Petite Peso

Housed in a tiny Downtown storefront, this casual Filipino takeout shop by chef Ria Dolly Barbosa (formerly of Sqirl) serves both Filipino classics like chicken adobo and sinigang as well as dishes inspired by L.A.’s diverse cuisines, like their sisig salad. Made with yuzu vinaigrette, chicken livers and fried garlic, it’s a crispy, citrusy, funky delight. Petite Peso’s juicy, deep-fried lumpia can be made meat-free (via Impossible Foods), and their pinakbet bowl uses vegan shrimp paste for a wholly plant-based version of the classic Filipino kabocha squash dish. Stop by earlier for one of Barbosa’s many show-stopping traditional pastries, particularly the ensaymada, which we consider a cut above other iterations available in SoCal. Topped with sugar, cheese and a smidge of cream, one bite of Petite Peso’s gourmet version will more than justify its price point.