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A “kubo” is a traditional Filipino hut. Magna Kubo is a storefront in Old Town Beaverton and an offshoot of Carlo Lamagna’s much-acclaimed Portland restaurant Magna Kusina. The latter provides sit-down, order-at-the-table service and Filipino fare presented with panache. Magna Kubo, which opened in June, also serves food from the Philippines, but emphasizes the simpler, more casual approach of a lechonería, with roasted meat and accompaniments as the focus.
A meal at Kubo begins at the counter a few paces inside the doorway. Here, orders are taken by unfailingly friendly folks who happily field questions from those unfamiliar with the cuisine. On my several visits since opening, this breaks down to about half the guests. The other half seem to be of Filipino heritage delighted that food from their homeland—which has a smaller presence in the metro area’s dining scene compared to fare from other Asian countries—has a new purveyor on the suburban westside.
Once orders are placed, grab a number and have a seat in the small, simply furnished dining area. When Kubo first opened, waits could be long—at both lunch and dinner—but now that it has settled into a groove, crowds are often light and wait times tolerable.
The closest item on the menu to traditional lechon (strictly speaking, spit-roasted suckling pig) is liempo or crispy pork ($30). It is a pound of pure porcine pleasure: tender pale meat interspersed with layers of delectable, jiggly fat and a crunchy, golden-skin crust. It reminds me most of Cantonese-style roast pork belly. Given the generous portion served at Kubo, this is a dish best shared with a friend or two. It, like all the entrees, comes with rice, atcharra (made with pickled carrot, onion and garlic) and a side of sauce.
The traditional lechon dipping sauce of the Philippines is Mang Tomas. The brand-name version of it is offered at Kubo: sweet-tart with a little garlic and onion flavoring plus the magic ingredient, ground pork liver. It is the natural accompaniment to liempo.
For a leaner red meat treat, try the bistek ($28)—beef shoulder, technically called teres major, marinated in a bath of soy sauce and cola flavored with star anise and garlic. It’s a solid choice for the dedicated meathead. And instead of plain rice, why not upgrade to garlic fried rice ($4), with or without a fried egg on top ($1)? One can also feast on citrus- and fish sauce-marinated chicken (manok), which can be ordered by the quarter, half or whole bird ($17, $23, $34), or a deep-fried whole pompano ($25).
Need some veg with all that protein? Among a decent-sized slate of options, I was enchanted with laing ($12), coconut milk-braised greens and onion pepped up with fried shallots and chiles. It is both vegan and gluten-free. For kids and adults with less adventurous palates, Kubo also served a wagyu beef slider ($8) during my visits.
Four months in, Kubo still feels like a work in progress. Menu selections have come and gone, and the online version may or may not reflect current offerings. Food may come out more or less quickly. And in October, the restaurant began hosting game nights on Wednesdays. Learn to play mahjong and enjoy food and drink specials. And in late October, the Kubo crew added Sunday brunch service, featuring twisted takes on your morning favorites. The fun begins at 9 am.
Kubo is worth checking out, especially for those who have not yet had a chance to enjoy Filipino food. And it adds yet another positive Beaverton dining alternative, both for Portland escapees and those willing to make the short drive west.
EAT: Magna Kubo, 12406 SW Broadway, Beaverton, 971-268-5990, magnakubo.com. Noon-9 pm (or until sold out) Thursday-Sunday.