10/16/2025
A little personal history: my Lola and Tito had a short lived Filipino American restaurant (turo turo) in Los Angeles. My Tito said it was located off Beverly Street in downtown (AKA Hi-Fi) and had a pretty decent following. I never got to try it since it closed before I arrived in the US (in ‘87).
My Lola’s cooking is still the best food I’ve ever had, hands down. Everything she made whether it was Filipino, American, Chinese…she made with flavor and love. I remember growing up and just watching her cook. It felt like she’d spend all day in the kitchen planning out the menu for the family. No measurements, no problem. Always the last to eat, wanting to absorb all the oohs and ahhs from everyone taking a bite of the food she prepared. It was in these moments that I would catch her at ease. Feeling life a bit softer.
Whenever I’d ask her about the restaurant, it felt bittersweet. The amount of pride she had behind it and the sadness felt realizing it was a dream long gone. During , I hope you eat some of your favorite 🇵🇭 food and/or support a local Fil-Am eatery in memory of my Lola and all our ancestors who fed us along the way 🥲🥰🫶🏽✨
