Caribou Burger had me filled.
Meaty, delicious, Ilokano-inspired. The 'water buffalo'(caribou in Ilokano) burger option for brunch was tasty, moist, and 'mas masarap'. For lay-people, that means VERY MUCH DELISH. Next time I'm around Melrose Market, I'm most likely going to re-order and have my fill of this culinary delight of SouthEast Asian meat origin. =). What's great about this resto is their commitment to organic and local sourcing for their foodstuffs. But where is the local caribou (Ilokano language for water buffalo). I'd like to meet them. "Can you hold our table for 30 minutes while we make sure that the water buffalo is free range? I'd like to tour the ranch. We'll be back". LOL- Portlandia-style, if you know what I mean....
Service was excellent.
Atmosphere was a mix of exposed hvac duct in a subdued paint scheme, partially rusted I-beams, and mashed with knotty table and seating pieces of varied age. It was warm, yet ambiance of this triangle shaped resto had a cool urban vibe to it. Possibly, because of the many pedestrians that walk past while you enjoy a fat and meaty burger by the window. What I mean by window is actually the entire transparent wall portions. I bet they open these up when the weather gets good. In two months, I'll be back for my fill of Filipino food in the form of the 'water buffalo' burger. And if you think burgers are NOT Filipino-themed, pass by Jollibee in Southcenter Mall, near Nordstrom's. They have an excellent representation of what makes burgers, Manila-style, a sweet combination of SEA and SEA. But Terra Plata's version is much more in tune with the values of Ilokano culture (indigenous to the boondocks in northern Luzon), in it's representation, presentation, and the person who ate it. After all, the value is in knowing, Ilokano-like, that the money you spend in the neighborhood.....STAYS in the NEIGHBORHOOD. Nalaing, Terra Plata!