Walking into Budd Dairy Food Hall for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by the energetic atmosphere and crowded tables. I debated between ordering fried chicken or something I had not tried before, but I finally decided to go with Filipino street food from Boni.
The smell from the small restaurant was what made me walk up to the register to place an order. Their simple menu, which consisted of various bowls and steamed bun sliders, made deciding what to get easy: a chicken adobo market-style bowl. They also offer a variety of protein options including grilled pork belly, barbeque chicken, chili garlic shrimp and crispy tofu. The market-style bowl comes with house coleslaw, corn salsa and garlic vinaigrette, and the street style offers a spicy, authentic combination.
After finding a table outside, I waited to receive the text that my $13 chicken bowl was ready. For the size of the bowl and minimal ingredients, I thought $13 was a little pricey, but I didn’t mind it because the bowls I saw come out before mine seemed to be high quality. After a 10 minute wait, I got the notification and went to grab my food. As I was walking with my food to my patio table, the wind blew my receipt off my tray; I couldn’t find it, so I shrugged it off. However, as I sat down and finally began digging into my delicious and colorful looking bowl, I had a bite of shrimp.
With no receipt and no confidence to walk up and let them know the situation, I ate my meal with shrimp instead of chicken. Maybe they gave me the shrimp on purpose because it was the best shrimp I have ever had. The shrimp and rice, which was soaked in a flavorful green sauce topped with corn, carrots, cabbage and more, tasted like nothing I’d ever had before. The perfect amount of sweet and spicy made this dish heavenly.
Budd Dairy and the restaurant Boni exceeded my expectations with the lively setting and flavorful, authentic food. Whether you go for lunch or dinner, with your family or for a fun night out with friends, Budd Dairy and the food from Boni will provide the perfect experience.