Filipino cuisine gets Canadian exposure

Filipino cuisine, Malay-based and seasoned with more than 300 colorful, historic years of Hispanic culinary techniques and ingredients is finally getting the Canadian exposure it truly deserves. The popularity of fusion food in British Columbia makes Filipino food perfect for today’s palate, part Western, part Asian and distinctively Filipino.

Vietnamese, Thai, Singapore, Malaysian, Indonesian and Filipino food is a concoction of tantalizing textures, flavors and colors but the Filipino cuisine took a long time to formalize its entry into the Canadian mainstream of the food industry.

It is a fact that Philippine cuisine which was considered by many as too exotic has been a crossroad for many different cuisines and cultures, a fact that is only being discovered as new restaurants try to lure new devotees outside the ethnic community.

For many, many years, Filipino restaurants catered mainly to the Philippine community. The focus was on the national dishes such as adobo, pinakbet, lechon, pancit and sinigang. All the venues had a provincial turo-turo theme which alienated those not familiar with pig’s ear, heavy sauce, white grease, black sauce and spicy coconut concoction with something floating on top.

With the advent of globalization, upgrading of the ethnic restaurants, changing demographics, healthier economy and the emergence of talented, young, experienced, creative and innovative Filipino Canadian chefs in Canada, new Filipino restaurants opened and more on the way.

There are also new immigrants from the Philippines who are cooking experts, business-minded and would like to be self-employed and they realized that the time is now for the east-west fusion which is the rage today in international cuisine. Thus, the need for more Pan-Asian flavors for the Canadian global community.

After years of waiting, finally, a classy, up-market Filipino restaurant in Vancouver with zippy table service and knowledgeable, well-dressed waiters who are consummate hosts. Rekados is only two months old and is already an astounding success. The décor is minimalist, sort of Japanese-inspired. Philippine traces can only be detected in an elegant, giant mural with washed-out visual renditions of Bicol, Luneta, Corregidor to name a few. Rekados on 4063 Main Street is a relaxed, casual, hip-looking restaurant, a bistro moderne. It resembles a brasserie serving contemporary Asian dishes, complete with occasionally distracting electro urban-lounge background music as can be heard in Moxie’s and Cactus Club lounge-bar that’s patronized by city dwellers. However, Rekados would like to be known as a grill hotpot, tapas venue. It is owned by an enterprising husband and wife team, Charlie and Pinky Dizon. Charlie was the sous chef of the exclusive, members-only Arbutus Club for seven years.

The Rekados offerings are extensive, refreshing and truly representative of classic Filipino cuisine with some novel surprises. It was aptly described in the well-written menu – a fusion of Spanish, Chinese and Malay cooking that’s been blended into bold combinations of flavors.

My personal favorites in the different Rekados section include: Small plates of tapas – tokwa’t tokwa and sweet kamote frites; Pancit wok stirfried noodles – pancit bihon; Specialties – sizzling sisig and lechon manok; Gatang Filipino – gatang sugpo (tiger prawns in coconut milk); Ihaw-Ihaw – grilled eggplant with bagoong; Hotpot – sugpong sinigang sa miso; Dessert – sorbetes – corn and cheddar cheese.

To complement the food is naturally sago at gulaman, under the section of "samalamig" Filipino slush drinks.

Overall, the presentation of the food is impeccable, served in simple, white Chinaware while the ambiance is warm. The prices are affordable, good value for money and the clientele is multi-cultural. The tapas-style offerings invites that sharing thing. Lastly, the washrooms are exceptionally clean and the ultra-modern design would please swanky city hipsters.