Filipino Restaurant Week in Full Swing in the U.S. East Coast

Food sampler prepared by the FRW 2019 participating restaurants. (photo by Ray Maranan)

NEW YORK 24 May 2019 – Twenty three restaurants and pop ups in seven states in the United States’ East Coast bring the best of Philippine cuisine into the limelight, from the traditional and home-style flavors to the bold, innovative and cutting edge fusion food, during the Filipino Restaurant Week 2019 (FRW 2019) happening on 16-23 May 2019.

Now on its fifth year, the FRW continues to offer foodies a unique gastronomic treat that will give them a taste of Filipino culinary identity and food culture, and a unique experience of Filipino hospitality.

Inspired by the New York Restaurant Week, the FRW participating restaurants serve prix fixe meals of at least three courses: appetizer, entrée, and dessert. This year, the Philippine coconut is the featured ingredient that is incorporated by the restaurants in any one of their offerings.

With its increasing popularity, the FRW, which was started by the Philippine Consulate General in New York in 2015, generates buzz not only within the Filipino-American community but also in the mainstream U.S. gastronomic landscape especially on social media. The event shines the spotlight on Filipino restaurants and chefs as an essential way through which the public could discover and enjoy Philippine cuisine in the U.S.

Consul General to New York Claro S. Cristobal is optimistic that the FRW 2019 will carry on the growing trend of offering food lovers throughout the U.S. East Coast a fantastic gastronomic treat which will immerse them into the fascinating tastes of Philippine cuisine.      

The FRW 2019 official launch was held on 08 May 2019 at the High Bar Rooftop of the Double Tree Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, where the participating restaurants, chefs, and restaurateurs were introduced to the media, food enthusiasts, and guests. This was the first time that the Launch was held outside of the Philippine Center housed at the Philippine Consulate General in New York to provide a bigger, more relaxed space and generate a food-tasting ambience where people could network, enjoy, and talk about Filipino food.The launch was attended by TV celebrities Julie Anne San Jose, Rayver Cruz, and Rhian Ramos.

There are 10 new participants including The Buren in Brooklyn; Maganda, a pop-up restaurant; Karenderya in Nyack, New York; ASIN in New Jersey; Tanám in Massachusetts; Sarvida and Lalo in Philadelphia; Bistro 1521 in Virginia; Kuya Ja’s Lechon Belly in Maryland; and Purple Patch in Washington, DC.

Seven restaurants from New York and New Jersey have been with the FRW since its inception: Ugly Kitchen, Purple Yam, Phil-am Kusina, Max’s Restaurant, Maharlika, Jeeney and Grill 21. They were joined by Tito Rad’s, Swell Dive, Mighty Bowl, Perla in Philadelphia, Kuma Inn and KabiseraKape in the succeeding years.

ASIN offers authentic home-style Filipino food inspired with the mission of bringing Filipinos closer to home through food as well as introducing Philippine cuisine to the culinary world map. “There are more to explore about our cuisine as the Philippines has many regional specialties which we highlight in our restaurant,”  said owner and two-time national winner of Nora Daza Food Contest in the Philippines Quennie Banez.

"We do our best to honor the food and the flavors we grew up with, and we are also very careful to be honest when we take liberties.  Most importantly, we love that we can play a role in starting a dialogue about the food and the culture of the Philippines.  In that sense, we take our role as representatives of our culture very seriously," said Karenderya co-owner Cheryl Baun. The restaurant was named by Esquire as one of the 20 Best New Restaurants in America for 2018. 

Young Filipino-American and Maganda owner Joann Canosa said her pop-up and events company not only offer both traditional and innovative Filipino cuisine but use their platform to spotlight and empower Pinays all over the world from the tribal Pinays, as depicted in their logo, to the Gen Z Pinays.

Prizes, including two roundtrip tickets to the Philippines via Philippine Airlines, will be given to clients who dine at three of the participating restaurants and post pictures of their food and experience through Instagram.  The awarding will be done during the closing event of FRW 2019 on 30 May at the Ugly Kitchen in Manhattan.

The FRW 2019 is a flagship project of the Consulate General, in cooperation with Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, Philippine Department of Tourism-New York, Philippine Trade and Investment Center- New York, Philippine Airlines, Tanduay, Planet X, GMA Pinoy TV, Philippine National Bank and Neocolors.

Prix fixe menus and complete information on the participating restaurants can be found on the Consulate General’s Facebook and Instagram pages.  FRW 2019 passports are available from the Consulate General and from the participating restaurants. END

Participating chefs and restaurant owners with Consul Arman R. Talbo (second from the left) during the launch of the Filipino Restaurant Week in Manhattan on 08 May 2019. (Ray Maranan photo)

Chef ArisTuazon of Ugly Kitchen prepares serves his dish during the launch of the FRW 2019. (Ray Maranan photo)

Food sampler prepared by the FRW 2019 participating restaurants. (Ray Maranan photo)

Consulate officials with some of the chefs of the participating restaurants. (Ray Maranan photo)

Celebrity Rhianne Ramos participating in the Launch of FRW 2019. (Ray Maranan photo)

For more information, visit www.newyorkpcg.dfa.gov.ph, www.newyorkpcg.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinNY/.