Kababayan Filipino Gourmet

The cafeteria-style kitchen at Kababayan serves only a handful of dishes, and by 5 p.m. one Tuesday they had already gone through nine tubs of pancit. Pancit refers to Filipino noodles, and this version is rather straightforward with two types of strands, the very thin rice stick bihon and the thicker pancit canton, plus some cabbage and carrots with chicken, soy and, says the cashier, probably oyster sauce. She also says going through nine tubs of pancit by 5 p.m. is a lot. I believe her, and I think I know why. It’s all too easy to plow through the mild, greasy chopped noodles in a take-out container.

▶ Filipino; Order: Pancit bihon (both noodles are available for purchase at the adjoining market; the owner suggests the brand Excellent)
Kababayan Filipino Gourmet, 13840 Smoketown Road, Woodbridge

(January 2015)