In Filipino culture, the word kamayan means to eat with your hands, which stems from the Tagalog word kamay meaning hands. A kamayan feast features tables covered with banana leaves and a generous amount of different foods is placed directly on top of the leaves by the server. The presentation of the food originates from the Filipino army and their Boodle Fight way of eating. Long mess hall tables would be lined with banana leaves and heaps of food would be served on top to quickly feed a crowd of people. The sharing and eating of the food with the hands represented brotherhood, camaraderie and equality between soldiers. Boodle was a word used for contraband/sweets and fight referred to the hungry soldiers grabbing and “fighting” for the food on the table.
Here are a few photos from my first kamayan experience at a restaurant in Toronto called Tinuno, which refers to food that is cooked by direct or extreme heat; on a grill or over a fire. Traditionally the banana leaf would cover the entire table, but since I was a small group of two, everything was laid out on a board and brought over to my table. If I had a larger group, the food would have been placed directly on to the table by the server which is much more theatrical.
One my particular feast we had shrimp and mussels and many grilled items such as slices of pork, skewers, bangus (milkfish), squid, whole tilapia, eggplant and okra. The garlic rice underneath absorbed some of the flavour from the grilled items on top and it was really delicious. There was also a fresh mango salad on the the side that really cut through the rich meal and provided some freshness. Each table has a caddy of four sauces: soy, fish, sriracha and a garlic vinegar. The garlic vinegar was my favourite and this combined with the garlicky rice gave me the worse garlic breath but it was definitely worth it. Majority of the meats are only lightly seasoned so it's encouraged to use the sauces provided to make your own unique bites.
Eating kamayan style is so much fun! I highly recommend you try it if you get a chance! If you're ever in Toronto, you can check out Tinuno (info below). Make sure you call in the morning for reservations though, it was insanely busy and I wouldn't recommend attempting a walk-in only. Also, the total cost was only $15 CAD per person! A few items were a bit overcooked but all in all, it's really incredible value and it was a very fun experience. Does this sound let something you'd like to try or have you tried a kamayan feast before? Share your food stories with me!
Tinuno
31 Howard St. Toronto, ON M4X 1J6
(647) 343 – 9294
For more posts about food and travel with original photos, please follow me at @jellyfishdonut. Thanks for reading!
Really interesting article!
I love eating with my hands and the idea of serving the food on the table really appeals to me, not sure why.
Besides, that food looks delicious! Yum!
Thank you!! I enjoy eating with my hands too. It's nice not having to use utensils and it's a great experience to share with others. Thanks for reading!
I'm from Kerala, the southern most state of India, where we have a traditional meal on special occasions called sadya that consists of variety of vegetarian dishes served on banana leaves and we usually eat with our hands. It is said that eating with hands is not only a cultural practice, but it also has many health benefits.
Great post @jellyfishdonut. The food looks delish!!
Thank you for sharing your experience. Hoping to try a kamayan feast in future. :)
Thank you for sharing! Sadya sounds incredible! There is a large Indian population in Toronto (my hometown) and I'm very curious to see if any restaurants offer that as a special dining option here. I hope to try sadya in my future! ;)
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That looks absolutely amazing I'm really hungry now! :-)
Thanks! Haha! I got hungry editing my photos lol!
Thanks for linking me to this from my post - very interesting, have to find someone to go with me as my wife will not want to try! Grand-daughter is adventurous so she may get the nomination!
Haha! Fingers crossed for you she says yes! Just as an fyi, definitely don't go without a reservations. The place is really tiny and it's super casual so not really like fancy or anything. It is really fun though!
Great post! Thanks for sharing! These look really delicious!
Thank you for reading! It was a really fun dining experience!
I bet it was. That seafood looks mouthwatering. :)
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Thank you! It's a really fun eating experience! :)