Pinoy Biztalk and Jobs: Filipino food is on the run with The Manila Machine

Jan 29, 2011

Filipino food is on the run with The Manila Machine

CARMELA G. LAPEÑA, GMANews.TV

From random street corners in Manila to the central business district's so-called jollyjeeps, the distinct flavors of Pinoy fare are now being served from a sunny orange mobile food joint in Los Angeles, California.

The Manila Machine first rolled out seven months ago, and has since satisfied homesick Filipinos as well as other curious customers at different schools, concerts and events. Today, The Manila Machine will be at Chiat Day Playa Del Rey for lunch and OC DinDin AGoGo in Irvine for dinner.

Given Filipinos' love affair with food and LA's vibrant mobile food culture, The Manila Machine seems like a no-brainer business idea. But apart from coming up with the nifty idea, the brains behind the first Filipino food truck have an edge in terms of experience. The owners, food bloggers Marvin Gapultos and Nastassia Johnson are well-versed when it comes to cooking, eating and writing about food.

Of course, The Manila Machine comes with a blog, where they post their schedule and other announcements. But the best part of the blog is the menu, which, as expected, begins with the famous adobo. The Manila Machine serves the classic chicken adobo and pork belly and pineapple adobo. Based on a Gapultos family recipe from Ilocos Norte, the fruit and meat dish was mentioned by Rene Lynch in the Los Angeles Times, and was first runner-up for Best Nouveau Food at the L.A. Street Food Fest.

The Manila Machine also serves sisig over rice - "spicy calamansi-marinated pork cheeks, onions and chicharon" - and fans can purchase their Sisig T-shirts that proclaim "I eat pig face." In honor of Manny Pacquiao, they had a "devastatingly delicious" special dubbed "The Southpaw" - their signature sisig with sriracha mayonnaise, a fried egg and a drizzle of banana ketchup served open face on a toasted pan de sal roll.

SOURCE:

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/210415/filipino-food-is-on-the-run-with-the-manila-machine