KALIWA: THAI, FILIPINO, AND KOREAN SPECIALTIES ARE ON THE MENU AT THIS DC RESTAURANT AT THE WHARF
The Cost -$47 per person
The Atmosphere –Right in the heart of The Wharf, the new development along Washington DC’s upscale Southwest waterfront, is where you will find Kaliwa, a large restaurant that sits on two floors and seats nearly 200. The restaurant is very nicely decorated with modern Asian touches and would be a beautifully designed space if it weren’t for the large panel of eight televisions that are constantly playing, taking a lot away from the restaurant’s otherwise pretty ambiance and making it feel like a sports bar. If you can get past that décor faux pas, Kaliwa makes for a great place for any kind of meal from a solo outing to a gathering with friends or family. They do accept reservations so you can avoid a wait which can be common before a nearby concert or event. Casual attire is okay but feel free to wear a going-out-type outfit to fit in a little better, especially on a Friday or Saturday night.
It’s not often that you come across a restaurant that serves Thai, Filipino, and Korean dishes. While the three countries are all in Asia, they are quite far apart, and their cuisines don’t have as much in common as you may think. But that didn’t stop Chef and Co-Owner Cathal Armstrong from opening Kaliwa in 2018, paying tribute to three cuisines that have heavily influenced his and his wife’s lives. In 2022, the restaurant was a Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient for being an excellent value.
The Order – Laguna Waters, Pork Belly, Grilled Marinated Short Ribs, Green Curry, and Pandan Cake.
The Fantastic – The Green Curry was the best dish of the evening. With a choice between vegan, chicken, or shrimp, we chose the shrimp, which was a great decision. The curry was not heavy but was made with coconut milk, so it was a bit creamy. In addition to the shrimp, the dish also contained green beans as well as Brussels sprouts, which are not a common ingredient in Thai cooking. They were really nice though and with the not-too-spicy kick from the chiles, the dish was definitely a winner.
The Great – The second-best dish of the evening was the Grilled Marinated Short Ribs. The meat was served on a wooden board and cut up into bite-sized pieces that were topped with some sesame seeds. It was served with some bibb lettuce, a variety of butter lettuce, as well as ssamjang sauce, a thick Korean sauce made mainly from fermented soybeans, red chili paste, and sesame oil. The meat was incredible on its own, but it was also nice to have the option to use the sweet ssamjang sauce as a dipping sauce. The entrée gave off great Korean flavors and was a hit.
The Pork Belly might have been the “worst” savory dish of the evening but that would be an awful way to characterize this tasty Filipino dish. Two rectangular pieces of pork belly were cooked with homemade banana ketchup and accompanied by an apple cider vinegar dipping sauce. The banana ketchup gave the pork a nice sweetness and the apple cider vinegar was right there to cut some of that sweetness and bring in that apple flavor that pairs so well with pork dishes. It was a wonderful, shareable appetizer to kick off the meal.
The Good – I’m a sucker for pandan, a tropical plant that has aromatic leaves which are boiled and used to flavor teas and desserts across Southeast Asia. So, while there was no need to order dessert after a filling meal, I couldn’t resist after I saw that Pandan Cake was on the menu. The round, spongy cake came topped with a condensed milk and sugar based sauce drizzled over it. It had a very subtle pandan flavor to it and while it was tasty, it wasn’t anything to rave about.
The Not So Good – The Latina Waters was the only cocktail ordered and there was a good reason for that. A mix of ARC Lava Rock Vodka, which is made in the Phillippines, coconut liquor, and blue curaҫao, the cocktail also had a carbonated mixer and tasted like a vodka soda with a little bit of coconut liqueur. It was not enjoyable to drink and while the other cocktails on the menu must be better, we recommend avoiding this one.
The Verdict – It was unique to have the option to enjoy a meal with dishes from Thai, Korean, and Filipino cuisines – and even more unique to find a restaurant that can do all three of these cuisines well. Overall, the savory dishes at Kaliwa earned very high ratings and made for an incredible meal. Kaliwa isn’t cheap but it’s a solid value for the price and you won’t go wrong ordering any of the dishes that eared our Fantastic or Great ratings.