Ever since I read in Saveur Magazine last year in their Top 100 issue declaring that Filipino food was considered the “soul food of Asia,” I’ve noticed an interest in a lot of different foods Filipino, particularly in San Francisco and its environs, where I’m located (Daly City to be exact).
For a brief time in the Castro (!!!) out of all places, there were two Filipino restaurants, Kape coffeehouse (which has recently closed about a month ago), and now Palencia, which I haven’t gone to yet. Bittersweet Cafe in the Fillmore had an amazing calamansi pate de fruits last winter. And of course, Mitchell’s Ice Cream in the Outer Mission has all their different Filipino ice creams, langka (jackfruit), mango, avocado (it’s good–don’t hate), buko, macapuno, halo-halo, and Tropical 4 (a mix of four different fruit ice creams which I can’t remember). The San Francisco Chronicle has featured a number of different Filipino restaurants, Tribu Grill, the only Filipino restaurant ever reviewed by the newspaper (and my favorite Filipino restaurant); Poleng Lounge; and Bistro Luneta, among others.
It’s got me thinking how given the fact that Filipinos are one of the largest populations in Asian America, and yet our cuisines have barely registered on the map. Until this upsurge of interest in Filipino food, the response of my friends and myself whenever someone wanted to go out was, “What for? We can make this stuff ourselves.” And for the most part it was true. Many of these restaurants were either dingy holes in the wall that were one step away from getting closed down by the public health department, or incredibly pretentious karaoke bars with barely passable food for the old money Filipino immigrant. I was pretty grateful to see some sort of presentation on a plate, or some decent service where I wouldn’t be talked down to because I can’t speak Tagalog.
I think on the one hand, this very welcome upsurge in quality and service of Filipino restaurants points to the continuing realization in our community, especially among us, that we don’t have to prepare foods that only white folk will like in order for us to be successful, and that, at least in the Bay Area, these restaurants are recognizing that there is a critical mass of Filipinos that will support and reward restaurants that cater to us, who serve the foods we really want and who treat us as customers to be respected. And that word of mouth will have non-Filipinos realize that there is so much more to Filipino food than just pancit and lumpia. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
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darren wrote:
Check out Patio Filipino in San Bruno. It’s one of our favorites!
Posted on 05-Dec-07 at 9:21 am | Permalink
What, no mention of Ong Pin in Daly City? That place was my first experience of a Filipino restaurant. i love how all their dishes in the “Vegetables” section HAVE MEAT IN THEM.
Posted on 06-Dec-07 at 11:57 am | Permalink
Efren wrote:
Heh. Actually, I wasn’t all that impressed with Ongpin, and my boyfriend was irritated that all the vegetable dishes had pork in them.
The weird thing is that they own another restaurant called San Bruno Ihaw-Ihaw just down the street, and the food there is so much better, although they have this shrimp dish which is essentially shrimp in a Thai red curry sauce. It’s good, but kinda weird to have that in a restaurant that claims to cook only Filipino food.
Posted on 06-Dec-07 at 1:56 pm | Permalink
Alain Yap wrote:
Just passed by your blog and was surprised to read about Filipino food. My wife and I (both staying in Manila) had Vietnamese dinner after a long time. It was great but had us thinking about truly Filipino food. After some deliberation, we both agreed that Filipino food gets something taken from every Asean neighbor and then adapted locally per province. Notwithstanding Spanish influence, Filipino food like Filipinos are highly adaptable and seems to value the differences so much so that Pinoy root or identity is somewhat watered down.
Have no complaints though. Got me thinking about Cebu lechon since we jut had batchoy and chicken inasal for lunch.
Best.
alain
Posted on 11-Dec-07 at 9:30 am | Permalink
Elaine Pulido wrote:
Ei guys! You mentioned about chicken inasal. I found a chicken inasal house which serves really good chicken inasal. It’s the Bacolod Chicken Inasal.
Posted on 05-Mar-08 at 10:51 am | Permalink
Marlouie Gamboa wrote:
Hi Elaine! I’ve often go to bacolod chicken inasal too. They have this branch at Q.C. circle. And good thing we’re near there.
Posted on 29-Mar-08 at 6:32 am | Permalink
daryl wrote:
have you tried poleng lounge yet? they are the most critically acclaimed filipino restaurant of the bunch. they just made the chronicle’s top 100 in 2008 and made the top 10 in 2006!
Posted on 08-Apr-08 at 12:49 am | Permalink
Yasmeen Valdez wrote:
Poleng lounge? hmmm. I haven’t heard that before. But I do know bacolod chicken inasal.
Posted on 04-May-08 at 11:37 pm | Permalink
vinwalter wrote:
Lechon cebu is the best lechon in the Philippines. The taste is good and the skin was so cruchy. I love lechon cebu it is very delicious. Lechon cebu is the best lechon i’ve ever taste. They are the best… Try lechoncebu.com..
Posted on 19-Jun-08 at 12:37 am | Permalink