Tried Filipino Nepalese ➡️
@ramronyc 💜
I hit up Ramro in Astoria, Queens with my excitable fellow Filipino friend
@djablosauce to check out their unique Filipino-Nepalese menu. The owner and bartender, Ravi, mentioned there are many similarities between Filipino and Nepalese cooking, which is why the merging of flavors felt so seamless. There’s a shared use of garlic, ginger, coconut vinegars, mild chilies, and always that slight kick of sweetness.
STANDOUTS
At Ramro, the food felt more modern, refreshed by a NYC point of view. Duck confit momos with perfect tenderness and bite were paired with housemade hot sauce and a purple cauliflower dipping sauce. Then came a fresh pan-fried skate adobo, sitting in a pool of concentrated soy, garlic, and black pepper sauce, that slipped off the bone with ease. I kept thinking NYC needs more skate dishes! We also had a juicy, luscious beef wagyu longanisa meatball massaged with garlic confit, a hint of vinegar, and painted in a soy brown sugar sauce. Surprisingly, it didn’t make me miss typical pork longanisa recipes at all. We even watched a solo diner order one serving, then immediately ask for another!
Desserts, esp the silvanas, a double-layered meringue with coffee and pistachio buttercream was a treat. Plus, Ravi’s detailed cocktail menu had bright pops of tropical flavors all over it too.
My least successful dish was the ube gnocchi. It was a bit too rich, and the gnocchi was not as pillowy as I like. Maybe slightly overworked and undercooked?
VIBES & PRICING
The evening featured thoughtful, artistic platings and surprising uses of international ideas from the surrounding Astoria neighborhood. Inside, it felt kind of like an izakaya. Tiny counter seats and tiny tables with a tiny kitchen outputting lots of food with lots of heart at a good pace. Prices seemed on par with other restaurants with high quality cooking. They also have a great Happy Hour menu during the weekdays. Big thanks to Laura of Djablo Sauce for joining me on this Filipino adventure. We both said we’d go again, maybe next time for the weekend-only tasting menu! Hope you go! — Skeeter
#foodcurated #astoriafood #filipinofood #nepalesefood
