Kalesa Restaurant
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Thu 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Tue 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Fri 10:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sat 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sun 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
27 reviews
Mountain View, CA
"I don't usually eat Filipino food... but I loved this place! I came here with a couple of my cousins and ALMOST ordered the cheeseburger…" read more »
47 Reviews for Kalesa Restaurant
They are on top of their game! After coming in here multiple times over the past six months, I have seen a remarkable improvement in the service and food presentation. They even added live entertainment on the weekends.
Identity crisis is gone now, thanks to Yelp! Look out for them to be featured on CBS5 Eye on the Bay in late July.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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02/20/2008
I sure do hope this restaurant makes it, because it was one of the better ones that filipinos could… Read more »
For the pork lovers out there like me Kalesa is sure to please. It was two years ago my fiancee introduced me to the likes of crispy pata and lechon kawali. I haven't looked back since. We also enjoyed the broasted chicken along with our Porky Pig. All was delectable as was the sinanag.
Service was good and the place was clean.
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My coworker reported back that she had a yummy Sunday breakfast at Kalesa and can't wait to go back for more. :)
She had the Chicharong Bulaklak.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/05/2008
Delicious meals in a great restaurant.
I've tried their lumpias (very cute, since it's very small).… Read more »
When I was a kid, I dreamt about becoming a great DJ someday. A 4 track Audiotechnica mixer, a Pioneer Pro cassette player and a Pioneer cassette boom-box, was all that I needed to make stuff happen. And then I found my dad's turntable. Nevermind that it wasn't a direct drive type, or a DJ turntable, I just wanted to scratch. And scratch is what I did. Yeaaah boy.
My dad ended up ordering a new needle directly from Pioneer. Sure I got into trouble, but damn, it felt good enough to go on doing more stuff later on. And so what does this have to do with Kalesa you ask?
Well like all Filipinos, we're good at several things. DJ'ing, dance, music, family, wearing slippers (flip-flops) with jeans, making stuff out of junk (my dad made a dust bin out of a pair of crutches and an empty Bagoong container (anchovie paste) ), and of course food.
And what about our food? Filipino food is so good, that even my just recently turned vegetarian friend decided that we should go. Yes you heard right, vegetarian.
"Are you sure you wanna go? I mean there is no such thing as meatless in Filipino food."
"Yes, I'm sure I can find something."
And off we went to Milpitas, land of a smelly garbage dump and some great restaurants.
At 11am, and a rare weekend where I'm not with my kids, this place started to fill quickly. Upon walking in we were greeted by a mob of waiters and waitresses in short sleeve Barongs and an AC worthy of it's use. Btw,I seem to notice that in 3rd world countries that I've visited, everything could be broken, but the AC is always working at full speed. Nevermind that it was only 72F outside, and it was already 20F inside, they managed to get the ambiance just right. The place was decorated nicely, and everything was super clean and matching.
Since we had another function to attend, we both decided to order something quick. I got the infamous Sisig, and my friend the Chop Suey, without any kind of chicken. They gladly modified the order for this. My expectations of getting a combo quickly failed, when they brought this huge plate of Sisig to our table, and a full plate of Chop Suey as well. It was more than the both of us could manage. And yes I was all alone on eating my Sisig. My friend couldn't finish the Chop Suey, and though we minused the chicken out of it, there were still pieces of chicken in there. Of course my friend pushed it aside and kept on marching without complaint. Awesome.
I didn't finish my Sisig of course, and we both felt bad that it was gonna go to waste. So my friend and I decided that we should go and find a homeless person that we could give it to, so we gladly wrapped it up and brought it with us when we left.
We never did find a homeless person who wouldn't mind eating Sisig..and rice. And we were also prepared to tell the said homeless person that it was carne asada for tacos, but we had no tortillas. I mean Sisig could fall for that. But Sisig is Sisig, in all it's glorious cholestorol laden self. You only live once, so either eat this, or order the crispy Pata that our table next to us ordered. Geezus my mouth is watering again.
My only complaint is that we didn't get enough rice. I mean c'mon this is a Filipino restaurant..rice should be given out like ice water. Also the table configuration is kinda whacked. I have these long legs that I can only manage to tuck under the table so much. And when the table behind kept moving to go to the bathroom, I always had to move. So yes the tables need to be spaced apart more.
I didn't tell my mom that I went here, ok I actually ended up doing so. But I ordered the Sisig, because it's one thing that my mom hasn't tried cooking yet.
Mad props to Kalesa for doing something that should be done right.
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Got a large group of foodies who want a constant stream of food and deserts delivered to their table. Servers who can handle a never ending barrage of food orders through out the meal. Want to seat thirty and not be piled on top of each other. Be able to get in and out of your seat and move around the table freely without being a contortionist. If it's yes to all of the above then come to Kalesa.
A whirlwind of food went by. There were multiple orders of lumpiang Shanghai, pancit palabok, crispy pata, kare kare, pork sisig and sizzling bangus sisig. Almost every dessert on the menu was tried: Leche flan, halo halo, mais con yelo, sas rival and turon ala mode. The stand outs were sizzling bangus sisig, turon ala mode and the leche flan. Bangus sisig is milkfish chopped with pork bits and a sauce served on a sizzling platter with a fried egg, turon ala mode is bananas rolled in lumpia paper deep fried and served with ice cream (mango, vanilla with caramel and toasted sesame or obe) and leche flan (so good I would come here just for dessert). After all that food and beverages with tax and tip the bill came to $20 per person.
5 star service.
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I am really starting to enjoy this place. The prices are just right, and the servings are pretty huge. Crispy pata was just alright. . . lumpia shanghai pretty standard. . . the sisig was good--not too greasy. . . their fried chicken pieces were SUPER good. . . boneless bangus was nice. . .my only complaint is the live band that they sometimes have there. . . the last time I visited, I was with my 80+ year old grandmother and a bunch of middle-aged aunts and uncles. . . the band was playing some super LOUD un-dinner-like music that made it very difficult to carry on a conversation with the person sitting next to you. My grandmother was completely turned off to the restaurant simply for the fact that the band was playing music that was too loud for her 80+year old ears.
Came here on a Sunday for lunch for the first time and had high expectations after checking out their website. Whoa...we were SOOO WRONG it's not even funny. We didn't get our food at all, even after waiting for 30 MINUTES, while people who came after us got their food!!!! We had the stupidest waiter ever! The other waiters/waitresses didn't even care! The hostess was a complete joke! We left and vowed to never come back. What a disgrace. I was trying to show my non-Filipino boyfriend our Filipino food and hospitality...but ended up being embarrassed as hell. Forget this place! Don't come here!
This is definitely a place you can bring someone who havent experienced Filipino food at it's best. Goldilocks is the fast food for Filipino food, Kalesa is great family dining.
The food is amazingly authentic and the staff are friendly. They're Filipino too so they can suggest the right dishes if you are still wondering what to order.
Leche Flan, Sansrival and etc. Bring these home since they are good for 2-3 people. Crispy pata, Sisig, Kare-Kare, this food takes me back to old Manila... The time when women wear shawls, dress up in gowns (well they look like gowns) and men wear hats and coats (yes the climate back then was different Ok ok I used to go out with women back then when holding hands takes 2 months of consistent courting seriously)
So order up some sisig, garlic rice and krispy pata. Perfect for after-office drinking sessions.
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I got all excited when I heard live music coming out the door and immediately thought they had karaoke here, but unfortunately there wasn't. How do you not have karaoke at a home-style Filipino joint? /shrugs
Anyway, so I got called out on NOT being Filipino enough, and how my Filipino card was taken away by kuya Walter P., and that me bringing chopsticks to a Filipino restaurant could result in me running away for my life from a mob of high blood-pressured Tito Boys from the kitchen.
Some of the dishes we had for dinner was familiar like the palabok and kare-kare, and others were new to me! Yes, I know, unbelievable! My list of first time encounters included:
- crispy pata a.k.a. artery clogging goodness
- pork/fish (bangus) sisig which came to you still sizzling on the teppan, best eaten while hot!
My favorite thing about last night was the Sans Rival dessert! I can make do with out the halo halo, sago't gulaman, leche flan, and even the turon! But this 3.5 square inches of buttery goodness couldn't and shouldn't be passed up. I guess it was obvious how much I liked it because Walter passed his piece to me and said "I know you want some, you've been eye-balling it!!" ;)
The staff was great, very accommodating, and the uniform of the waitress brought a very traditional touch to the atmosphere. A huge plus on keeping a clean restaurant! Worthy of a second visit from me, so expect to get a big order of that sans rival.
***This restaurant is on the same plaza as Q-Cup, next to Walgreens!! Just so you know!!***
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Overall Impression: much, much better/well rounded (atmosphere, food, etc.) than most Filipino (and Chinese , Korean, etc) restaurants.
The Atmosphere : Went on a busy Friday night.. good interior, but missing a bit of something. It got better with the live music.
Kudos go to the higher end focus: white tablecloths, modern place mats, plates, utensils, etc.
The Service: good, but a bit slow from time to time with drinks in a large group.
The Meal: very good food, much of which clogs the arteries. i found the chicken adobo to be a bit dry though. Other than that nitpick, it was all really good, had about 6-7 dishes so far.
Dessert: Some of these are HUGE, so please ask what the sizes first. some can be shared amongst 3-5 as they are soooo rich!
(bonus on the value scale evidently)
The Value: IF you order one or two fewer plates f ewer than you'd think, its great. The portion sizes here are pretty darn good.
Areas to Improve:
Get on Google Information (and others) as it was impossible to find it except by trial and error. The service glitches listed above.
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I was craving some fried fat... REALLY BADLY... since I had prepped by skipping breakfast AND lunch.... So my friends and I show up... only to be given a 45 minute wait because Beth and the Yelp crew was having a UYE here... and took up half the tables for the restaurant! Worst part? I could have been part of the UYE... *sad Vicky.*
So my friends who were eating here with me, definitely had not tried Filipino food before. So our inner piggies came out... I ended up ordering the Pancit Palabok, Garlic Rice, Bangus Sisig, Pork Sisig, Crispty Pata... AND Lechon Kawali. Yes.... So imagine taking a hunk of pork belly... with its lovely layers of pork fat... braising/cooking it and then frying it. Yes. You fry pork fat in fat. And then you eat it.
Make sure you have the phone number of a cardiologist!!
The service was pretty good, and the food was great. Standout dishes were definitely the Pork Sisig and the Crispy Pata. I thought the pancit was a little too fishy for me. Garlic rice was enough to make a vampire croak. It seemed like this was the hopping place to be... I even bumped into an old friend here along with the Yelp crew!!
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Dinner Menu:
Kare Kare
Crispy Pata
Bangus Sisig
Pancit Palabok
Pork Sisig
Lumpiang Shanghai
Rice
Dessert:
Leche Flan
Halo Halo
Mais Con Yelo
Sans Rival
Turon ala mode
This is a great Filipino restaurant! The wait staff is the BEST, very friendly, helpful and attentive. Ambiance is warm and inviting. The food is delicious and their menu is amazing. Its a great place to bring your non-Filipino friends as the menu is very user friendly with great descriptions of the dishes they serve. I especially like the fact they play Filipino music in the background. As much as I like the live music, I wish the live music was in Tagalog (that would be so cool if they had someone singing Martin and Pops songs!). I've been here many times with family. I really enjoyed the UYE 2 here!
Noelle's Notes:
All I remember:
1. Eating Cindi's TO DIE FOR cupcakes
2. Taking a few sips of Walter's San Miguel
3. I'm Cobber's sweetheart.
4. I have MAD MATH skills : )
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I do not care for oxtail soup.
However, the other dishes we ordered were quite tasty. We were a group of 13 from work. I've never had Philipino food before so we let our Philipino co-workers order for us. And because of that I cannot name any of the dishes I enjoyed. I will however try and describe them.
There was this huge pork with bone with crispy skin that was good. A coconut curry vegetable dish. Lumpia-wonderful! Pork skins, fried chicken and some other pork with onions.
Anyway, I'm glad I tried it. Maybe next time we will try the adobo.
When Monk, owner of 4zeroEight tattoo (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), announced that he and his wife were expecting - my boyfriend and I called godparents! Six months after beautiful Venice Maxine was born.. we're at a church in Milpitas giving her a bath in a basin full of holy water.
My boyfriend and I were exhausted at the christening because we were working Battle of the Tribes the night before.. but boy did I perk up when I heard the reception was going the be at Kalesa. Kalesa - I've heard soo much about on yelp.. and I was excited to get my grub on! We arrived at the restaurant and the sign said closed.. but Monk actually rented out the entire restaurant and we had it all to ourselves! MUAHAHAHA... They give advance notice in their restaurant that they'll be closed for the day, but don't worry they still take Party Tray orders and I'm not sure if they do to-go a la cart during private events.
Anyways.. Food was served buffet style.. They had a full staff that calls your table by number to start eating, a lechon carver/server, people to refill your water, etc.. the whole nine yards..
Overall I had an awesome time at Kalesa. I must try going on a regular day because the food was delicious!
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This is my new favorite Filipino restaurant in the area.
My sissy and I were soooo impressed to walk into such a higher end Filipino place (we have yet to try Bistro Luneta, so for now this will do) in the San Jose / Milpitas area.
It's modern, service is superb, and I love how, despite being modern, they try to incorporate a little old day feel with the Filipino style clothing that the waiters wear.
We'll definitely be back.. The prices can be a little high, but I'd rather pay what I do here, than go to some other Filipino places in the area, and all you damned Filipinos know which ones I'm talking about, too-- that have cockroaches running around, and rats stirring your food! Hahaha..
My sisig was pretty good, my sis was happy w/ her tocino, my kids LOVED the pancit bihon and the shanghai.. I also ordered a kare kare (which was a hugeee serving btw) to go, and my grandma and I chowed down happily for the rest of the day. Their aramang wasn't all that great though, but I'll get over it. As if I don't have my own stash at home, right?!? Every kare kare lover HAS to have one.
Oh, and I gotta give it to them for not being irritated with my kids, who were both throwing rice and shanghai at the white people sitting beside us, hahaha.. They treated us like family. Not the mean ones that yell at you for everything.. the ones you can't wait to see again ;o)
MmmMm, I'm getting fat just thinking about going back.
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A kalesa (sometimes called a karitela) is a horse-driven calash (carriage) used in the Philippines.. Check their menu booklet and you will see their logo of the kalesa.
Thanks Beth W. for taking us (Kris H, Eric N., and moi) here today. Definitely a place for your Filipino favorites =). We had the pancit bihon, the sisig, the Bicol special (Kris H. fave), and the Kare Kare with shrimp paste. They were all yummy to me =)
Of course the company I am with today for lunch made the difference!!!
Cool, huh??? I have to take my family here !!! and Soon!!!
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Giving the fact that many people have mistaken that I am Pilipino, to make it better, I need to learn more about Pilipino food. Thanks to Beth W. for introducing me and my friends (Kris H. & Jing F.) to this place. Without her, I myself wouldn't know what to order as the place was pretty authentic.
We came here for lunch and there was only us. It didn't take that long for the place to fill up with the lunch crowd. Thank God we got there early.
We had:
Kare-Kare ($12.95) = Beef peanut curry dish which was absolutely delicious, especially when I added some of the shrimp paste to it. Yummy!
Sisig ($9.95) = the beef sizzling dish which was very flavorful. However, I wished it was spicier, that would increase my taste bud better.
Pancit Bihon ($8.25) = Stir fried noodles dish which was my least favorite. It was on a bland side for me. Perhaps the kare-kare & sisig took were so good that they took away taste buds for this dish.
Bicol's Pride ($9.95) = Vegetable and Shrimp with Coconut sauce. This dish was something else. If you are a coconut lover, you gotta try this one. The veggies were fresh and crunchy, yet the coconut sauce was just creamy and rich. I took me more than couple bites to get used to the taste, but after that, heaven here I come.
Prices were a bit stiff for lunch, but really, the quality of food and good time that I had with my friends was priceless.
Oh, I finished my lunch with a 5000 calories halo-halo ($5.95). I'm telling you, that dessert was something else, it had all the combination that you ever wanted (taro iscream, green tea iscream, white beans, red beans, black beans, coconut jelly, flan, cherry, not sure it was milk or coconut milk, shaved ice, etc.... ), yet it was very tasty, perfect for a hot summer day. I walked out the restaurant with my 5 months pregnant tummy. Nice!!! I only have 4 more months to go.
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Finally a family style Filipino restaurant that serves cuisines in a hot tantalizing way without hurting the wallet. And the best part.... It's close to home! No more driving up to San Mateo or San Francisco to have a Filipino meal in class.
I received a Kalesa flyer in the mail two weeks ago and immediately jumped onto the computer to see if it was Yelped. Sure enough my fellow South Bay Yelpers already reviewed this restaurant. But why 3.5 stars? The pamphlet looks amazing with the all the colorful dishes and affordable prices. This is something to investigate and try for myself. So it was time to make evening reservations, call out my dinner friends, put on the dining attire, and check this out place. On our first night here, I was impressed. On the following Sunday, I was ecstatic during our brunch. On the night of our Yelp dinner here, I was overwhelmed with glee.
Crispy Pata
Portions are huge and well enough for a family of four. Pata is leg of pork with simple seasonings of salt and pepper then deep fried. Take note it's not always a regular dish to enjoy weekly because of its high content of pork fat, but served for celebrations and fiestas this a big recommend. Served as a hot dish I found their servings absolutely crunchy and tender with no oily mess. . The only recommend here is to have mang tomas sauce (special Filipino vinegar sauce) on the side and one big fork. When it arrives to your table, they just gave you a knife for self serving.
Sizzling Bangus
This was Omar T's favorite! Served a hot sizzling skillet with fried egg this was a great opener. The milkfish was tender with a lot intricate ingredients. This was a taste test for me since we already had several dishes on the table. Next time, I'd like to order this for myself and indulge fully into this pleasant seafood dish.
Kare Kare
I'm a huge fan of Kare Kare (oxtail stew in peanut butter sauce). This is where it boils down to for mega points for a Filipino restaurant. The smell, the ingredients, the content, and the texture are all absolute musts. I will compare them to Auntie Elena's recipe so there's a lot on the line when I try other people's Kare Kare. My aunt's Kare Kare is SUPREME! Out of five stars, Kalesa gets three and half stars on the Kare Kare. The presentation was on point. The tender oxtails, tripe, and vegetables were great. However, the sauce could have gained a little more attention without using too much starch. It appeared to have food coloring, but I will continue to request for their Kare Kare. So will hold back on the 1.5 star for now.
Halo Halo
I asked for my Halo Halo to go and I took it with me to the Great Mall. Everyone was like staring at my delicious dessert drink. "Is that a bubble tea?" "Nope! Its Halo Halo!" "OMG! I love Halo Halo! Where did you get it?" "The new Filipino restaurant in Milpitas - Kalesa!" Five stars for this awesome summertime dessert! Packed with Ube ice cream, coconut, sweet beans, leche, and shaved ice this is going to be my sinful request at Kalesa.
Overall, I was impressed and decided to call upon an UYE* Filipino Dinner for our South Bay Yelpers. I was able to meet with Roelle and set up this grand event for our dinner reservations on 04/23/08. On the day of the event, I was delighted to find that our group table was ready and Kalesa was able to set up additional seating for last minute arrivals. I started with the Lumpia Shanghi as our appetizers followed by the array of our native dishes: Chicken Adobo, Kare Kare, Crispy Pata, Sizzling Bangus, Pinaket (vegetables), Garlic Fried Rice, & Sinigang Na Baboy with plain steamed rice (Serbelle's special request). And we even had room for dessert: Leche Flan, Turon Ala Mode, and Sans Rival.
For all the South Bay Yelpers that attended our first UYE here... Thank you for making this event a wonderful dinner. Thanks to our buddy Ranz from LA for taking our awesome UYE pics: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Thank you to Roelle and the staff of Kalesa. This is going to be wonderful new relationship!
Will you have another UYE at Kalesa again: Yes! June 2008.
Does Catering: Yes. Check out their catering menu.
Great for Large Parties: Definitely. Our UYE just proved that with 18 people.
Serves San Miguel Beer: Absolutely
Parking: This is the City of Milpitas. There's always plenty of FREE parking.
Live Entertainment: Only on Friday and Saturday nights. Entertainers change weekly. I'm just going to leave out the details.
Did you try to steal the First to Review: Hell Yeah! The place was open since November 2007! Man! I should be ahead of these things!
*What's UYE?
Stands for Unoffical Yelp Event. The acronym was developed from LA Yelp and openly used here on Yelp for members to come up with own events to share with the online community.
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Well anyways, I enjoyed myself quite a bit and had a ton of fun. I had no idea what I was eating, but you know, that's how I roll.
There was a live performer that was very entertaining, Don't Cha Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot like..Walter? Don't Cha? I know I do. My water was refilled, which is a huge bonus, since I'm always chugging water. I did not drink any alcohol. Don't worry Connie, if you see some questionable pictures! I loved my sans rival and for $3.50, that's a huge piece of dessert.
I also learned I can't marry a Filipino boy since apparently I don't eat enough. Ohman.
And they close at 9pm on Fridays.
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NOTE: On Tuesdays, they are only open for lunch service!
It's funny how so many folks miss out on what Filipino food is all about. It is an incredibly delectable mix of various influences from Malaysian, Spanish, Chinese and yes, American (it had to do with WW II folks and that's why I've included American in the pot, so to speak) cuisines. Kalesa Restaurant is not your mom & pop (though I like those too!) Filipino spot to dine at but a real *gasp* restaurant to bring a buddy or a large group to enjoy the cuisine of the Republic of the Philippines!
What I liked about the menu at Kalesa is the well laid out categories showing the Filipino name and an English description of the food. Pictures abound in this menu which has a good selection of appetizers, main entrees and my absolute favorite ~ desserts! :0) The staff here is attentive without being intrusive and helpful in making suggestions regarding the items on the menu.
Friday evenings bring musical entertainment, which on this visit last night resulted in a singer and her keyboard man. If there's anything you must know about Filipinos, we love our music and we love singing even more! You can easily find Filipinos with their own karaoke machine at home belting out the songs or at karaoke bars...sounds like a good UYE!
Your menu selection is brought out on white plates and bowls to better showcase the food you had ordered. Overall, I have to say that what I have tried (traditional and new items) have been more than satisfactory....thanks to Ron Jeremy "Sinigang" R for introducing me to Spicy Roasted Pata ~ I swoon over the memory of eating that particular selection!
Kalesa offers catering so that you can enjoy their delicious renditions of great Filipino food at your next party or event.
Thanks to Walter P. for organizing an awesome UYE here and hats off to the fun group that attended ~ HUGS! :0)
Masarap talaga! *Tagalog for "its really tasty!"*
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::3.5 for now::
In January I met Maric, who I believe is the sister of the owner and she happens to be from the same town my Dad is from in the Philppines. At the time, she told me she was helping out with the opening of a filipino restaurant in Milpitas called Kalesa. I was very interested and told her I would try it out. (I just moved to the South Bay andI still have the business card she gave me.
I decided to give the restaurant some time to iron out the bugs, so fast forward a few months and my dear bf and I went in for dinner last Saturday. We walked in around 7P and there were a lot of customers in there, but it wasn't packed. I remember thinking, this would be a good place for big groups (15-20 people). There was a "combo" playing - a lady vocalist and a guy on 3 keyboards. It wasn't too loud where you can't hear each other, so that was ok. The waitstaff wore barong tagalogs and black skirts/pants so it gave the restaurant a classier feel, though the patrons were wearing anything from tsinelas (slippers) and tee shirts to dressy casual.
We only ordered two dishes that night, pork sisig and miki bihon. (usually our standard make it or break it dishes). For dessert ,we had turon a la mode. I really enjoyed their pork sisig - it was the chopped up pork with onions and jalapenos just the way I like it (Not the sisig with the pork ears and other parts.). Though I wish it was a bit more spicier. Perhaps next time I will ask for more onions and jalapenos. As for the Miki Bihon, it was OK, it wasn't as flavorful as I wanted. Portions were more than generous and the prices were reasonable.
I will definitely head back., hopefully with a bigger group of people so we can try other dishes.
**I was also impressed with their Dessert options, they have quite a long list of heavenly goodies!**
Was going to give them 4 stars, but docked half a star because well, we had to flag someone down for water each time we needed refills (which was at least twice). One time, I noticed our waitress came out with a water pitcher but only filled the table next to us and then walked back to put the water down.
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Is there a UYE review for this?
Oh well - it was great celebrating Walter's "40th!" Happy Birthday man!!!
You don't look a day over 34...
It was good seeing all the yelpers...new and old. ;D It is always a pleasure to break bread with those who share the same passions in life. We really have to get together more often (did I hear something about turon??) Too bad we couldn't have stayed longer and drank more....well that's another story.
The venue was kind of small but in a nice way. It was kind of odd that the staff was dressed old school...but perhaps there's more back story that I don't know about. They were really nice about adding another table to our ever growing group of yelpers!!! WOOT! And did I mention that they had some singing going on. The irony of it all....you just had to be there.
The food was great regarding what I ate - if it wasn't fried in some way or another then it had no business being front of me.
With that being said:
the crispy pata....sizzling crispy pata....the spicy sizzling crispy pata
the lumpia shanghai
garlic rice....hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
and who can forget the 2nd order of sisig?
I can't comment on the other stuff ordered....what I had was more than enough already. And of course I had to leave room to wash it all down with some SAN MIG LIGHT!
A word of caution.....the sansrival....
is big....
big and good.....
big and rich......
big and butter cream death!!!
BUT OHHH SO GOOD!!!!
*miss manila already
=( _ _ _ _
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Gimme some Filipino soul food - and I be soo happy!
Thanks to Walter P. for arranging last Friday night's UYE. Great food (the crispy pata was artery clogging, but so satisfying for the soul!) and wonderful company! It was nice being able to meet fellow Yelpers in person.
Service was great - the dishes kept coming and our water glasses were kept full.
There's a live band that accompanied our dining experience. Not the kind of music you would think of having in a Filipino restaurant, but at least I knew the words, was able to sing along, lick my fingers and enjoy the crispy pata.
I'll be returning when I get that yearning for some soul food.
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Yelp helped me choose this place and I left very satisfied.
We made reservations for dinner because we didn't know what to expect. Upon arriving they had our table ready for us.
It took us several minutes to review the menu since there were so many mouth watering items to choose from. In the end, we had:
Lumpia Shanghai - your typical lumpia but still better than Goldilocks. I find Goldilocks to be a bit to "fishy".
Broasted Chicken - This was my favorite. The chicken was nice and crispy.
Pancit Canton - forgettable. This isn't my favorite kind of pancit even when my mom makes it. Next time I'll order the pancit bihon.
Kare Kare - This was good but I still like mom's version better.
Diniguan - I didn't try this dish but everyone at the table was very pleased and there weren't any leftovers. The sauce was a bit watery but overall pretty good.
Daing ng Bangus - This was a hit among of all the dishes! Not fishy smelling. It was boneless. Some poor person sat there and pulled out all the bones in my fish. They deserve an award for that! The batter on this was perfectly crisp.
Bistek - Good but could have used a bit more lemon for that tang and a bit more onions. The meat was a bit tough also.
Steamed Rice - They give you a good amount of rice, more than enough to feed the table. On the menu they have a sidebar, requesting you not to waste rice due to the rice shortage. I thought that was interesting.
Halo Halo - Yummy! Perfect end to the meal.
Portion sizes are very generous. We ordered so much food because we were used to portion sizes at other filipino restaurants that are skimpy. For the price you pay it's well worth it. Service was great and attentive.
The only real negative.... they didn't refill our water glasses during the whole meal.
On the way out, I took a menu for future reference and parties. Can't wait to come back and try some more dishes.
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Its OK not a wow. We had the crispy binagoongan w/ eggplant (crispy pork w/ shrimp paste on top of eggplant), Boneless bangus sisig (sizzling milk fish). For the desert we had the halo-halo(mixed fruits w/ ice cream and flan) and again its alright. I was hoping this one would turn out really good so it would save us the drive and the toll going to KUYA'S OR TRIBU (San Mateo area). I would still take the trip to KUYA'S for their sisig bangus and binagoongan it's the BEST, plus their service is better.
The only thing that turned out well was the Kare-kare (ox tail w/ veggies on a peanut sauce), it was very good, as if it was a home cooked dish. I cant complain about this one. I gave Kalesa a 3 star as I was not really happy w/ the other dishes we ordered but really liked the this one. Perhaps it's worth coming back to explore the other dishes on the menu. The restaurant is presentable and bathrooms are clean. This place is an alternative setting to the typical fast food.
This is the place to get your filipino-soul-food-fix...
My friend and I had the lumpia shanghai, pinakbet, pancit palabok, steam rice and my favorite the sizzling spicy sisig... The portions were more than generous compared to the likes of Barrio Fiesta, Hermes or Max's.. All in all the food was awesome, service was superb, the environment was lively. Friday and Saturday nights they have a live band playing old school hits..
My family liked it so much they recently had Kalesa cater my grandma's birthday party...
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Despite some of the negative reviews sprinkled on here, I gave Kalesa an honest chance. I was not disappointed!
First off, I thought the atmosphere was impressive. Decor was nice, contemporary & not "TOO filipino". The hostess & wait staff were very professional; not like some other Filipino restaurants I've been to, where if you don't speak Tagalog, you're a disgrace. See, I was born & raised in Hawai'i of 3rd generation Filipino parents, my mother being 'mistiza' (mixed) or in Hawai'i we call it "Hapa" or half. So Tagalog wasn't nearly a second language to me, since my parents didn't speak it and their parents didn't really either. If anything, I was familiar with some of the bad words...
Ok, back to the food...
(2) orders of Garlic Rice, (2) orders of Pork BBQ & (2) orders of Chicken BBQ, Lechon Kawali (chunks of roasted pork), Crispy Pata (deep fried pigs feet), Broaster Chicken, Sisig (see below) & Shanghai Lumpias (small pork filled egg rolls)...Putanginashiet, bro!!! (I told you I know some bad words)
Just for the record: EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS.
The only complaint I had, if any, was that the Pork BBQ could have been grilled about 2 minutes more, for that charred finish, and a little easier on the BBQ sauce. Other than that, I have nothing negative to say. Oh yeah, just a note: THE BBQ STICKS ARE HUGE. We underestimated them by ordering 2 orders (3 sticks each order), hence, the large portions of take home.
My favorite out of that mound of food was the Sizzling Sisig...no wonder it's their signature dish...Bits of pork marinated in soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, calamansi juice, chopped onions, then saute'd and topped with onions & peppers then served on a sizzling platter......mmmmmm!!!! I know the original dish uses pig ears as the meat but at Kalesa, I think they might use thin cut pork steak. (the texture didn't seem anything like pig ear) Honestly, I probably could've ordered the Sisig and some garlice rice and been completely happy! They also had a huge wok full of an impressive seafood paella, which our waiter recommended...maybe next time.
Just to top it off I ordered the Halo Halo for dessert, while the others with me opted for the the Turon (fried banana lumpia) a la mode (with vanilla ice cream). They loved the Turon, I loved my Halo Halo. We loved Kalesa. Exact star level would've been 4.5. End of review.
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Stay away from being served by Fernando, one of their waiter. This guy does not know the meaning of service. You need to remind him several times just to get a water refill. The food is above avarage and we enjoyed the bangus sisig and crispy pata.
We don't usually frequent Filipino restaurants since we find that it's not worth spending money on food you can make at home or eat for free at family parties...but yesterday, we had a craving for some and since we couldn't decide on what to cook, we trekked up to Milpitas to try out Kalesa.
The food was pretty decent! The waiter was very attentive and helpful as to how much food we should order. For the price of each dish, we weren't quite sure how much of a serving it would be, so it was nice that he recommended how much might be too little or too much.
We ordered kare-kare, pork adobo, lumpia shanghai and pancit. All the dishes were good, but I wasn't lovin' the pancit too much. It looked a little too pale to me and wasn't meaty enough for my liking!
Overall, however, we liked the place and will most likely return should we have another craving for some Filipino food! Next time though, I think we'll try their "signature dish"...sizzling spicy sisig!
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Very Impressed - The restaurant was very clean and very spacious, something that is very rare in most Filipino restaurants. The waiter was very attentive and the food came out very fast. We had the Pork Skewers and the Broasted chicken with Garlic Rice. The sauce on the pork was tangy and garlicky, the fried chicken was very tasty and it came with a sauce that I can only describe as szechwan pepper and anise, garlic rice was flavorful and not greasy. Overall I will definitely be back to try the other dishes.
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-"en now de end is neer and so i pace da pinal curteen" i so had my karaoke song picked out but there was no karaoke
-instead, live music and a singer, bless their caucasian hearts for entertaining the flipino folk
-i was pleasantly surprised to see the servers wearing taditional filipino outfits....nice touch
-the food was good, i got my sinigang, krispy pata, and my steamed rice. we pretty much ordered tons of food and just ate yelp family style
-greeting waltar when it wasn't really his bday was hilarious
-"don't you wish your girfriend was hot like me".......serbelle: "don't cha!"
-the sans rival surprised me cuz it was huge! and good like veerryy good
-reasonable prices for the serving portions
-i would be so happy if we had places like this in aptos, but then again i'd prolle blow up to over 200 lbs
-plenty of parking, the restroom was big and clean, they have toothpicks and mints on your way out
-i got to finally meet beth, mercy and scott! yay!
-we were the loudest and biggest group there, bout 12
-no red horse? wwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
=I CANNOT/WILL NOT MARRY A FILIPINO BOY BUT I SURE CAN/WILL EAT HIS LONGANISA ;)~ what's that? here: http://byfiles.storage...
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kare-kare and lumpia shanghai
please.
went here on a sunday after church.
we got what we usually order when
we're at a filipino restaurant. e.g
goldilocks , barrio fiesta.
they have some weird ikea plates
but they look cool. the food came out
fast. a little too fast. but it was good
i'd go here over goldilocks - I like
barrio fiesta because they have plasma
TVs and they know when sports are on.
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I came here with my mom based on the recommendation of the always awesome Beth W. Three things to know about my mom...
1.) She's picky when it comes to Filipino food.
2.) Even though she doesn't cook she'll tell you exactly how a dish should taste.
3.) Did I mention that she's picky when it comes to Filipino food?
We entered Kalesa and mom was all business asking the waitress where the chef was from (Cavite), was the food good (of course), was their bagoong made from scratch (again of course)! Those questions answered she deemed Kalesa worthy of her presence. We tried to order my favorite the crispy pata, but they were out --Jenny so sad. Undeterred from our goal to feast we ordered the fried bangus, the kare kare, and the sinampalukang manok. I have a theory that the harder it is for me to pronounce a dish the yummier it will be and I wasn't disappointed when I took my first mouthful of the sinampalukang manok, the broth was delicious and the chicken was so tender. The fried bangus was good, but truth be told I prefer my bangus unbattered when fried. The kare kare was delicious and the bok choy and eggplant floating alongside large chunks of ox tail were perfection in a bowl. What was that? The bagoong? Let me just say that fermented shrimp paste has never tasted so good. Large portions, reasonable prices, and friendly attentive waitstaff definitely win my mom's seal of approval. As we walked out the door at the end of our meal, leftover containers in hand, my mom was already planning on bringing my aunt here for another lunchtime visit.