Takeout, a lifeline for restaurants

On an ordinary day, restaurant owner Mila Nabor-Cuachon would be greeting regulars and weaving through tables carrying steaming plates of sisig fries or beef kaldereta.

What a difference a pandemic makes.

Kamayan restaurant forges ahead despite pandemic

Tala’s dining area remains empty, except, of course, for the endless line of delivery workers who are part of a large army feeding hungry, self-distancing city dwellers.

Ulam: Filipino food finds its identity

The documentary ‘Ulam: Main Dish’ explores this yearning for an identity through the eyes of Filipino-American chefs fighting for recognition. And it’s a struggle that expresses itself with honesty and eloquence through food.

Filipino desserts get a modern makeover

When business owners Susan Perras, 39, and Rechie Valdez, 37, met it was like kismet. They had both been running their own businesses out of The Cake Collective, a 4,500 square foot commercial kitchen in Mississauga that rents out space to professional bakers. It was at the venue’s second anniversary party when the two women bonded over Valdez’s choice of dessert.

Fans make a beeline for Jollibee’s first GTA location

The anticipation and speculation is over as Jollibee finally opened its doors on April 1 to its first GTA location in Scarborough. While commenters online wondered if it was an elaborate April Fool’s joke, it was very much a happy reality for Filipino-Canadians, many of whom have waited years for a store in Ontario. Together with family friends, they packed two large heated tents hours before sunrise.

From Tondo to global wine expert

Arlene Oliveros, 39, has long believed in the Philippines’ untapped potential as a foodie destination. The Filipino-Canadian sommelier and enogastronomist is working to push her home country to the forefront of the latest food movements.

Tsaa: A tea shop with a Filipino flair

Hot, iced or served with tapioca beads, there’s a great many ways to enjoy tea. However, Tsaa Tea Shop takes it up several notches with an impressive selection of flavors and blends that can be customized to your taste.

Michaela Cruz on starting an organic farm

On a sun-soaked Saturday morning, Evergreen Brickworks is abuzz with activity. From vendors plying stacks of pies to the crowds navigating stands heaving with fresh produce, it’s a testament to Toronto’s love affair with farmers’ markets.

And amidst the vast space with its maze of vendors is Healing Hands Farm, an organic farm that specializes in Asian greens.

Sweet Therapy: How cakes helped one baker heal

Eggs, flour, butter and sugar. It’s hard to imagine how the simple act of baking can be a source of relief for someone with a chronic illness. But for Fely Grace Palmares, 34, baking became her haven after she was diagnosed with lupus a few years after moving to Canada.

Comfort food with an upscale twist

At the November soft opening of Islas BBQ & Bar, chef and owner Marc Buenaventura was excited to finally unveil his restaurant’s menu to family and friends. That is, until it was time to serve the kare-kare. “The one thing I overheard was, ‘Oh, they don’t have bagoong so it’s not kare-kare,’” he mused. “So I learned that lesson; now, I have bagoong all the time and also serve it to non-Filipinos.”

On food, identity and cooking sinigang from scratch

Growing up, Nastasha Alli, 30, always knew she wanted to be featured in a book.

She’s a voracious reader of books on Filipino cuisine, often having books delivered to her aunt’s home in the Philippines and getting them shipped to Toronto. So it’s no surprise that Alli is a wealth of obscure but interesting facts about Filipino food history.

Cozy up to specialty drinks from Luba’s Coffee Boutique

Tucked away from the bustle on the main floor of St. Lawrence Market, the little shop is a veritable treasure trove for tea and coffee lovers. What Luba’s lacks in floor space, it makes up for in height. It’s a sensory overload with rainbow stacks of tea boxes, jars of loose leaf tea, and gleaming bean dispensers.