Critic Finds Fine Filipino Food in Somerville

A Scrappy Filipino Food Feast

The Boston Globe’s Devra First reviews Filipino-American restaurant Tanám at Bow Market in Somerville. Chef Ellie Tiglao’s narrative approach to Filipino food “feels like a scrappy, hand-hewn production, ever-evolving and challenging itself,” First writes. The ticketed meals are designed to give diners insight into the culture, identity, and story behind Filipino cuisine, and the restaurant also offers casual bar bites and cocktails at certain hours.

While First ultimately rates Tanám two and a half stars out of four (between “good” and “excellent,”) she notes that it is “not at all the sort of restaurant one wants to reduce to a number of stars.” It is an experience that might not be for everyone, but if it is for you, you’ll already know by the time you reach the end of First’s review.

Sneaky Heat at Thai Moon

Marc Hurwitz visits Thai Moon in Arlington for the Dig. The restaurant has been around for more than 15 years, serving a “fiery” hot chicken basil fried rice and a noodles kee mao dish packed with sneaky heat, writes Hurwitz. He praises the restaurant’s steamed pork and veggie dumplings and mild massaman curry, and he calls out some specialty dishes, including shrimp in a pot with glass noodles and deep-fried half duck with peanut sauce. Overall, Hurwitz calls the food “consistently good.”

• At Tanám, a Meal Tells a Story About Filipino Food [BG]
• Thai Moon in Arlington [Dig Boston]