Justin V.
Yelp
Lumpia & Company has been on my radar for a long time. I originally heard of them back in 2017-2018, but I was never able to get out here. COVID hit, and I actually forgot all about Lumpia & Company. But a handful of recent IG videos kickstarted my memory.
With mom in tow, I was able to finally check them out on 4/6/24.
Art Agustin is Lumpia's founder and owner, and he was nice enough to introduce himself and chat with us for a bit. He told us of the store's history, how they survived COVID, and even offered some of his personal backstory. Lumpia & Co. is truly a family business as Art's wife and sons work there, too.
While we conversed with Art, mom and I had the following:
Pancit: noodles, veggie mix, chicken
Adobo bowl: 7-hour smoked pork adobo, lemon slaw, steamed rice
Lumpia sampler: Monte Cristo (ham & cheddar, powdered sugar); Philly Cheesesteak (steak, provolone, peppers, onions); Classic (beef, celery, carrots, green onions)
Depending on who you ask, L&C is hit or miss. I enjoyed the adobo bowl (although I felt the pork was a little overcooked). I loved the lumpia (the variety is appealing), but mom only gravitated towards the classic lumpia. Then, mom wasn't too thrilled with the pancit as she believed the noodles weren't washed enough, possibly not washed at all.
As for mom's lumpia preference, I'll chalk that up to her being more traditional - "jazzing up" something that's already near-perfect (I've never met anyone who outright dislikes lumpia) isn't the move. Whereas, after trying some of the pancit, I have to agree that L&C's pancit dish could be improved. It's good, but imo it's not prepared and cooked in a traditional way. Or, it may be something as simple as regional differences - my mom and Art are from different provinces in the Philippines, so Art's version of pancit differs from the style my mom and I are used to. It's akin to barbeque - there are differences with BBQ from North Carolina, Kansas City, and Texas. None of the styles are wrong, but they instill preferences and expectations that may or may not align.
L&C's facility is small and is located in a strip mall that's unassuming and almost hidden. It may be difficult to find them during that initial visit, but once you find them, it's all good. What matters is that you can find them and that their establishment is clean and tidy.
Thanks to Art and his family for their food and hospitality. I look forward to future visits and hopefully more fantastic conversations. JV