A Taste of the Philippines
Filipino restaurant · Jefferson Park
5914 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60630, USA
Highlights
Crispy lumpia, longanisa scotch eggs, chicken adobo
Crispy lumpia, longanisa scotch eggs, chicken adobo
"Formerly in a food hall, A Taste Of Philippines now has its own spot in Jefferson Park with eight tables and a tight menu of signature dishes like crispy lumpia, longanisa-wrapped scotch eggs, and chicken adobo with tender meat that separates from the bone like it just got a cease and desist letter. Some of the newcomer dishes are also tasty, like their breakfast sandwich (a morning exclusive) with a housemade longanisa patty, fried egg, and buttery havarti cheese, all snuggled between sweet pandesal. Pair it with a strong ube cold brew and you’ll be ready to tackle traffic, random rainstorms that the weather app forgot to tell you about, or whatever else a typical Chicago morning throws at you." - John Ringor
"This former food hall spot now has a permanent location in Jefferson Park with eight tables and a tight menu of signatures like crispy lumpia, longanisa-wrapped scotch eggs, and chicken adobo so tender the meat separates from the bone like it just got a cease and desist letter. We like the newcomer dishes, too, like their breakfast sandwich (a morning exclusive) with a longanisa patty, fried egg, and buttery havarti cheese, all snuggled between sweet pandesal. Pair it with ube cold brew and you’ll be ready to tackle traffic, random rainstorms that the weather app forgot to tell you about, or whatever else a typical Chicago morning throws at you." - john ringor
"We recently checked out A Taste Of The Philippines. Read our review here. Between a food truck, farmer’s markets, pop-ups, and a stall in the French Market, A Taste Of The Philippines has had a few iterations. Now it has a brick-and-mortar spot in Jefferson Park, with traditional options like lumpia, adobo, and pancit, plus dishes like longaniza scotch eggs. It’s only open Fridays and Saturdays (for now)." - john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen
"Sharing the Jefferson Park space with Crumbs.nd.Creams, Taste of Philippines—whose owner Kathy Vega Hardy encouraged the shared arrangement—will take the savory side while Crumbs.nd.Creams handles sweets; the two operations have had good conversations about how they can support each other in this unusual setup and are excited to be part of Chicago’s booming Filipino food scene." - Ashok Selvam
"Opening in early April in Jefferson Park at 5914 W. Lawrence Avenue, I learned that A Taste of the Philippines will be a 28-seat restaurant where Kathy Vega Hardy expands the food-truck and market operation she started in Denver in 2012. She’s partnering with Crumbs and Creams (run by spouses Katrina and Mharloe Requiron), best known for sylvana cookies, and the two businesses will split the space so Vega Hardy can focus mostly on savory items like lumpia and pancit while also offering a few desserts such as her signature ube doughnut and turon with ube drizzle. The menu will include a vegetarian adobo made with local Four Star Mushrooms that’s a bit more saucy so the gravy properly coats the rice, breakfast silog dishes, sandwiches, and items like pan de sal with a fried egg and havarti; longanisa will be made on premises and used in a Scotch egg. Without a permanent home she’s been using Schoolhouse Kitchen in Portage Park to cook for catering and pop-up dinners (she also teaches there), and she expects production to increase from the roughly 150 lumpia she can roll on an average day. Vega Hardy describes her food as “in the sweet middle ground” — not upscale but not fast food — and aims to preserve Filipino culture while putting her own spins on family recipes; a full espresso bar will serve Veloria Coffee to complement the savory lineup." - Ashok Selvam
