HALINÁ Modern Filipino Kitchen + Bar

Halina is a Vancouver restaurant, not a Chilliwack one, and a visit means planning a trip into the city. It is a modern Filipino kitchen and bar at 2439 E Hastings St in Hastings-Sunrise, listed on Google as HALINÁ Modern Filipino Kitchen + Bar, and its menu covers both reworked Filipino classics and dishes kept close to tradition.

For a first visit, the restaurant's own signature list is the obvious starting point: a Salmon Berry Sinigang made with miso and ponzu marinated coho salmon in a blueberry broth, an Australian Lamb Caldereta built on a braised lamb shank, Pancit Batil Patong from Tuguegarao, and Inihaw na Liempo, grilled pork belly with calamansi and cane vinegar. Google's listing picks out the sizzling sisig and the ube cassava cake as popular orders.

Weekends offer the most choice. Brunch runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Tambayan Hour happy hour follows from 2 to 5 p.m., and dinner carries on into the evening. Groups of 21 or more can request a private event, and the Kamayan Feast Box, a shared Filipino spread packed in a banana-leaf-lined box, is available for pickup. Tables can be reserved online.

On weekdays the doors open at 5 p.m. Hours are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. The entrance is wheelchair accessible, a free two-hour community parking lot is at Kamloops Street and Franklin Street, and pay street parking runs until 10 p.m. Calls go to 778-504-0970, and the published email address is [email protected].