Casa Pinoy Restaurant in Karama

One of the traits we Filipinos are known for are our love for food.  Whether there's an occasion to celebrate or we want to catch up with a friend, we have to eat.  Just go to Karama, Deira or Satwa, and you'll see several restaurants filled with kabayans enjoying their meal. We simply like to eat.

Of course I'm no exception. And when we heard there was a newly opened resto in the residential district where we used to live, Hubby and I decided to try it out.

Tucked away in one of the quiet but re-developing streets in Karama is Casa Pinoy which opened its doors to the public just last March.  Owned by Mr. Mohd Saud, he put this up when he saw how Pinoys give importance to food, how it's prepared, and how it's presented.

Unlike most restaurants, there are no tables inside. So when I reminded Hubby earlier that day that we were going to eat out for dinner, he was surprised that I actually, literally meant we would be dining outside.  The good thing about it is that diners can easily see how their food is prepared through the kitchen's clear glass.  And since the chefs only start cooking when the orders are placed, you can be assured that what you'll be having is served hot off the pan or grill and not simply reheated.

A browse over their menu shows typical Filipino fare and street food items, as well as dishes from China and Spain.  With such a wide variety, it took us a while to choose; but eventually we ordered these:

Of course our drinks of Watermelon Breeze were the first items to be served, and although I wasn't expecting much, I was happily surprised that this simple beverage was actually yummy.

I don't particularly like eating most street foods so Hubby had the Adidas (chicken feet) all to himself.  According to him, this kalye delicacy tasted like a slightly sweeter version of the ones that are sold in the Manila streets. He enjoyed every bit up to the small bones.

The Rellenong Bangus was filled with a mix of fish meat and vegetables.  We were happy to find it was really packed and not buhaghag at all.

Another surprise was the Paella de Mariscos (seafood paella).  The serving was actually good for up to 3 people!  There were generous pieces of shrimp, squid, mussels, and an entire crab (one of my faves!).  And although it was unexpectedly spicy (and knowing me, I don't usually eat spicy food), I couldn't help filling my plate several times because it was really tasty.

The Yang Chow Fried Rice was also a big serving.  If we had known earlier how big the servings of this and the paella were, we wouldn't have asked for the fried rice anymore.  It was just too much for only Hubby and me.

Finally, we had dessert to top off our meal.  And they were absolutely delicious! It was my first time to try Lechetin (which is a combination of leche flan and gelatin), but this flavourful twist had just the right amount of sweetness.  As for the Ube Halaya, it literally melted in my mouth; I couldn't feel any lumps at all as I enjoyed spoon after spoon after spoon of this smooth purple dessert.  Honestly, it's definitely one of the best I've ever tasted!  If I have a craving one day, I'll be willing to go all the way to Karama from the very north of Dubai just for that special ube. Seriously!

Since it opened just recently and it was a weeknight, it was understandable that there weren't that many customers.  However by the time we left (which was around 8pm), 3 or 4 tables were already filled with diners either eating or waiting for their orders.

Spread over an area of 900 square feet, the place can seat 35 to 40 people at a time.  And for those who don't want to venture out to that side of town or you're too lazy to cook but still want to enjoy delectable dishes, you'll be happy to know that Casa Pinoy offers free delivery with a minimum food order of Dhs50.

Disclaimer: We were invited to dine at Casa Pinoy as guests. However, all views and opinions are my own.

Casa Pinoy Restaurant
Wasl Duet Building (near Etisalat)
41 Street, Karama, Dubai
Phone: 04-3371652 / 056-7658994