A welcoming spot in downtown Columbia that was founded way off the beaten track in Woodland in 2012, FilAm Express has a homey vibe. The menu, via chef Priscella, offers a large-format meal, dubbed salu salo sa bilao, which might include tuna belly, pork sausage, ukoy (a shrimp fritter), and much more, served to a minimum of four people. Many patrons of this place are big on karaoke, so be prepared to sing along between bites.
It offers a mix of modern dishes — such as adobo chicken wings and sisig tacos, featuring crispy shells filled with minced chicken — alongside more traditional fare like kaldereta, a goat stew (also offered with beef), and crispy pata, a deep-fried pig knuckle. Spring-roll-like lumpia are served either fried, as is most common, or fresh with steamed skins.