Foodie alert: Honolulu welcomes its first modern Filipino restaurant
Aloha, food junkies! Prepare to embark on a food adventure like no other with a fusion of bursting Filipino flavors with a modern American twist.
Peso, a growing modern Filipino restaurant, has recently opened on the stunning island of Honolulu, bringing distinct Filipino cuisines to the shores of Hawaii.
When it comes to combining innovation with tradition, Peso Honolulu reigns. With trendsetting branches in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, this modern Filipino restaurant is the epitome of culinary triumph.
But get this, its latest branch in Honolulu is taking the island’s food scene by storm. Ria Dolly Barbosa, the executive chef and partner of Peso neighborhood, not only focuses on their food but also the welfare of local farmers.
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She is all for supporting them and using locally-sourced ingredients. She said, As much as we want this place to be special, we also want to showcase the bounty that Hawaii has to offer.”
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At Peso Honolulu, Chef Barbosa and her team offer a fresh take on beloved traditional Filipino dishes. She stated, “There’s nothing wrong with what we already have, and there’s nothing wrong with experimenting.”
Explore the Delectable Menu at Honolulu’s Modern Filipino Restaurant
Armed with her Filipino pride and openness to food innovation, Pesos’ menu is the perfect fusion of traditional and modern. The restaurant boasts a variation of dishes scubas busted, lumpia, tortang along (eggplant omelet), and sinigang (pork stew).
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Also, don’t miss trying out some of their specialties. The ube halaya (purple yam) French toast is a sumptuous fusion at its fluffy perfection. They also offer family-shared plates perfect for that Sunday brunch.
Their pinangat na isda, and palapa steamed in ti leaves with charred sour tomato on top are also available in large family plates. They also offer the ever-craved Filipino breakfasts like chicken tocino (sweetly marinated chicken) and homemade longganisa ( Filipino-style sausage).
Their pandesal filled with fried chicken with archaea pickles on the side and their chicken marinated and tempura fried will have you craving for more.
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But hold on there; while these dishes seem all familiar to you as a Fil-Am, they’re not what you expect. Chef Barbosa’s creativity comes to play and gives these dishes a modern touch.
Chef Ria Dolly Barbosa: A Trendsetter in Modern Filipino Dishes
Meet the clanky brains behind Pesos’s modernized dishes. She trained in traditional French cookery and has worked in well-known restaurants like Daniel Boulud Brasserie and Lutèce in Las Vegas.
She moved to Los Angeles, where she opened Sqirl and the Wild at Canelé pop-up. While in LA, she began concocting dishes leaning more toward her Filipino roots.
Chef Barbosa experimented with combining Filipino flavors using French tech cooking techniques. Et voila! The fast-casual eatery Petite Peso was born, which made it to the list of Los Angeles Times 101 best restaurants, TimeOut 15 Best New Los Angeles Restaurants of 2020, and Eater 38 Essential Restaurants in Los Angeles.
Peso Honolulu has something more for all foodies. They recently just offered a 12-seat Omakase dining experience. It’s available for reservation from Fridays to Sundays. You can reserve for this multi-course feast via their website Pesoneighborhood.com.
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