Tanam

ALAYA DINNER REVIEW I first heard about Tanam on the Eater "Hot Restaurants" List. Coincidentally, a friend was coming in town and wanted to do a tasting menu so it was almost fate that I had just recently read about Tanam. Tanam is located in Bow Market in Somerville, an eclectic courtyard filled with several little shops, including one that sells chocolate, another that sells pierogies, and then a brewery (Remnant Brewery). It's fitting that Tanam is found in Bow Market because of the uniqueness of the dining experience. Something unique about Bow Market is that they have All Gender bathrooms, which I had never seen before. And I'm not talking about the single room bathrooms, I'm talking about those where you go in and there are several stalls and urinals. Definitely a new experience but I'm sure these will become more normal. We arrived to Tanam to a white room with white curtains and a single table set for 9. There is a 5:00 PM seating and a 7:30 PM seating so we arrived at 7:30 and were seated at the table. Soon after our fellow diners arrived and we ended up becoming friends throughout the meal. I think that is the point of Tanam...you end up having a conversation with people you wouldn't otherwise have and you make new friends. FOOD: We were served a 5-course fixed-price meal of Filipino American cuisine. The owner and head chef (Ellie) would come to explain the inspiration for each dish as it was served, whether it be something she learned from someone in her family or something popular in the Philippines. While the Filipino elements were there, she also tried to incorporate local New England elements, especially in the seafood. Normally I would go through every dish in detail but given that the menu will be changing soon and I think it should be more of a surprise, I will refrain (but you can see the pictures below). What I will say that most of the dishes were delicious and executed well and they will all have ingredients you likely have never had before. Some favorite dishes included lobster, duck confit, and this fritter with papaya, bean sprouts, and scallions. DRINKS: The drinks are very unique here as well...I had a Filipino beer (San Miguel) but my friend had a purple cocktail made with Ube. They take a lot of pride in their drink menu so be sure to try a few things. This is a very unique experience that you won't find anywhere else. I would highly recommend it as a way to get out of your comfort zone and have a dining experience different from the usual small plates restaurants around the city (which I also love).

If you are wanting to have a fun and unique food/social experience with your friends, then reserving seats at the Kamayan at Tanam won't let you down. Before I get into the Kamayan, I will warn you that this restaurant is SMALL. It can't be more than 100 square feet. They don't have a bathroom, but there is one available nearby. You have the option to eat outside in a cute little courtyard though if you aren't doing the Kamayan. The Kamayan is a Filipino family style feast where you sit around a table laid with banana tree leaves under a variety of foods and eat with your hands! Tanam hosts these every Wednesday at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm. There are 10 seats, and they will sell all 10 even if you have a party of 8 (like us). It's not awkward though, since it's pretty fun for everyone and easy to get along. It's house policy for everyone to wash their hands before sitting. For the feast, the staff will artfully lay out rice in a snake pattern, with 4 lobsters, fish, fried pork belly, fried chicken wings, muscles, green veggies, pineapple, sauces and more. Before the feast begins, the staff will teach you how to eat with your hands, which is unexpectedly difficult when trying to dip rice clumps in sauce. Then, you gorge yourself for 2 hours until you're in a sweet and salty food coma. They have a small drink selection, but wow they have some really refreshing unique cocktails. Get the ube sour at least. The biggest downside of the Kamayan is how expensive it is. The seats are $70 each, and go to $89 if you include tax and tip. This doesn't include drinks, which are pricey. It's a lot of food, and it tastes good, but it of course isn't as efficient as hitting up a cheap Chinese buffet for food per dollar spent. However, it's a lot more social than a buffet or any other kind of "all you can eat" place, so it's hard to put a price on that. Probably not $89 though. Still, I don't have any regrets reserving the seats. It was a good, fun experience that everyone was happy with. We were the second group to finish the entire feast (mostly because of my personal efforts to make it so), and I was completely stuffed and happy. It was definitely a memorable experience in a good way, and I recommend everyone to try it at least once.