Ron Acierto is excited to share his Filipino culture with you. That’s why the wine impresario is teaming up with Tambayan’s Cindy Nelson for a Mother’s Day Kamayan feast of steamed rice, noodles, adobo, spring rolls, bitter melon, water spinach, and whole fried fish. Acierto says there will also be à la carte options made available, like blood meat (pork cooked in pork blood with shallots, garlic and vinegar) for those whom he describes as having an “adventurous palate.”
“In Tagalog, the language of the Philippines, the word Kamayan means ‘to do something with bare hands; to shake hands; to use the hands for eating,’” Acierto explains. “It is a traditional way to serve a family style Filipino feast and guests eat with their hands.”
Nelson, who’s run Tambayan since 2010, learned how to cook from her family’s maid when she was just six years old.
“As encouragement, her mother bought her a palayok (clay pot) and from then on, she learned to cook using her mother's recipes,” Acierto says. “She makes the kind of food that she would cook you if you were coming over to her house for dinner.”
Of course, Acierto will make sure that there are plenty of drink options for the dinner, including tropical fruit mimosas, piña coladas, Asian citrus-based margaritas and sparkling, white, and red wines.
The Kamayan Mother’s Day dinner goes down on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 4 p.m. The cost is $38 per person ($15 children 12 and under). Tambayan is located at 6014 SE Foster Rd.
To reserve seats, email Acierto at ronacierto@me.com.
Tambayan [Official Facebook Site]