"In July, Asheville, North Carolina's restaurant scene welcomed Neng Jr.’s, its first Filipinx restaurant. Chef-owner Silver Iocovozzi has created a restaurant where Filipinx flavors meet North Carolina traditions. There’s okra, a Southern must-have, but served in an umami-rich gravy with stewed tomatoes. Lowcountry shrimp find their way into Sinigang, a Filipinx sweet and sour soup. And fried chicken’s on the menu—but Iocovozzi smokes it before frying, a nod to the smoke-kissed, open-fire cooking found across the Philippines." - ByMatthew Lardie