On 19th January, Bong Bong’s Manila Kanteen, the first restaurant from Lee Johnson and Sinead Campbell (the team behind the food truck BBQ Dreamz) will launch their alternative to Sunday lunch, a traditional Filipino kamayan, in Bethnal Green.
The kamayan, is a Sunday family feast Filipino-style; an abundance of different dishes are piled onto a table laden with banana leaves. No plates or cutlery are to be found – kamayan means “to eat with your hands” in Tagalog – and diners are encouraged to get stuck in.
Lee says,
“I have so many memories of kamayans with my family – eating everything straight from the middle of the table creates an amazing vibe when you’re all sharing and getting messy (and a bit of rivalry for the best bits!)”
Guests can expect mountains of steamed rice; ladles of creamy taro and coconut milk Laing; stacks of Adobo glazed cauliflower; a sprinkling of sesame kale; and vegetable spring rolls with banana ketchup, as well as the main event, a weekly meat, fish or vegetarian special to share between two, which could include crispy Pata, a fragrant fried pork hock; a whole baked tilapia with spring onion, soy and garlic; or a whole roasted jackfruit.
Are you salivating yet? Because we certainly are.
“We’ve always wanted to bring more of the culture and ceremony of Filipino dining to our food, and we’re delighted to be able to, now that we’ve got our own space in Bethnal Green,” states Sinead.
Drinks include Filipino-inspired cocktails, including a White Russian twist, nostalgically made with Milo (a chocolate and malt drink popular in South-East Asia) with a crushed Malteser garnish, and a Dark & Stormy with the Philippines’ own Don Papa rum, alongside weekly-changing wines by the glass from Uncharted Wines.
The Sunday Kamayan will run every Sunday at Bong Bong’s Manila Kanteen from the 19th January, priced at £45 for 2-3 people.
Bong Bong’s Manila Kanteen, 460 Hackney Rd, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9EG