THE SPOT: WEST DANA BROILER THE SPOT: WEST DANA BROILER (April 15, 2005)

THE DISH: West Dana Broiler serves up home-style food from the Philippines and barbecue specials that are tasty and inexpensive. While BBQ chicken may be a trusty standby for a quick lunch, the friendly staff at the Broiler is quick to suggest treats such as lumpia or fried banges (milkfish, a whitefish popular in Southeast Asia) as a flavorful crash course in Filipino cuisine. THE DIGS: Only two months old, the restaurant has the spic-and-span sheen of a space just barely broken in. Huge windows that look out on West Dana Street and Hope Street let in a lot of sunlight to warm diners sitting at the half-dozen tables for two. While it's not a cozy space, it is clean and comfortable. THE DINERS: The restaurant caters so far to local business people looking for a hot meal as well as diners curious about Filipino food. A constant stream of visitors that may or may not be family members keeps the chatter lively in both Tagalog and English. If you're inspired by your meal and want to book a flight to Manila straight away, you're in the right place: management owns the travel agency next door, too. THE SERVICE: There is no lack of help when it comes to ordering at the West Dana Broiler. The friendly chef will eagerly explain every dish and what he thinks you should order and what he thinks you shouldn't. (I asked to try a type of pansit called "palabok" but was told it would be too fishy and salty for me.) If you show any interest or even a basic knowledge of Filipino food (especially if you are not ethnically Filipino) you will be immediately welcomed as family. I TRIED: The chicken adobo special ($4.95) comes with a generous scoop of steamed white rice and a green salad (dressing choices are basic: 1000 island, Italian and ranch). Adobo is stewed chicken (dark meat legs and thighs) in garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and spices. A staple of Filipino cuisine, this adobo is flavorful if not a tad greasy, with tender, juicy meat. Pansit guisado ($4.75) is fried rice noodles with vegetables and meat -- in this case more dark meat chicken. The noodles are short, thin, and fairly salty; I added a squirt of hot sauce to spice it up. THE BEST WAS: Freshly deep-fried egg rolls ($1.25 for two) and similar but thinner lumpia ($1.75 for four) are served hot and crisp with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. If you have room for dessert, try the halo-halo ($3.75). Part sundae, part shake, this exotic sweet includes red beans, young coconut meat, Jell-O and tropical fruits topped with shaved ice and vanilla ice cream. The café's flan -- incredibly dense custard rich with condensed milk -- is available by the slice ($1.25) or by the pan ($4.50). ON THE SIDE: All barbecue items, including beef ribs, pork chops and pork back ribs, are available a la carte for between $5 to $6. As the menu of traditional Filipino foods changes daily; patrons are advised to "call ahead" to find out what specials will be available. DRINKS: Bottled juices and fountain sodas are sold, as well as imported Filipino orange and lime carbonated sodas ($1.25). BANG FOR THE BUCK: The West Dana Broiler is a good deal for a basic meal under $5 or for an impromptu take-out barbecue if you don't feel like doing the grilling yourself. While most barbecue items are available on the steam table, there still is a bit of preparation required before you dig in. If you're in a hurry for lunch, it's best to call ahead. THE DETAILS Name: West Dana Broiler Address: 698 West Dana St. Phone: (650) 988-0848 Hours: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Mon.-Sat. -- Aimee Male

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