Ringling's $20 Box Already Includes Dessert

Some lunches make you pick between savory and sweet. This one refuses the premise.

Tastes of the Philippines opened recently at 1987 Ringling Blvd. in the former Vietaly space. The Herald-Tribune's opening-crowd gallery suggests Sarasota did not wait for a soft launch. Good. Neither would I, if I smelled garlic fried rice from the sidewalk.

How the box works

According to the restaurant's site, the headline order is a $20 build-your-box. You choose one protein. They pack garlic fried rice, two lumpia and two turon around it — base included, no a la carte scavenger hunt. That is a main, a crispy appetizer and a caramelized banana dessert riding in the same cardboard. My spreadsheet brain short-circuited in a good way.

Protein lineup: chicken adobo, pork belly lechon kawali, Filipino BBQ skewers, longanisa sausage and adobo tofu skewers. Adobo is the friendly handshake. Lechon kawali is the handshake that turns into dinner plans. Pancit bihon is there if your noodle loyalty is non-negotiable.

Dessert is not optional here

Turon — saba banana rolled, sugared and fried until the glaze snaps — comes standard. Two pieces. In the box. Before you even ask. I have strong feelings about restaurants that make you hunt dessert like it is a side quest. This place skipped the quest and put the treasure in the bag.

I am unofficially naming my order strategy the Ringling Full Stack: one protein I can pronounce, one I am still learning, and zero regret about the turon count.

When to go

Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday. Beer and wine are on the bar list if lunch turns into "we should stay a minute." Pickup runs through Toast from the site. Peek at tastesofthephilippines.com or @tastesofthephilippinesfk before you roll over — new kitchens shuffle hours like beach chairs.

See you on Ringling. I will be the one defending my turon from whoever said they "just wanted a bite."