Californian Filipinos found their voices as early activists, as they combatted injustices produced by labor laws, housing, education, hate crimes, interracial marriages and economic inequality. Their impact is national: From the 1930s to mid 1960s, for example, one of the leading activists of his time was Stockton-based Larry Itliong, the Filipino-American labor organizer who Cezar Chavez later joined up with to lead the Delano grape strike that led to better working conditions for farm laborers. (Today, the Central Valley maintains a vibrant Filipino presence; if you're in Stockton, visit Foo Lung Deli on main street for Filipino comfort food that never disappoints, and Papa Urb's Grill on Weber Avenue for fast food if you've got the munchies.)
Many Asian and Filipino food distributors were established or have a strong foothold in California, serving the enormous opportunity in demand. Through enterprising efforts of visionary Filipinos, Philippine ingredient distributors like Ramar foods, Island Pacific Supermarkets and 99 Ranch have had the opportunity to establish themselves as leaders of the Filipino food supply chain. (Ramar, for example, is the creator of beloved Filipino brands like Magnolia ice cream and Manila Gold, which sells elusive calamansi juice packaged for convenience.)
The Filipino diaspora spread its wings far and wide in California. Today, it is concentrated in three main regions: The Greater Los Angeles Area, The Bay Area, and San Diego. These three areas produced official and unofficial Little Manilas.
In the LA region, there is Historic Filipinotown (graced with a recently unveiled monumental gateway welcoming visitors) and West Covina. Both neighborhoods invite visitors to wander and discover, but be sure to visit The Parks Finest BBQ for Filipino-inspired BBQ owned and operated by a husband-and-wife team committed to community from day one, and Hi FI Kitchen for traditional & Vegan rice bowls that preserve the heritage of Historic Filipinotown. Don't miss Dollar Hits (2432 W Temple St, Los Angeles, which serves OG Filipino street food from the streets of Manila to the street of LA, or Lasita, which is in high demand as a stop for rotisserie chicken brined, stuffed and marinated with lemongrass, garlic, spring onion and ginger. For good eats a bit further out from the city center, drive to Chino to hit Cafe 86 for all the ube you can eat.
In the Bay Area, there is Daly City and a re-emerging Manilatown in SoMa. In Daly city, stop by one of the locations of Starbread, a bakery established in 1986, for the ube donuts and their famous señorita bread, a soft and aromatic pastry. For old-school flavor, there's Fil-Am Cuisine, which does the best pork barbecue on the West Coast, traditionally cooked over charcoal. For something fancier, visit Abaca for contemporary Filipino-American-Californian Cuisine from Chef Francis Ang. Get over to Oakland for FOB Kitchen, a QWOC owned restaurant in Temescal with a full-bar, plant-based items like pancit and inspired conversations.
Last but not least, SoCal boasts San Diego's National City and Mira Mesa (nickname "Manila Mesa") as the center of all things Pinoy. A much anticipated addition to the San Diego dining scene, White Rice brings hipster fuel to FIlipino food, and Animae headed by executive chef QWOC Tara Munsod, who has deftly introduced progressive dishes like her Clam Sinigang into the former Japanese steak house. If you're curious what Filipino fried chicken is all about, try Max's Restaurant, an old-school national chain that also manages to be a local favorite for lightly coated, delicately crispy chicken fried to a light golden brown and best enjoyed with banana ketchup and white rice.
💥Not listed in the above web site is the newly opened Filipino-Spanish restaurant, Fiesta Philippines in Rancho Cordova that just opened last year.
Lastly, here's my four quotes on Food and one of my Favorite Pinoy Dish-Ox tail Kare-Kare
- There is no sincerer love than the love of food. ...
- Spaghetti can be eaten most successfully if you inhale it like a vacuum cleaner. ...
- One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. ...
- If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
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