was so worth it. Yow!

We ordered two mains, two desserts, and a Melon Slush ($6.30) to share between the two of us. The “Sisig Fried Rice” bowl ($13), an intriguingly rich mash up of crispy head cheese, garlic rice, onions, chilis, and ginger, came topped with a fried egg complete with lacy whites and a runny yolk. Filipino fish sauce and vinegar were on hand to balance the dish as we pleased.

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The Astronomer turned 34 earlier this summer and requested we celebrate at Lasa, Chef Chad Valencia and his brother Chase’s highly-lauded Filipino-American restaurant. Here at the former Unit 120 space in Chinatown, Chef Chad harmonizes traditional Filipino flavors with seasonal ingredients and a kind of contemporary culinary sensibility previously honed in the kitchens of Sqirl and Canale.

Named after the Tagalog word for “taste,” Lasa serves up small, medium, and large plates intended for sharing. Our enthusiastic server guided us through the menu and offered excellent recommendations all around.

First up was an addictive dish of “Adobo Peanuts” ($5) with black vinegar, tamari soy sauce, and plenty of fried garlic.

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