Hapag Filipino

Another Pilipino turo-​turo (food is laid out cafeteria style and you point to what you want) restaurant in Carson that I tried for lunch a couple of days ago. This time at the outset itself I confirmed that they had chicken adobo (or any other chicken item) before asking for the two item combo to go. I opted for one scoop of rice and one scoop of noodles, chicken adobo for the first item. For the second item I enquired if they had beef steak or Mongolian style beef but got no for an answer so went with a small fish (looked like Macrel) curry. The server was a very sweet lady who really took pains in explaining the different dishes on offer and was very patient with me while I made my selection. I paid $ 6.50 for this with tax and as there was a $ 10 threshold for using credit card it was essentially a cash only place.
I would describe the overall taste of this food as home cooked. Not overly spiced, not very oily yet tasty enough to eat all of it. The fish was surprisingly fresh and not smelly and I would be curious to know how they managed to get all the smell out. Overall I was not wowed by the food but was satisfied with what I got for the price I paid so I will be back periodically.

Small hole in the wall. I had the pork sisig. It was very good — all the right ingredients. Not a wide selection, but they had the basics an I was very pleased with my lunch.

I prefer this place over the other filipino restaurants around the neighborhood of carson. They have a flavorful laing and talong that they serve almost daily. The price is half off after 5pm. So you can get a 2rice 2item for $ 2.72. Aside from the good price, they have TFC on a 40inch TV for those who love watching it.

I am always a strong advocate of never eating Filipino food outside of a house. Really and truly, my mom’s home cooking out does any other Filipino restaurants out there. So, how did I end up at Hapag Filipino, you say? Well, my aunt was hella craving filipino food and my mom hadn’t cooked any and was away… so she drags my butt to some Filipino restaurants and after some thought, decides on this one.
First of all, the food was dry. It was clear that they just let the food sit under those heat lamps all day. No bueno! Second, the woman serving us was extremely quiet and seemed uncertain of what she was serving. In fact, I’m not sure if I ever heard her speak a full sentence in Tagalog. O. o Secondly, the food lacked flavor. It really didn’t taste like much of anything. I had fish and sweet pork links (which I thought would be impossible to mess up), but even those lacked. Not only that, I felt sick not long after.
Overall, stay away. It’s not worth it! If you’re REALLY desperate, there are plenty of other restaurants within a mile radius that are significantly better.

I was given a flyer for the Grand Opening, but I couldn’t make it. So today, I decide to stop by to pick up dinner. I’m always hungry for good filipino food, and this place is closer to home. They are tucked in the corner of a strip type mall with plenty of parking. Hapag is so new, that they haven’t printed up their menu.
So I ordered a combination plate with Pancit, Beef adobo and chicken. I also ordered their bangus al la carte. First impression, the food smelled good and the taste is also good. Depending on the province in the Philippines, taste changes slightly for the same food item. I would like to try their breakfast, which they cook to order, but I will have to wait until the weekend.