When most people go out to eat, the utensils of choice are the usual culprits: your standard spoons and forks, specific serrated knives, to sometimes classic chopsticks. Once you decided your weapons of choice, and consumed your meal, there is now the issue of dishes. Whereby at the house, or working in the restaurant, each utensil needs a scrubbing and a wash. What would happen if we got rid of utensils? You get probably the best medium for eating: your hands.
The ten digits and two palms we call our hands are some of our best tools we possess. After a long day of typing, perhaps gripping the wheel during a commute, or holding your precious child, our hands do so much. It is our hands that stimulate that sense of feel and security, and utensils at times get in the way of the true experience of eating certain foods.
There are a plethora of foods that we all have had using our hands as the tool to feed ourselves. Holding the hot wooden stick on a corndog from a fare, using both hands to help up a pizza so that the toppings don’t fall, the juices running down your hands from a burger; all of which we enjoy without utensils. But there is another culinary cuisine that is taking over the culinary landscape, and all it requires is your hands.
Specifically in Houston, Asian cuisine has its dedicated pockets around town. From Chinatown along Bellaire, to K-Town in the Spring Branch area, those in Houston know exactly where to find their favorite Asian foods. While the majority use chopsticks as their main utensil, there is one rising cuisine that allows you to eat with your hands, and that is Filipino food.
Filipino food is one of the most underrated Asian cuisines, typically lost behind Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean and Thai dishes. We get lost in the cultural status quo of Chinese and Vietnamese takeout. The popularity and enticement of eating raw sushi. And the spices of Korean and Thai food. All of which have been staples in many communities and have gone viral in today’s social media platforms. Filipino food on the other hand isn’t typically the sexy pick when people seek out what to eat. Its primary focus on acid, savory, and sweet combinations is not well known to most people. But with the rise of cooking shows, chefs, and social media, Filipino cuisine has been given more exposure than it ever has before. It is coming, let alone already here. It is just up to us to establish and support the movement.
Anyone can google a Filipino place, drive over, eat, and leave once done. A proven ritual when it comes to dining out, but perhaps a more personal touch may suffice. One of the best ways to experience a Kamayan feast is through private catering by Fork and Skewers. This local family operation started off as a food truck in Houston several years ago, but like many during the pandemic, they have been forced to revamp their business. Not wanting to abandon their Filipino heritage, the family has been bringing their flavors via Kamayan to people’s homes. Their offering is very traditional, where an entire table is covered with the banana leaves. From there piles of goods ranging from garlic rice, sides, pickled veggies, tender barbequed meats on skewers, and of course the famous crisps of eggrolls we know as lumpia are placed in front of everyone. It is perfect for team building, birthdays, or perhaps just a get together with friends and family.
If you prefer to explore and drive in Houston, you are in luck. Two of the more older but famous places to experience a Kamayan are at Be More Pacific (506 Yale St Suite E, Houston, TX 77007 )located in the Heights, and Flip n Patties (1809 Eldridge Pkwy Suite 108, Houston, TX 77077) in the Energy Corridor area. At the Flip n Patties location, you can order yourself a Mini Kamayan: a personal sized platter of meats over rice served on a traditional banana leaf. It is definitely recommended when you do not have to return to work, because its rich flavors will surely put oneself into a food coma. The second location is at BMP, where you can book in advance that would feed anywhere form 8-18 people. And unlike most places that end a meal in dessert, BMP has a Filipino tradition to burn off the calories away: a karaoke room!
At the end of the day, you got to eat communal style, hands and all. This style of plating and eating incorporates one thing: Family. Because your hands will be used for grabbing and consuming food, gone are distractions of life created by our devices. No answering texts and calls. No work emails being sent. No livestreaming on social media. All there is to experience is picking up the warm rice in one hand, plopping it on top of some juicy and crispy pork, then in one scoop, shoveling down the hatch without worrying what you look like in the process.
When all is said and done, you wash up, perhaps pack any leftovers for your lunch tomorrow, and roll up the leaves for easy disposal. You have just sat,ate and communicated with everyone around you, bringing camaraderie and fellowship that is probably a lost art today all through the gift of hands.Yes, traditional silverware would have been sufficient, but it just is not the same. Would you eat a taco with a fork? A pizza with a spoon? No.Some of life’s greatest treats were meant to be consumed by hand, and the Filipino Kamayan is the epitome of such manners. So the next time you and the crew want to escape the world, look no further than these 3 local masterpieces. Give Filipino food a shot, because it is here and is not going away any time soon.
Writers IG: @datfoodporn
Fork and Skewers: IG @forkandskewers
Be More Pacific: IG @bemorepacific Flip n Patties: IG @flipnpatties
