Kawali Filipino Cuisine

Lola is so nice the food is amazing I couldn’t stop saying “mmm” after every bite of the adobo. That apartment next door is lucky. Id go here every day if I could but unfortunately I live in Indiana. But I Will definitely go here again.

A FOODIE’S FIND, tucked between Columbus and Dayton, it’s a SUPERB AUTHENTIC FILIPINO eatery. It’s in a very unassuming corner of a strip mall, it’s TRULY A PLACE OF EXQUISITE CUISINE.

It’s cafeteria style with a serving counter to choose from a ready cooked 8-10 entrées. PLUS there’s a menu board for made-to-order food. Very generous servings.

My recommendations:
1. Pinakbet: stewed mix of tropical vegetables yet crunchy in their colorful splendor; perfectly seasoned. Wow!
2. Dinuguan: exotic blood stew of pieces of lean pork, very juicy meat simple seasoning of salt and pepper balanced with slightly tangy tart rice vinegar. The palate wakes!
3. Lumpia Shanghai: very crispy pork roll, flavorful without the need of a dip.
4. Kalderetta: stewed chunks of tender juicy beef, thick sauce, inviting orange hue from Annatto.
5: Tinola: exotic tangy soup with pieces of tender juicy chicken with veggies. It’s a lovely flavorful soup on a cold day.
6: Lechon Kawali: (Pride of Filipino home cooking) Made-to-order crispy fried roast pork belly, the fat very rendered but enough remains to savor the perfectly seasoned belly meat. The skin truly crunchy! Wow!
7: Kare Kare: (A gem of Filipino cuisine) Made-to-order oxtails stewed in peanut sauce, with terrific veggies cooked in the stewed. Served with sautéed shrimp paste that brings out the flavor of the meat and the sauce! It’s divine!

This is a midday restaurant service so go early!

Service is excellent by two lovely senior ladies who operate this fantastic enterprise!

DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS PLACE!! The restaurant is small and occupies a corner spot at the end of a shopping center. It can be easy to miss, but it's well worth a visit! Inside was comfy, clean, and I was greeted right away. Jo gave me some fantastic suggestions and answered all my questions about ingredients and spice levels, etc. I went in to try the lumpia and was taking my order to go. I opted for the beef lumpia, but there is a vegetarian variety, too. Jo recommended the Spicy Beef and the Teriyaki Chicken both came with rice. I also got an order of pancit (a rice noodle/veggie/chicken dish). I took all of these items home, a good 15 minute drive. I always worry about this process - will the food be soggy? Will the containers spill, will I wish I had eaten there for the full experience? I should not have worried at all. It was packed wonderfully, the lumpia were crispy and warm when I got home, the were no spills. I made plates when I got home and we finally got to taste everything. All of the food was nothing short of wonderful!! High quality ingredients seasoned well, plenty of sauce, rice and noodles cooked to perfection, crispy light lumpia, and hefty portion sizes too. The spicy beef, though. Oh my stars!!!! If I could give 11 stars, I would still wish I could give 12! It was perfect. Spice level that anyone can appreciate, big tender slices of beef, a sauce that was robust and clung to the rice making every bite amazing. ♡ I spent about $40 for 8 Lumpia, entree sized Chicken Pancit as well as Spicy Beef, and Teriyaki Chicken which came with a double portion of rice. I could easily have fed my family of four; two of which are growing teen boys. It was a bargain by almost any standards!

I wish I could say I had been visiting this place regularly for years. I will be going back often from here forward. I am so excited to try more of the dishes they offer, and get one of their Halo Halo iced dessert drinks. Wow!

Be sure to check their Facebook for hours of operation. They will be closed for a break this spring, but their social media is great with reporting hours, daily menu items, and any closings for holidays, etc.

Cafeteria style, generous portions, lots of authentic options. The food was very delicious, staff was friendly. We will be back when the craving for bopis hits again. Wish they were open later for dinner.

Amazing food! Definitely worth going to. My boyfriend and I came here and the customer service is very friendly.

Within the first few bites, my wife said it tasted like going to dinner at her Filipino grandfather's house for dinner. Memories of dishes she had nearly forgotten came rushing back - with a few tears! Try this... open your hearts and your tastebuds. Be ready for a few very different flavors and textures... and boatloads of familiar, robust ones that you already know and love if you enjoy Asian and/or Hispanic food.

Good Filipino food, only thing is it would nice to have more spicy food. If you want to have Filipino food but dont like eating spicy then this the place for you. Very friendly staff, they said they may get a karaoke machine before the summer.

Wonderful food and legit. I live somewhere without many Filipinos so I like to eat Filipino food when I'm around anywhere that has a restaurant. Did not disappoint. Lola run kitchen which is all you need to know, to gauge the deliciousness of the food.

Sarap!

We make there about once a year. Always have a decent meal topped off with Halo Halo for dessert.

Love this place to bits! The Pinoys who own this restaurant are very kind and friendly to everyone. The food here is amazing!

Had some sinigang & bicol express from this place and it was delicious. Ordered some halo-halo for dessert as well :) Tita (the lady) was friendly and very helpful.

The best lumpia and menudo I have ever had. Staff was so nice to us. Hopefully we have a chance to make it back through one day to eat there again

Not inexpensive but it's not cheap-quality fast food, either. This is homemade Filipino food served and prepared by "Aunties." Walk-in, counter order and service with a few simple dine in tables. Hours are limited so check those before you go. The food is offered a la carte (which is what the wall menu seems to show) or combo with rice and lumpia (long narrow fried egg rolls - REALLY good). The food I've had so far is excellent. The pancit is vegetarian (no sausage). The spicy beef has a slightly gamey taste which is not bad at all if you're into that. If this is new to you, I'd suggest the chicken Adobo and the ground beef stew.

I just love the ladies at Kawali. They make everyone feel like family.

Delicious food at a good price! The service was amazing as well!

For our first time visiting the food was delicious or how the Filipino say "Masarap" The pancit, lumpia must try with sweet and sour sauce. The spicy beef, pork adobo, lechón Kawali were all amazing. The hospitality from the ladies were exeptional. Will return soon.

The food was delicious. And the portions are well worth it.

Food was good, I just kept on pointing to food it all looked so good

The food is delicious and authentic. The price is really good and the service was great. The ladies that work there are so nice and welcoming. Definitely recommend!

My fiance took me here for our first date. She grew up in a filipino house hold and wanted to show me a bit of cultural foods. The food was all delicious and the hospitality from the women whom work there really makes you feel at home. I would recommend adobo, lechon, lumpia, or the milkfish! We liked this place so much it has sparked an interest to travel to the philippines to try more traditional dishes and experience the culture!