The author is Jennifer M. Aranas, a former restarateur from Chicago ('Rambutan'). I posted a few new recipes on J'ai Faim , my shared food blog with Lotus and Mulysa. I did the Adobo Flavored Pecans and the Sardine & Tomato Noodle Soup. There are so many more recipes I want to try.
The photos are fantastic in this book! It really makes Filipino food look as good as it tastes. Presentation (besides taste of course) is really important. I think that most people not familiar with Filipino food are put off because they are unfamiliar with the ingredients (ampalaya anyone? dilis? diniguan?), maybe they don't like how it smells, or the presentation is often a stew where all of the ingredients are just dumped together and look the same. Chef Larry Banares (Channel 10) said in an older newspaper article that he wishes Filipino food got the same respect at Thai, Vietnamese, and other Asian cuisines. Everyone thinks their food is so great but not Filipino food. I don't think our Lolos, Lolas, Moms & Dads, and Manongs and Manangs give a rat's ass about presentation. They just want the food to taste good! But seriously, he has a point.
Although Filipino Americans are the largest Asian ethnic group in San Diego, numbering more than 100,000, there are not a lot of Filipino places to eat that are really nice, sit down restaurants. Well, there are a few sit down places like Zarlito's and the old Max's Fried Chicken place, but most places are really small mom and pop operations (more on these in a future post). I'm not dissing the ones that are out there, it's just that they're not really elegant or classy. Sigh. I hope I don't get crucified by that comment but it's the truth. The only place I can think of that kind of matches Barrio Fiesta is food and decor is Ben's 1615 in National City, located in the medical building adjacent to the National City Municipal Golf Course (half course). The doctor (a cardiologist) who owns the building is also the owner of Ben's.
There used to be a Barrio Fiesta restaurant in National City on Sweetwater Road in the Town & Country Shopping Center. It closed in the mid 90's and is now the Casa de Oro Mexican Restaurant. It used to be a nice place to go and have Filipino food; a place you could take non-Filipino friends. Ironically, my family never used to go there because my mother would say, "Why should we go out and pay for this food in a restaurant when I can make it better!" Touche...I only went to Barrio Fiestas on special occasions and once, for a political fundraiser.
Recipes that I plan to try and post:
Shrimp and Sweet Potatos Fritters (Ukoy) This is the photo on the cover of the book.
Crepes with Shrimp and Green Papaya (Lumpiang Sariwa aka 'Fresh Lumpia' because the wrapper is not fried) .
Meatball Soup with Bean Thread Noodles (Almondigas) - Mmmmm...
Mung Bean Soup with Chorizo & Squash (Mongo) - My mom makes her mongo soup with spinach and ham!
Palm Hearts & Apple Salad with Calamansi Mayonnaise
Rib Eye Steak & Onion Rings (Bistek) - My dad makes a great verson of this!
Crab & Eggplant Torte (Tortang Alamang) - My dad also makes this really well!
Pineapple & Cassava Tarts Looks really easy.
and so on and so forth!
9 comments:
Oh my gosh! Thank you for posting this! I have been searching for a GOOD Filipino cookbook!!! I'll check this one out. I wonder if I can order it on Amazon.com or something!
My mom made cassava cake the other week. It was sooooo good!
I need a copy of that book. The last time I was at your place I just did a quick scan of what was in there and I did like what I saw. As far as your comment, "I'm not dissing the ones that are out there, it's just that they're not really elegant. I hope I don't get crucified by that comment but it's the truth." For some, maybe it's not all about presentation. I'm sure you can name a few places that you've been to where the food outweighed the ambiance and presentation. But I do get your point.
Oh...and Mom was right. She can and does cook better than Barrio Fiesta...hell, I can even cook better than they did!
I forgot to mention that there's this one place in San Francisco (San Bruno area) called Kuya's. Everytime I'm in the Bay Area I make it a point to go dine there. I'm actually kinda disappointed that are no places like this in San Diego. I like the fact that the owner remembered me the last few times I went there. Not too many places that will actually call you by name. So dear sister...next time you're in the Bay Area check them out. Here's their site.
www.kuyas-ac.com
Chrissy & Bro :
I ordered this on Amazon.Com
it was $16.75 or something. cheap for a brand new HB!
Bro: ok, not all Filipino places need to be "elegant" but I'm kind of tired of just mom & pop places. our cuisine should be as elevated as other ethnic cuisines and it's not going to garner any respect if all the stuff is ready made and you just point to it (ha ha! Turo-Turo) and if it's all served in styrofoam. There just needs to be at least one nice place to go. Yes, good food and ambiance is important, but I also like to have a combination of both.
Example: The Aristocrat (if it's still around) in Los Angeles on Temple Street (Historic Filipino Town). That's a really nice restaurant with GOOD food.
by the way, you owe me some of your mongo with spinach dude.
WOW! There's a place where you are that's called "Kuya's"??? Oh, you gotta love a place that's called Kuya's! There aren't any filipino restaurants here on the island, and even in the city there were only one or two places. How odd, since in the city there are a lot of filipinos. (by city, I mean Toronto and Montreal)
Thanks for the info, Canine! I definitely have to buy that book!!
Chrissy
Kuya's is in the Bay Area. I'll have to check that place out next time we go up there.
There's also a take out place near us called Lola's Grill (on Telegraph Canyon Rd off the 805). It used to be called "Toto's" (which is a guy's nickname - say it with an accent!).
They have the best fried everything. Squid, fish, or chicken skin anyone?
I miss "Barrio Fiesta" and was crushed when I heard that they were only going to operate out of the L.A. area.
What I like about 'Barrio Fiesta' was not only did they have great food but the ambiance and decor was nice. In addition, they had a variety of different items on their menu like various kinds of Pancit and Lumpia.
OMG...Hotfudge mentioned pancit and lumpia and now my mouth is watering! LOL!
HF
yeah, Barrio Fiesta was a nice place to go. sometimes there would be live piano music. there was an elderly Filipino man (who passed away in the mid 90's) who would play. he was also a poet; his stuff was published in local fil am newspapers.
i agree about their ambiance and decor - nicer than your regular point point joint...the hostesses were in traditional garb as well. no more, unless you go to l.a.
one of my fave places in l.a. is the jeepney grille which is in the koreatown/downtown area.there is a real jeepney in there that people (mostly kids) can climb in and 'pretend' to drive. now, they had some good ass food like grilled meats (inihaw) and crispy pata (fried pork leg)!
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