Even foreigners would agree that Filipino foods are one of the most palatable foods in the world, and the New York Times just agreed to that as it has listed not one, but two Pinoy restaurants in their 2021 Restaurant List, with this year’s theme of “50 places in America we’re most excited about right now”.
According to the New York Times article, they sent out the Food desk dispatched critics, reporters, and editors around the country to find the 50 most vibrant and delicious restaurants in 2021.
The order of the restaurants was not ranked accordingly but they reflect the rich mosaic of American dining — from the melding of Thai curry and Texas brisket in the Pacific Northwest to heritage crab rice on the South Carolina coast to vegan soul food in the East Village.
The modern Filipino restaurant Seattle’s Archipelago and the Chicago-based bakery called “Kasama” were among the restaurants that made it on the top 50 list.
Archipelago Seattle’s tasting menu had left a great impression on writer Tejal Rao, in which he said that Archipelago isn’t like any other restaurant.
“It’s rare for the chef to check in with diners at the end of the tasting menu and make sure they’re feeling full, but Archipelago isn’t like any other tasting,” Rao said.
Rao commended the Filipino all-time favorite breakfast, ‘pandesal’, which Archipelago made perfect. The pandesal “pulls apart effortlessly, filling the air with a sweet, buttery perfume,” as described by Rao.
“You could easily get lost in the deliciousness of the modern Filipino food, but Aaron Verzosa and Amber Manuguid do more than send out excellent food,” Rao continued.
“They tell complicated, expansive stories about the Pacific Northwest and the many ways that Filipino immigrants have shaped it, using words, pictures, and even some unexpected dance moves behind the pass,” he concluded.
Archipelago Seattle began their journey in May 2016 with the trademark of the Filipino “identity.” Versoza is a Filipino American chef born and raised in the Pacific Northwest while Manuguid is a Seattle-based artist and designer-restaurateur, focused on creating joyful and meaningful experiences.
Meanwhile, Kasama’s “delicate, inventive treats,” was praised by writer Priya Krishna.
Krishna commended the seamless blending of the talents of husband-and-wife team Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores.
“Ms. Kwon, a pastry chef who worked at Eleven Madison Park and Flour Bakery, puts out delicate, inventive treats, including a ham-and-cheese croissant-like none you’ve seen, replete with raclette and topped with dainty shavings of serrano ham,” Krishna said.
On the other hand, Krishna gives a huge thumbs-up to Mr. Flores’ lumpia and adobo which she described as “unpretentious and soul-warming,”
The writer ended her statement by recommending to the viewers to try Kasama’s excellent Chicago-style Italian combo sandwich, made with ‘longaniza’.
Behind the success of this bakery and modern Filipino restaurant, Kasama is the beautiful combo of Chefs Kwon and Flores. Kwon handles the baking operations while Flores takes the kitchen for his Filipino cuisine creations.
Filipinos certainly never disappoint wherever they go and these two successful Filipino cuisine restaurants indeed proved it.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/dining/favorite-restaurant-list-america.html, https://www.archipelagoseattle.com/, https://www.kasamachicago.com/
