Fil-Am Restaurant and Chefs

By: Aeron Lancero

 

Magandang araw sa inyo lahat. And, as we are in the holiday season, Maligayang Pasko sa inyo lahat as well.

I truly hope that you all enjoy this holiday season in great spirits with family and friends. This said, during the holidays, we are out and about. Work is busier, more errands to do, shopping… regardless if it’s going to the store or staying in front of the computer and everyone wants to get together, especially FilAm families. So my column today is sharing with you the spots that I go to and would recommend to visit — FilAm restaurants and chefs. This is not in any order but I will share a few favorites and dress codes. I am not honoring any places that do turo-turo or steam tables to present the food. These are places that are full-service restaurants that make their dishes to order and that are approachable for non-Filipinos, if it’s the first time they are trying our food.

1. Uncle Mike’s – located in 1700 W. Grand Ave, Chicago,Il 60622. This place is great for Filipino breakfast. They have the “silogs,” meats with garlic rice and eggs. The meats are “tocino, longanisa, tapa, spam, porkchop and “bangus” fried milkfish. The great thing as well though is that they serve American diner fare as well so you can eat anything. They are only open for breakfast and lunch but open early enough for you if the night turns into morning for you. It is casual, so no dress code.

2. Isla Pilipina – located in2501 W. Lawrence Ave, Chicago, Il 60625. The Filipino culinary dive restaurant which has made itself a staple in Chicago and they may receive even more notoriety, as recently, Andrew Zimmerman of the Food Network just recently did a shoot on the premises. The go-to dishes for me is their “bicol express” –seafood and pork cooked in coconut milk. Their fried chicken is legit for anyone… My father loved their “lumpia sariwa” translation, fresh lumpia is a vegetarian favorite. They have much more, and they are BYOB with the best thing ever is that the liquor store that is not theirs. So you can enjoy a great meal and drink and not have to worry about breaking your budget. The space is a bit artsy with hipster music and an edgy, but friendly staff.

3. Chicken Bacolod Haus – located in 6320 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, Il 60659. Authentic in every way… The must-try is their Chicken Inasal – which is marinated half chicken with garlic rice, the chicharon bulaklak “aka crispy fried stomach intestine” with garlic vinegar. Cooked perfectly, as it is crispy and not chewy at all. Their Halo-Halo aka “shaved ice with fresh or candied fruit” is outstanding. The place is casual with a few T.V.s that showcase TFC or GMA and our wonderful variety shows. It’s casual but you can dress nice as well. All staff is Filipino, so you get that sincere hospitality with the enjoyable accent.

4. Sunda New Asian – located 110 W. Illinois, Chicago, Il 60654 a very hip spot in the River North Area. They are not a full Filipino menu but they have a nice selection of Filipino dishes. The loompya which is the “pork and shrimp eggroll”, the pancit canton “popular noodle dishes,” the pork belly adobo. They have more to offer and when you have the chef partner, and one of the founders being FilAms, you will see quite a few special dishes that are Filipino-inspired. The space is beautiful and if you do get in you may see a celebrity or two.

5. Hong Ning – located in 598 North Ave, Carol Stream, Il 60189 a new location for a long tenured restaurant. They expanded and have done a great job on modernizing the cuisine. The favorites are the seafood kare-kare aka “ seafood peanut stew” and their inihaw platter “bbq platter” are the shining stars of the menu. The new location has a beautiful artistic display of Filipino heritage and the space is more spacious. Every staff member is FilAm and they do a great job on making you feel at home — the epitome of Filipino culture.

6. e+o Food and Drink – located in 125 Randhurst Village Drive, Mount Prospect, Il 60056, not a Filipino restaurant although they have Filipino dishes. One is the chicken sisig which was published in the international cook book of the Southeast Asian cook books and their crispy pata, aka “pork shank” with the skin on. The restaurant, founded by celebrity chef Rodelio Aglibot, aka “the foodbuddha” works very hard in showcasing FilAm dishes. Ambiance has the city-style feel with an open kitchen, but it is all about the experience provided.

Now all these places have their different charms and the owners of all these places work the room, say hello, take pictures with you and do their very best to make your experience memorable. They also love to get non-FilAms to try our cuisine.

Also all these places have parts of their room that has the perfect backdrop to photos and all the food is photo-worthy, as well. They all have rooms to accommodate large groups, so if you have a big family or a large amount of friends, any of these place are what I would recommend.

So please take the time to spend with friends and family and remember a meal brings you closer together.

Happy Holidays to you all and Maligayang Pasko!!!

It has truly been an honor and pleasure sharing with you all.

Maraming salamat! Till next month…

A very meaningful quote: Genuine Virtue consists of being charitable, loving one’s fellow men and being judicious in behavior, speech and deed. –Emilio Jacinto