Covering the most noteworthy places to eat and drink for the Filipino community.
IT’S often said that food is a form of storytelling with its dimensions of narrating our culture, identity, relationships, memories, decisions we make and much more. For Christy Cunanan, one of her fondest childhood memories was listening to her grandparents’ stories about their lives in the Philippines and the culture, which has shaped her identity…
For many people around the world — especially Filipinos — Spam is a beloved staple in their meals, whether served with egg and rice for breakfast or wrapped with seaweed as a snack. To celebrate the universal appeal and popularity of Spam, a FREE pop-up event in Los Angeles this September 14 and 21 takes…
(Fried Sticky Rice Balls with Coconut Caramel Sauce) Suman is a tube-shaped rice cake made with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, wrapped in either palm, banana or bamboo leaves, then steamed. It is always a great choice for breakfast as it can be paired with a variety of options: plain sugar, coconut jam, with…
(Steamed Glutinous Rice Cakes with Chocolate Sauce) Suman is a tube-shaped rice cake made with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, wrapped in either palm, banana or bamboo leaves, then steamed. It is always a great choice for breakfast as it can be paired with a variety of options: plain sugar, coconut jam, with fruits…
Author Abigail Sotto-Raines shares recipes of favorite noodle and rice dishes from all over Southeast Asia TWO staple ingredients not only in Filipino cuisine but in Asian dishes as well are rice and noodles. This comes as no surprise because the Philippines have been a melting pot of different cultures from Southeast Asia. This is…
Uncle Tetsu, the unmistakable Japanese cheesecake that has satisfied customers around the globe, will begin its search for cheesecake lovers to try its new flavors – for free! To become an elite taste tester of Uncle Tetsu, customers must grab a “Pick Me” card from one of Uncle Tetsu’s California locations (Westfield Santa Anita in…
IN recent years, Los Angeles has witnessed a handful of contemporary Filipino restaurants open up, typically the ventures of second-generation Filipino Americans who have cut their teeth cooking other cuisines and are circling back to the food they grew up eating. Journey some 40 miles down to Orange County and while the selection of modern,…
One of Asia’s best female chefs is headed to Los Angeles with a two-day pop-up at Grand Central Market’s Filipino stall, Sari Sari Store. Hong Kong-based May Chow, who was named Asia’s best female chef in 2017, will be bringing a piece of her popular outpost Little Bao to the indoor food market on Friday,…
Inspired by the way customers demonstrate simple acts of kindness on a daily basis at McDonald’s restaurants, McCafé announced on Tuesday, August 20 it is rewarding good people with a good cup of McCafé coffee. McCafé It Forward is a three-day, pay-it-forward program that is designed to spread goodness across the country one golden cup…
Behind two highly-acclaimed filipino restaurants How exactly did a former dishwasher rise from the ranks to become a successful chef and restaurateur who now owns two highly-acclaimed Filipino restaurants in Philadelphia? We first met chef Lou at the James Beard House when he and a group of other Filipino chefs cooked regional Filipino cuisine around…
NEED something to add to your Hulu queue? The streaming platform has just added “Ulam: Main Dish,” the first feature Filipino food documentary on its roster. With Filipino cuisine’s popularity in the U.S. over the past few years, this distribution announcement is another testament to that. “Ulam” (Tagalog for main dish) by Filipina-American filmmaker Alexandra…
THE Long Beach Bacolod Association will present the Small Business Award to Romeo Garcia during its MassKara Festival on Sunday, August 4 at Recreation Park. Entrance is FREE and attendees can expect an array of food and entertainment, including a stunning performance direct from Bacolod, by the award-winning MassKara dancers! It’s easy to fall in…
IT was a sweet victory for five Philippine chocolate brands at the 2019 Academy of Chocolate Awards in London last June when they garnered a total of 24 awards across various categories. AuroChocolate (Davao), Dalareich Food Products (Bohol), Malagos Agri-Ventures Corporation (Davao), MS3Agri-Ventures (Davao), and Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates (Davao) impressed more than 100…
After a long and arduous journey, Tsismis NYC finally opened its doors last month to hordes of hungry diners. We went on their third week and noticed that the hostess turned away at least five parties wanting to eat because the restaurant was running full house that evening. “We’re all about promoting food and culture…
WHEN news spread that Filipino American chef Charles Olalia’s four-year-old Rice Bar was closing down in May, many loyal customers deemed it a loss for lunchtime eats in Downtown Los Angeles. But when one door closes, another one opens. The 275-square-foot restaurant along 7th Street was quickly taken over by Fil-Am chef AC Boral, who…
FOOD companies from the Philippines began joining the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco in 2014 under the branding initiative Food Philippines. That year, Filipino favorites including bananas, mangoes, coconut, coffee, single-origin chocolate, organic rice, pili nut, muscovado sugar, herbal tea and the roselle plant were showcased. Through the years, the Philippine Pavilion has…
ESQUIRE MAGAZINE’S BEST NEW RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA 2018 Karenderya, a Filipino-inspired restaurant, opened its doors in the suburban village of Nyack in July 2017. Last November, the fast-casual restaurant was named in Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurants in America 2018 list. According to Esquire, “In the future, we pray, thousands of small towns in America…
To close out Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, LUCKYRICE brought a multi-sensory experience to Los Angeles’ Grand Central Market on Thursday, May 30. The bottom floor of the indoor market was transformed into an event space that housed “The Night Market of the Future,” a nighttime event presented by Rémy Martin with over a dozen…
HUNDREDS of Angelenos made their way up to the rooftop of The Standard Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, May 18 to get a taste of Filipino food and drinks at the Los Angeles Times’ “Filipino Garage Party.” The event was curated and put together by Angela Dimayuga, former executive chef at Mission Chinese…
This year’s Filipino Restaurant Week is up and running, and this year’s incarnation is bigger than ever, expanding to seven states with 23 restaurants participating. “Last year, we expanded to Philadelphia. This year, I am happy to announce that our Filipino Restaurant Week is happening in seven states in the east coast,” Deputy Consul General…
THE third time’s a charm for Filipino American chef Tom Cunanan of Washington, DC’s Bad Saint who finally won as Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic at the James Beard Awards held Monday night, May 6 at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. He was also previously nominated in 2017 and 2018. The awards, presented to recognize culinary professionals…
A NEW series celebrating local culinary heroes from the Philippines and other parts of the globe is coming on Netflix. “Street Food,” from the creators of “Chef’s Table,” embarks on a global cultural journey focused on street food in some of the world’s most vibrant cities. The series, however, goes beyond the delicious food to…
No shopping experience in Japan is complete without going to Mitsukoshi, the oldest surviving department store chain in Japan. The long-standing retail institution is known to discerning shoppers and travelers all across the globe for offering an elegant array ofinternational and local merchandise, and for taking to heart Japan’s unique brand of customer service. Filipino shoppers will…
The third annual Los Angeles Food Bowl is back this May to celebrate the city’s vibrant food scene — and you can expect a line-up of Filipino American chefs to be featured. The month-long festival hosted by the Los Angeles Times will have close to 200 events highlighting chefs and restaurants in the city, as…
The proprietors and owners of the East Village restaurants Maharlika and Jeepney have just added another feather in their cap: James Beard Award finalists for their book “I Am a Filipino: And This is How We Cook,” published by Artisan Books. Filipina-American Nicole Ponseca and Miguel Trinidad are nominated for a James Beard Award under…
WITH Women’s History Month underway, the Asian Journal takes a look at the contributions Filipina-American women have made to the dessert scene across Southern California. There is an abundance of examples we can point to, whether these women are pastry chefs at top restaurants or pushing Filipino ingredients like the now ubiquitous ube (purple yam)…
Chef, food educator and advocate Aileen Suzara aims to promote sustainable and healthy Pinoy food practices WITH Filipino food’s presence increasing in the mainstream, it is also hard to ignore that Filipinos and Filipino-Americans have high rates of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Because of this, some…
AS mentioned in the Asian Journal’s recent profile on Now Serving — Los Angeles’ only cookbook store owned by Filipino-American couple Ken Concepcion and Michelle Mungcal — cookbook sales have significantly increased in the past two years because of the preference of dining at home, learning about regional cuisines, or keeping the book on a…
WHETHER you’re vegan, have a shellfish allergy, want a quick rice bowl with ulam, or are unfamiliar with Filipino food, a new Filipino-American café in Historic Filipinotown seeks to satisfy all of the above. HiFi Kitchen, a fast-casual, weekday spot, comes from Justin Foronda of the Benaddictz brunch pop-ups and a long-time resident of the…
Roses are red, violets are blue, the rumors of Donut Sticks coming to McDonald’s are true! Because donuts and coffee are a “perfect pair,” McDonald’s is excited to announce McCafé Donut Sticks this week as a little sweet to go with our premium roast McCafé coffee. Starting Feb. 20 for a limited time, customers can…
