FILIPINO FOOD MONTH – BAON KAINAN

The word “baon” can bring about countless memories for Filipinos from all backgrounds. For some, it could be the carefully prepared school lunches a family matriarch or caretaker would make. “Baon” could also be as ordinary as lunch money. During house parties and fiestas, one might pack up leftovers to take home as their “baon.” “Baon” is something you take along with you for your journey ahead, and Baon Kainan packages up creations that bring back delicious memories.

Speaking of packing up and journeys, Geri and Ethan of @baonkainan embarked in exactly that, from Seattle to Portland, after meeting and receiving encouragement from Richard and Sophia Le of @mattapdx. With Ethan’s impressive culinary background (he was named Seattle’s Next Hot Chef in 2019) and Geri’s established creative marketing foundation (clients have ranged from small businesses to Microsoft), the duo was more than ready to take the leap of faith by opening a food cart together in a new city. And did they make a splash!! Splash = @theoregonian Food Cart of the Year ‘21, @eaterpdx Best New Food Cart ‘21, @eater Local Pick for National Best Restaurants ‘21, and @pomomagazine Food Cart of the Year ‘21 🏆

All their hard work has not only won them acclaim, but also continues to solidify Filipino cuisine’s place in our culinary landscape. With their own unique experiences with and connections to Filipino food, they’re bringing us food that are both new and nostalgic. As Geri has said, “[their] food isn’t your tita’s cooking, but it will remind you.”

Visit @baonkainan to get your @FilipinoFoodMonth fix here in Portland. You can find them at the @concoursecoffee cart pod. Follow them on IG for their most current hours. Also, stay tuned for something special coming from BAON & TIKIM on Friday so you can have a little “Baon”with you at home.

#tikim #tikimpdx #filipinofood #filipinofoodmovement #filipinofoodmonth #filipinostories #baon #baonkainan #filipinofoodcart #kainnatayo #kainna #theeatguide #eaterpdx

FILIPINO FOOD MONTH - FAMILY GET TOGETHERS

Growing up Filipino, chances are you are raised Catholic (whether we all still practice or not is a varied spectrum). The colonization by the Spanish for a few hundred years brought this over making it the dominant religion in the country.

Many get togethers are centered around Catholic holidays where there are also traditional fiestas back home. Beyond Christmas, the Lenten season is another such holiday. From Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, there are traditions that are observed and a lot of it also brings family together with food at the center.

This isn’t a post about religion but being Filipino is complex. So many of our customs revolve around religion and we all have to define what these celebration milestones mean for us now.

These days, we are all far away from our families so we celebrate with our chosen families instead. Coming together through food is really our religion.

#tikim #tikimpdx #filipinofoodstories #filipinofoodmovement #filipinofoodmonth #fiesta #gettogether #happyeaster

MAGNA KUSINA

Nothing could have prepared me for how lonely and homesick I felt after I first moved to Vancouver from the Bay Area. My personality is such that I don’t typically make friends easily so I tried finding solace by seeking out the best Filipino food I could find. While there were moments of delight, I was mostly disappointed in the sad, bland options that I was finding. I had mostly given up that anything inspiring would come along until I read a little blurb about this new restaurant called Magna that would be opening up in August of 2019.

I just had to go.

I brought my then 5-year-old as my date on the second day of opening week. We went back for my birthday, we went back for my child’s birthday, we would go as often as we could.

Fast forward through a couple years of pandemic and hardship, it now feels like a second home for me and a place of belonging for many.

On the surface, @magnapdx is a restaurant that serves some of the most inspiring Filipino food in the area, but to many people in the community, it is so much more. This tiny but mighty spot on Clinton St. has provided a safe haven and has served as an inclusive incubator for pop ups and collaborations such as @chelopdx @alliegspastries @sunricepdx @wepapdx @jem.supper.club @stabs_smokedmeats_asianeats. It has hosted @tikimpdx meetings and has become a spot to hang out and celebrate after hours because we’re alive and we’re together after a couple of extremely difficult years. I could go on about the food, but honestly the pictures can speak for themselves, the accolades can speak for themselves.

At it’s heart, Magna is about family. The food brought me here, but the people made me want to stay.

Thank you @twistedfilipino @bobbiedovar @jeepney_collective @whereiskev @icharlie888 @lestoiinks @j0yce_totheworld @_freefreako @timtakesphotos @buhnbee @stabs_smokedmeats_asianeats

🖤 Jane