Pick: Point-Point Joint Turo-Turo

(Photo source: Yelp.com)

I love Asian cuisine, from Thai, to Japanese, to Korean to Tajik. The flavors and styles are as vast as the regions they hail from. Recently I had a hankering for some Asian food and wanted it authentic, but nothing in the gayborhood was speaking to me. So, I called my friend La Lee for a lunch date and asked for a recommendation. He said, “Filipino, and I know the perfect spot.” The little ditty he took me to, located in the heart of National City, just a stone’s throw from Naval Base San Diego, is a truly comforting Filipino home cookin’ experience. The surrounding area is populated with so many Filipino restaurants, you’d be hard-pressed to find only one that’s good. But, at Point-Point Joint Turo-Turo, it’s so good, they say their name twice…in two different languages. The concept is really simple: ‘point’ at what you like and get a good deal to boot. Now, don’t expect table cloths, Manila-inspired decor or waiters filling your water glasses because this storefront in a strip mall is more ‘hole-in-the-wall’ than ‘date night detour’ to the ‘burbs. But do expect to be pleasantly surprised by bona fide Filipino comfort food, hearty portions, friendly service and unpretentious surrounds that make the whole experience that much more enjoyable.

A standard plate is loaded with two huge scoops of steamed Jasmine rice or you can substitute the rice for chicken pancit bihon (fried noodles.) The vegetables in the pancit are crisp, which proves it’s made fresh daily. And, for those unfamiliar with Filipino custom, lemon slices are available at the register to squeeze over the noodles.

Then comes the pointing. All the selections look incredible. Broths and sauces are thick and hearty, vegetables are vibrant colored and the smell – oh the smell. It’s buffet style, but rather than serving yourself, you point, they put it on the plate, you take it to the register and pay – this eliminates the need to say the dish by name. For me, that’s a good thing (I mangle the English language as it is, I don’t need to do it to another culture’s as well.) Both Lee and I loved the chicken adobo, its made the right way with the meat still on the bone, a total delicious mess. One of the best dishes was the lechon, crisp roasted suckling pork pieces, just make sure you ask for the lechon dipping sauce to experience the flavor as it’s intended.

oxtail kare kare

Among other items in the pointing line are various dark chicken stir fries and juicy-sweet barbecue sticks (either chicken or pork.) Their kare kare, an oxtail stew cooked in peanut sauce, is another stand out traditional Filipino offering that’s extremely rich in flavor. If you get it, opt for the rice instead of the pancit so the stew juices soak into every savory mouthful of yumminess. The soup for the day was sinigang, a very sour soup made from Tamarind powder. Sadly, there was no lumpia, the Filipino version of the egg roll, offered. Come to find out, lumpia is often times not served at many Filipino restaurants as I was told it’s primarily saved for serving during large family dinners at home. The super sugary gualamon sago drink with gelatin squares and boba-like balls was a little too sweet for my liking, but Lee happily savored every tooth-rotting gulp.

traditional Filipino lumpia

One of the most wonderful things I experienced at Turo-Turo was the service. If you have questions – and I had plenty -  the incredibly friendly and accommodating staff is happy to explain. They’ll even let you sample dishes so you can make your choices by taste. While eating in the dining area, soak in the ambiance and whatever Manilavision karaoke, beauty pageant, talk show or infomercial is being played on the TV…it’s just fun.

Though it may not be some slick, sexy metropolitan eatery, don’t let Turo-Turo’s dive-ish digs deter you from enjoying the excellent, quality food they put out. Even better, the prices are unreal. A standard three-item meal comes on two separate plates for less than $7! Ya, exactly.

Price – Way Cheap Eats

Point-Point Joint Turo-Turo = Pick

Tags: adobo, Asian, chicken, Filipino, Food, Foodie, kare kare, lechon, lumpia, National City, pancit, pick, Point-Point, Turo-Turo

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 1:35 PM and is filed under Lifestyle, Pick or Pan Roasted. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.