Description
What do you call a pop-up that gets a permanent home? A plop-down? It's a pertinent question for Maharlika, which went brick-and-mortar in the East Village after spending much of 2011 as a temporary, roving Filipino “moderno” restaurant. Having started as a brunch spot, it's unsurprising that the midday meals shine compared with the evening offerings (which aren't bad, but occasionally display a certain amateurishness). Try the Eggs Imelda, porridgey arroz caldo, or the tocilog ilog breakfast, which contains tender strips of 7 Up–cured pork tenderloin, garlic rice, and a fried egg. Much of the food is heavy, but isn't that why afternoon naps were invented?
