Namit Cafe & Restaurant

Despite being a common ingredient in Filipino cuisine, pork is noticeably absent from Namit’s menu. But though this place won’t satisfy your lechon cravings, this quiet Ravenswood spot has plenty of other flavorful dishes. Their lumpia has a fantastic mix of ground chicken, vegetables, and crisp water chestnuts, while their kwek kwek is a strong argument to have fried quail egg skewers at every American county fair. But the must-order is their adobo, which is some of the best in the city. Tender pieces of chicken are cooked in a scientifically calibrated sauce that’s achieved the golden ratio of tart, sweet, salty, and peppery flavors. Though Namit’s bright space full of plant wall art is fairly small, there are enough tables for a few groups—which is ideal since the serving sizes encourage sharing. Make sure to also ask about their kamayan feasts for larger parties (you need to place a reservation ahead of time) where they lay out a bunch of dishes with rice on a bed of banana leaves.