“Vegan Filipino food though... that doesn't sound right”. This is a quote from a Filipino friend of mine when I mentioned I would be going to NO WORRIES in Oakland. As with many cultures, the idea of doing traditional cuisine without the meat or animal products can be strange. However, having dabbled in some Filipino food through my extended family… I found the food to be not only delicious but also true to the culture while still being modern.
The staff were very pleasant, accommodating, and engaging. I sat a table near the restrooms as I waited for my dinner guest (for an interview with Ben Murray from Heartsounds checkout the GUESTS section) and was pleasantly surprised to hear Johnny Cash playing quietly over the restaurants sound-system. Green walls and the stained wood tables reminded me island imagery but the art on the walls featured Bay-Area landmarks and icons. Both forma and informal customers would feel comfortable. I was enjoying the vibe.
The dinner-menu options are simple but not restricting; enough variety without having to read through dozens of entrees.
It didn’t take long after my guest had arrived before we knew what we were going to order. We ordered the “Chicken” Adobo and the Bistek with white rice for our dinner and for an appetizer we ordered Lumpia and fried shrimp. To drink I had melon juice and Ben had a Hansen’s Soda.
The lumpia, a dish I was very familiar with, were very good. They are the Filipino version of an eggroll served with sweet and sour sauce. Crispy outside, well seasoned cabbage and other veggies inside. Simple. Good.
The fried shrimp had the consistency of shrimp so they were a success on that level. However, I wish they had had a thicker and crispier batter. The sauce, a mild spicy vinegar, was also lacking a bit.
The Chicken Adobo arrived with pieces of both mock chicken and tofu browned and then tossed in a tangy sauce with tomatoes alongside it. I liked the mixture of textures and I don’t think the dish would be as successful with just chicken or just tofu. The sauce was very good. If you like thicker sauces you might be disappointed but I thought it was perfect and was really good when put over the rice.
The Bistek is mock beef in soy sauce with greenbeans, onions, and some lemon on the side. If the soy beef was in smaller pieces and possily browned a bit more I would say it could be as good as the Adobo. The green beans were perfectly cooked and accompanied the whole dinner well.
The melon juice was very good; sweet and refreshing. They give you a large straw commonly seen with boba-teas because there are actually strips of melon in the juice. I enjoyed it.
I wish I had left room for desert, but I am positive I will be back very soon. I had a great time and I am looking forward to trying the pancit (noodles).
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