Maharlika Kamayan Pop Up

This was awful as far as service & food wise. What an embarrassment for the Filipino culture to say the least.
If you actually went to this, you know what I’m talking about. Please stay in the east coast.

I expected what is billed as moderno Filipino to be a unique take on traditional dishes.
There were two options: Kamayan or prix fixe menu, which were entirely different menu choices. This was not evident from the information set up by the event organizer or the subsequent e-​mails I received confirming our reservation, etc…
The reservations were clear about being on time, no Filipino time to be specific (which means really late). However, we waited nearly an hour just to get the brunch crowd cleared out and to get seated.
There were 5 offerings for the first course, and the waiter/​server (Topher) apologized since they did not have the one item we thought was new and worth trying: Pork belly with watermelon (for lack of watermelons).
We were served an excellent Kilawin (fish ceviche with coconut cream and peppers), deep fried Spam fries (battered & fried Spam!), so-​so Lumpia Shanghai (tasted frozen, sorry), and an eggplant mousseline (Puqui-​Puqui) served with diced onion and halved cherry tomatoes — this last dish needed some salt, I thought.
Overall grade for first course: 3.5 stars.
Main entrees:
Whole fried grouper served with cucumber/​onion/​tomatoes and a thicker vinegared sauce — excellent! Tender, flaky fish, with enough crispness.
Lamb Shank adobo served on pureed kamote (sweet potato) — tender lamb, although it tended to be dry. Seemed to lack enough sauce.
Kare-​Kare (oxtail stew) — tender oxtail meat on the bone, the peanut sauce on the bottom– tender and flavorful, but again felt a little dry. Excellent with the bagoong, begging for some acidity, so I just added some vinegar to mine. Maybe lemon wedges or even better: Kalamansi for next time?
Stuffed squid — rellenong pusit — had a fish stuffing, served over more eggplant mouselline (sort of redundant from the first course offering). Sorry this was thoroughly inedible — tough and dry.
Got an extra dish of Dinuguan (Pork & blood stew) just to try, meat felt dry and the blood sauce just a tad too spicy and vinegar-​sour. — my kids said mine is better.
Overall grade for entrees: 3 stars.
I can see how the whole Kamayan scene might be the next big thing in a city like NYC, but LA?
Biggest Cons: there are so many Filipino take out places locally that will charge you at least ¼ of the price for the same entrees. Tonight’s total bill for four diners would have already included a whole lechon (whole spit roasted pig) otherwise.
Right off the bat, saw a little too much handling of the food for my preference, you know what I mean? Maybe they do it differently at the NYC location, but I would rather have my food already plated, so to speak, rather than assembled at the table. Maybe it can be done in the back next time and brought out on a board? I really don’t know.
I honestly believe that people on this coast here are hardly neophytes when it comes to to the Filipino food experience.
All told, I came to support Maharlika and help them represent. Good enough, Maharlika. Here’s to hoping it could be better.