A taste of culture at SMC Pampanga Express

WAUKEGAN – Always in the mood to try something new, a dining companion and I ventured into SMC Pampanga Express in Waukegan on a recent weekday evening for dinner.

I refer to this eatery as something new because the family-owned establishment prides itself in serving homemade Filipino food – a cuisine that’s new, but exciting territory for me. Before entering the restaurant, I noticed the wooded, fenced-in patio, which I imagine would make for a fun warm-weather dining experience.

This restaurant serves its cuisine in “turo-turo” style, which means “daily dishes are served on a steam table and the customer chooses what food items they would like to eat,” according to its website. When my partner and I entered, we were greeted by a server and told to choose our seats and visit the buffet.

Although the website says the buffet features daily specials, I was surprised to see fewer than half of the more than 30 items listed on the website available at the buffet; those missing included the noodle and vegetarian options.

However, the person who greeted us stressed he would be happy to create an accommodating dish if need be – it seems that if you know what you want and call ahead, the staff would be happy to prepare a dish that meets individual needs and/or preferences.

But being unfamiliar with Filipino food, we were disappointed that there was no menu or descriptions of the food items on the buffet table. I did appreciate that the server seemed happy to answer our questions and used telling adjectives to describe the different dishes.

There was also a sign above the buffet that explained that patrons could choose whether they would like to mix one, two or three entrees with a side of rice.

My partner and I ordered the three-entree combo, which included sweet sausage, fried pork and ground pork sides atop freshly steamed white rice.

After returning to our seat from the buffet, no beverages were offered. SMC Pampanga Express does not serve alcohol, but our server did not offer us any water or a general beverage menu either.

The inside of the restaurant has vibrant orange walls and a karaoke machine and guitars for patrons to pick up and jam along on when available. Some adjustments aimed toward those not familiar with the cultural experience they seek to deliver might help make this place become a local Filipino favorite for American diners.

As my partner noted, it might be more of a destination spot for lunch diners, with the buffet and quick, serve-yourself approach. Those more familiar with Filipino cuisine and looking for a family-friendly atmosphere might enjoy dinner here as well.

If you go:

2855 Washington St., in Waukegan

www.pampangaexpress.com

847-336-8320

Prices: $5 to $7

Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

• Mystery Diner is an employee in the newsroom of the Lake County Journal. To recommend your favorite restaurant for a Mystery Diner visit, email lcjedit@lakecountyjournal.com.