A Pinoy ‘omakase’ in Honolulu? Sign us up

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Exploring the realm of fusion cuisine can be an adventure for others as it blends the familiar flavors of culture with an innovative touch.

While we’ve seen classics like adobo and sisig transformed into exciting creations like pork sisig salad and pulled chicken adobo French dip sandwiches, it is still a relatively new concept in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Situated in the Aloha state, Peso Neighborhood became what is believed to be the first modern Filipino-American restaurant in the city. It serves brunch, lunch, and dinner that draw inspiration from traditional Filipino cuisine with a contemporary spin.

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In an interview with Good Morning Hawaii, Ria Dolly Barbosa, executive chef of the restaurant, shares that what Peso Neighborhood aims to achieve is to push Filipino food into the future. “Not necessarily better because there’s nothing that will be better than my parents’ cooking. But you know, we definitely want to push the boundaries of what people think Filipino food is and can be,” says the Eater LA-nominated “Best Chef of Los Angeles.”

Peso Neighborhood and its authentic Filipino dishes

While it may appear to have a slightly more American style, the authentic Filipino taste still shines through. Their nostalgic dishes range from lumpia, kinilaw, and taho to ensaymada, pancit, and pinakbet, and neven special items such as Moloka’i venison kaldereta, ube halaya French toast, and adobo French dip sandwiches.

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To satisfy the cravings of Filipinos and Filipino food enthusiasts, Peso Neighborhood also serves “Pinoymakase,” an exclusive eight-course chef’s table menu with limited seating available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

“We’re a modern Filipino-American restaurant that really focuses on using just some of the best ingredients that you can get,” says Rob Villanueva, co-owner and managing partner of the modern Filipino-American neighborhood restaurant and lumpia bar.

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Barbosa and Villanueva’s creativity and resourcefulness have elevated Filipino food to a blend of home and future tastes that put greater value to the Filipino heritage. The restaurant’s name was selected as it is because, as Barbosa explains, “up until this day [the Philippine peso] is undervalued in the world currencies. We want to show value to our food.”