Dear Foodie Fam,

For my aunt's birthday, she went to Isla Filipino Restaurant with some of her favorite people.

It was all laughs over Isla's amazing Filipino culinary goodness!

We ordered a traditional huge family platter, adding to the friendly ambiance.

We enjoyed the:

• Pampanga longanisa (sweet sausage)

• fresh chicharon (pork rind)

• thin rice noodle pancit palabuk

• chicken inasal (marinated filet)

• litsun kawali (deep-fried pork belly)

• adobung bangus (boneless milkfish adobo)

• jeprox (crispy fish)

• chopsuey

• Red Horse beer

It tasted liked great food from one of the big Filipino parties we use to run around as little kids! Except, this way, we didn't have any need to cook or clean.

We are all already planning trip 2 with Dutch in tow!