A’postrophe

My wife was craving Filipino food here in LA and used Unilocal to find one around here.
Went to school at USC 15 yrs ago and the only place I knew was Goldilocks in Koreatown. I found out that this location is no longer there.
Well, we took a taxi to the address on Unilocal and this place isn’t a restaurant but an apartment.
So I would say find another place. Not sure who reviewed this restaurant since it’s not where it’s listed.

Thanks Chef Charles for the wonderful dinner. It was a great experience. I had to drive hours and get through rainy rush hour LA traffic, BUT the food was worth it. I did arrive on time but most guest were running 30 minutes late and this is the reason why most people have to wait. Not the Chef’s fault, as per Milli Vanilli … «Blame it on the rain yeah yeah yeah». For the food my favorites are the pansit flavored deviled eggs and the turon pork belly… sorry no pictures we were SO hungry! I will be checking out the Rice Bar soon.

I’ve been wanting to try Chef Charles’ pop up restaurant for awhile now and was happy when I got the email. The food was excellent as was the service. For the amuse– bouche my favorite was the pansit flavored deviled eggs! The main course dishes were also great especially the Turon pick belly. It was Filipino food elevated. The dessert was baked alaska and the chef himself came to each table to brûlée the dish. Good job chef! Hoping to make it to more of your dinners!

If I could give it a zero star I would. We went to the pop up on hill street– made reservations. Had confirmed timing and when our group got there. They told us they are running 30 – 40 mins behind in seating. That was fine at first. We checked in again and they said they just seated people who checked in behind us and we now have to wait another hour to be seated. That would be 10pm!
Why have people make reservations when you do not plan on honoring it? It’s a disorganized mess…

Such an intimate and pleasant experience with Chef Charles. My wife wanted to try it and I am glad I said yes. Food was absolutely amazing! Highlights were definitely the roasted pork, chicken, and the coconut jam which was to die for.
Chef Charles and crew provided excellent service. He clearly explains every dish delivered to the table. Made it easy for someone not so well versed with Filipino cuisine like myself to know what was coming our way. Family style dining and more than enough food to go around.
Solid five stars!

We were fortunate enough to get a seat for Chef Charles’ second pop up. It definitely did not disappoint. Being Filipino I wasn’t sure what to expect — overly fancy Filipino food OR overpriced good Filipino food… And I’m happy to report we got something even better, AMAZING FILIPINO FOOD AND A ONE OF A KIND EXPERIENCE.
We loved the communal table and met people from all over Los Angeles who we would otherwise not get the opportunity of meeting. We loved sharing with everyone and how Chef explained each and even dish as it came out.
I can’t comment too much on the food since it appears to change with each but stand outs for me was the coconut jam /​pancit luglug (noodles) /​crispy pata (pork) /​avocado toast w/​dilis
Email now and make a reservation! It will not disappoint — the experience in itself it worth it… When was the last time you saw the Chef pull your dinner out of the oven, plate and serve directly to you? :)

I am beaming right now, feeling really like a proud Mama or Auntie, after being hosted by Chef Charles Olalia & his crew (really family). (We did a quick region/​town genealogy and we just might be related)
I am so happy to finally see traditional, comfort FIlipino cuisine that is elevated and highlighted like this.
Tonight was the last of a handful of dates for the pop-​up. I absolutely enjoyed the evening, from the family style seating and service, homestyle plate settings, and just getting that in-​the-​kitchen immersive experience. Can you tell I’m so enthused?!
If you live in any major metropolitan area in the WORLD, you would surely recognize the offerings tonight, have had it served to you by another Filipino family or eaten it at a potluck.
The dinner-​only menu was changed every night of the pop-​up, probably to our advantage (6 courses, if you don’t count the Fragrant rice (Japanese rice steamed in banana leaf):
*Opened with a Coconut Pandan crêpe, filled with a FIlipino brand of cheddar cheese
*Hot Pan de Sal — served with a coconut pandan jam
*Pancit Palabok (Rice noodles with a shellfish based sauce that was mixed in, topped with boiled egg, crumbled chicharon)
*spicy sweet pork sausage (Longganisa Pampanga) served with a quick papaya pickle (atchara)
*Smoked octopus (Filipino translation: Pugita) (so tender, flavorful) with roasted Kabocha squash and Cilantro Tofu sauce
*Crispy Pata — a confit of pork hock, simmered for hours then flash fried three times till crunchy
*Leche flan dessert, with a blond caramel, tapioca pearl.
*plus 3 dipping sauces (soy with citrus and spiced vinegar, and Maggi Seasoning — it made it all feel like home)
I can hardly wait to take friends to the restaurant when it materializes. I would happily repeat the prix-​fixe option we had. But Chef Charles already stepped up his game from the get go by having a different menu nightly.

This was one of the best dinning experiences I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of. My friend Francis G. hit me up asking if we wanted to do a pop-​up (chefs host dinners at a location of their choice) with Chief Charles Olalia and I had heard about them before but never really knew how it worked. So sent him an email to reserve 6 spots and asked if it was handicap accessible. He answered all of our questions and let us know that there was no dress code (come as you are) and to bring BYOB. He gave us great recommendations on what wines would pair the best with what he was preparing for the night.
So the location wasn’t hard to find and everything he mentioned was correct. Parking is available next to the building and its $ 8. He gave us a code to buzz into the building and once we arrived to his unit we were greeted by Santos, Charles and their significant others. The loft was small and cute, but just perfect for the family style dinning we experienced.
Everyone was very friendly and the service was excellent. The servers kept our water & wine glasses full and Everytime Charles presented us with a dish, he gave us a little history story as to why he selected that dish and the ingredients he used to make it.
Now for the food:
Ensalada Filipino — salted duck egg, kamatis, fish sauce vinaigrette.
Longganisa Pampanga — sweet and spicy sausage served with pickled papaya.
Pancit Luglog — rice noodles, cuttlefish, shellfish sauce, chicharon.
Barbecued Octopus — kinchay, green cabbage, sweet chili sauce.
Crispy Pata — confit and fried pork hock, pickled onion, garlic chips.
Fragrant Rice — Japanese rice steamed in banana leaves.
Leche Flan — Egg custard, blond caramel, lime tapioca.
Everything was delicious and the flavors were very distinct and very flavorful. My favorite was definitely the longganisa. I’m a sucker for sausages and this by far was the best longganisa I’ve had.
I believe they change the menu everyday so when you email him ask him what’s going to be on the menu for the night.
You can contact Charles at
I would definitely recommend trying a pop-​up once just to experience meeting new people in a family style setting, trying new foods and getting to know the chef up close and personal. We will be looking for more pop-​ups but they have their work cut out for themselves because we have pretty high standards after this one!
Thanks to Charles and his team for a wonderful evening! We will be back again!
OOOOO
5 out of 5 Afros