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COVID did not halt this food truck from cruising
By Cristina DC Pastor The Filipino culture of snacking inspired Marisse Panlilio to launch her food truck in Jersey City, New Jersey. Snacks like peanuts or pork rinds are comfort food that evoke nostalgia and connect Filipinos to a past that was pleasurable and familiar. While snacks are usually eaten between meals, some Filipinos snack […]
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Bilao Restaurant: Lessons on business, balance, and bonds of friendship
By Claire Mercado-Obias BILAO (bee-lah-oh) is a Filipino word referring to a round tray made from woven bamboo. Pancit (stir-fried noodles) or kakanin (rice cakes) are some traditional items served on a bilao, making them easy to transport and ideal for potlucks — no need to worry about getting your Tupperware back after the party. Food on a bilao is also symbolic of […]
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Community mourns passing of King Phojanakong: ‘Great chef, great friend’
Chef King Phojanakong, known for his Southeast Asian specialty dishes served in his Lower East Side restaurant Kuma Inn has passed away. He suffered from a rare amoeba infection, according to a Gofundme piece written by his brother-in-law Eddie Nau. “King was admitted to NYU hospital with inflammation to the brain among other symptoms, including […]
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Culinary artist Jenn de la Vega: ‘You can make sandwich with Ulam’
By Harvey Barkin Who says you can’t make a great sandwich by slapping ulam in between toasts? Food stylist and cookbook collaborator Jenn de la Vega says, “Sandwiches can certainly start as ulam between bread. I encourage folks to try putting their dinner leftovers in a sandwich. You might be surprised by the combination.” Jenn […]
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Cozy mystery novel set against the backdrop of Filipino Christmas
By Lynn Topel The “-ber” months have arrived, and that’s Filipino-speak for the beginning of the Christmas season. FilAm cozy mystery writer, Mia P. Manansala, cleverly works the Filipino love for Christmas in her latest book offering called Blackmail and Bibingka where her lead, Lila Macapagal deals with the return of the prodigal cousin, Ronnie, […]
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After Filipino Restaurant Week, consulate served with a lawsuit
By Cristina DC Pastor Filipino Restaurant Week in New York in 2021 started out as one felicitous occasion for the community. How it ended up with the Philippine Consulate being served with a lawsuit is a story that has a concoction of many ingredients: a Facebook contest, accusations of misconduct, and a protesting contestant. “We […]
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King vs Lorenzo: Who makes the baddest Burrito?
By Cristina DC Pastor A buddy “competition” between a home cook and a professional chef played out on the YouTube reality show Epicurious. Kuma Inn Chef King Phojanakong and home cook Lorenzo Beronilla staked their professional reputations on making the Breakfast Burrito — using each other’s ingredients. Needless to say, there was a lot of […]
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Home cook fan fave with 45M views on YouTube wins Top Chef Amateurs
By Loida Nicolas Lewis Lorenzo L. Beronilla landed his Epicurious 4 Levels Series on YouTube almost like a fluke. But on second thought, he felt, “It is fate. I was at the right place at the right time.” A friend referred him to an Epicurious cooking pilot series on YouTube. They liked what they saw and […]
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3 nurses open the 1st Filipino restaurant on the Upper East Side
By Loida Nicolas Lewis Three night-shift nurses (from 7 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.) working at Mount Sinai Hospital often wished how they would love to eat home-cooked meals after a hard day’s night. What started as “joke only” started to become a “why not”? And thus, was born Bilao, the first Filipino restaurant on the Upper […]