Finally, Barkada

Front of the counter where you can interact with the staff as they prepare orders.

Since last fall, I have been following this restaurant's progress after I first noticed their sign driving past it. I got really excited about seeing a Filipino word in bold and all-caps in my part of town. All kinds of questions popped up: Filipino comfort food? Bar? Night club? Pool hall? Seafood? Legit?

I waited several months past their grand opening to give their place time to fill out and work through any kinks. In the previous instances I wanted to go, the timing just wasn't right. Finally go back two Fridays and my girlfriend T and I wonder where to go for friend date night. It was a rare thing for this hardworking mom of two beauty professional to have a free weekend! Being both Fil-Am in our roots—she from Juneau, me from Guam—we were like, yeah, let's check out Barkada! So check it out we did.

We got seated right away during their happy hour which ran till 6, so we had a few discounts off our bill, such as the oyster shooters and spicy tuna roll.

Before anyone starts wondering whether Barkada is a Filipino restaurant, let me clarify: It's a fusion restaurant that one would initially think is a sushi bar. But it's so much more. It's a product of the chef and his culinary team's food ideas and that means growing up in places like Hawaii, Guam, and the Pacific Northwest while happening to have Filipino and island roots. And I get that! The menu reflects this, having items such as the calamansi kinilaw, ube cookies, San Miguel Beer, and then musubi and sushi items. The seafood items are delicious, I could taste the freshness in every bite, and the different flavors mingle in your palate like pieces of color on a palette your tastebuds discern to sort out.

T was excellent company, as she ordered pretty much whatever she felt like on the menu because she just got off from work and was hungry, while I made more thoughtful choices such as items I have never had before but wanted to try.

Between the two of us, we were able to experience a good sampling of what they serve: a unique cocktail known as the Manila Ice served in plastic bags with straws, oyster shooters, kalamansi kinilaw (Filipino lime with ceviche-style tuna and rice and garnishes), hamachi poke boat, spam musubi, a California roll, and a spicy tuna roll. We were hoping for the "Ube Doobie" cookies with the toasted coconut, but of course, they had sold out an hour and a half after they opened, so I'm not surprised. If it's anything like the Hood Famous Ube cookie, one can't go wrong. Although I'd like to go in detail about how each thing we got tasted wonderful, I'd rather post photos about it. Everything was good, everyone was nice, and we all had a great time. Maybe the next time I go, I will check out their take on the classic Chamorro kelaguen instead of thinking "But I can make that." Well, so can they. Obviously.

Food menu

Oyster shooters were delicious! I don't even eat oysters, but...peer pressure.

Manila Ice cocktails are not too sweet and left me with not only a buzzy feeling but one of nostalgia and modernity...something familiar into something new. I can definitely taste that kalamansi!

Kalamansi Kinilaw above, Hamachi Poke Boat below: Both are delicious!

Nicely presented musubi with banana ketchup drizzle and pickled atchara (papaya)

Their use of compostable dining ware stood out to me. I love this: it's smart, responsible, and
goes aesthetically with their natural-material and wood interior.