Kusina Lumpia Filipino Food

Browsing through Yelp I came across Kusina Lumpia in Natomas. It was rated at 4 1/2 stars out of 5 with over 200 reviews. The pictures of the food looked mouth watering and the reviews were extremely positive. This was definitely a place I had to go check out for myself. 

Food -

There are a number of rice plates that you can select from their main menu along with lumpia and other daily specials. Sadly, I'm not very familiar with Filipino food, so many of the dish names were foreign to me. That makes me SO SAD because I know some of their best dishes must be in there!!!

I'll have to bring a Filipino friend next time and have them help me with the menu. So for today I stuck with the basics. Thankfully, there were pictures of the food on the main menu to help me decide what to get. I ordered the meat plate, some bbq pork skewers, lumpia, and halo halo. The beef plate was for my mom - which I didn't get to try, but the food that I did eat I enjoyed very much.

I started off with the halo halo. Usually the halo halo would be the final thing to eat, but it was a hot day and we had a drive back to Woodland before eating the meal so I just dug into the halo halo. The halo halo was topped with ube ice cream and flan. The middle consisted of ice and coconut milk with the bottom having sweet beans and jellies. Mixing it all together created a unique taste sensation. The cold dessert was perfect for a hot day and something I would definitely order again.

The lumpia was the first savory item I had when I returned home from getting the take-out. The shell was thin and crispy. I found the lumpia easy to just scarf down quickly. I thought that getting 10 was a bit much. NOPE. The sweet and sour sauce that came with it was the icing on the cake. It brought a tang to each bite that made you want to go back for more. It was a pretty small cup of sauce... I actually ran out before I finished the lumpia. I'll have to ask for 2 on my next visit.

As for the main dish, my bbq pork skewers, they really blew my mind. They were charred but still tender on the inside. The blackened outer part was glistening and invited me to take bite after bite. Combining the meat with the fried egg and flavorful rice created a mixture of tastes that was just right. It was a simple entree of meat, egg, and rice, but putting it together was perfection. The meal was very satisfying and enjoyable.

Service/Atmosphere - 
The outside of the building Kusina Lumpia is at doesn't look like too much. They are part of a strip mall with lots of other food places. Kusina is actually a bit hard to find as the front of the store doesn't face the parking lot. You have to go around the building to actually get to the entrance. I wonder if that hinders business.

The person at the register was friendly and helpful, but ordering on the spot we had to wait about 15 minutes before we got our food. I think it's best to call in the order and then just pick it up when it is done.

Price -
The overall price at Kusina is moderate. You'll be paying around ten dollars a plate and around seven/eight dollars for 10 pieces of lumpia. The only item that I think is on the more expensive side is the halo halo at about eight dollars.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
I suggest you take a look at some of the grocery items inside Kusnina Lumpia. Besides boxed items, you'll find a section with some great breads. One of the ube breads looked especially appetizing. 

Bottom Line - 
Kusina Lumpia is an excellent restaurant and mini grocery store. There are many authentic Filipino dishes that you can order if you know what they are. If not, you really can't go wrong with some of the simple entrees shown on the main menu.

Letter Grade

A-

This is the front of the restaurant on the other side of the parking lot.

Vegetable lumpia.

Beef with egg over rice.

Halo halo.