Ever try fried chicken with banana sauce? That's how it's done at Max's of Manila, a restaurant chain with more than 100 branches in the Philippines and several here, including Glendale and the City of Industry. You'll find Filipino staples, including pork adobo, crispy pata, lumpia and pancit — but the fried chicken is the “superstar,” says a server. Don't expect crunchy breading or adobo seasoning, just moist, tender chicken fried in its own skin to a golden, not-too-oily crisp. For a complete Filipino meal, top the chicken with banana sauce (considered the Filipino ketchup), pair it with garlic rice and choose purple yam ice cream for dessert. Max's opened in 1945 as a shack in Manila catering to American soldiers. Today it's known as “the house that fried chicken built,” and the spacious, comfy eateries are beloved by Filipinos as a national institution. 313 W. Broadway, Glendale. (818) 637-7751, maxschicken.com. —Daina Beth Solomon

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