Filipino restaurant opens in Annandale
Filipino chef Paolo Dungca is bringing the cuisine of his home country to Annandale. Sari Filipino Kusina opened last weekend at 6920-J Braddock Road in the Bradlick Shopping Center.
The new restaurant is in the spot formerly occupied by Supreme Barbeque. Dungca is partnering with the owners of Supreme, Jeremy and his father Juan Canlas, also Filipino, to create the new fast-casual restaurant.
Sari Filipino Kusina offers such specialties as lochon kawali (crispy fried pork belly served in a rice bowl) and sisig (a rice bowl with crispy pork hash and pig ears), a delicacy from Dungca’s hometown, San Fernando Pampanga, northwest of Manila.
Beef ribs and brisket are on the menu, too, as holdovers from Supreme Barbeque. There are also shelves with Filipino pantry items and snacks.
Dungca’s family relocated to the U.S. in 2004 and settled in Los Angeles. After a stint in nursing school, he switched to the culinary arts.
After working as a dishwasher at Disneyland, he says, “I fell in love with the whole chaos of working in a restaurant.”
He moved to D.C. in 2014, where he cooked in numerous restaurants, including Bad Saint, the highly acclaimed Filipino restaurant that has since closed and Kaliwa at the Wharf. He’s currently the executive chef at Pogiboy in downtown D.C.
Dungca and the Canlas family are planning a new Filipino restaurant, Hiraya, on H Street.
Meanwhile, he says, “Virginia is such a great market for the Filipino concept. There’s a big Filipino community here but not a lot of Filipino restaurants.”
Sari Filipino Kusina provides that community with food from home. “It gives people a nostalgic feeling,” he says. When people can’t visit the Philippines easily, the food “transports you to a place that feeds your longing for home.”
The “sari” in the restaurant’s name refers to the sarimanok, a mythical bird that symbolizes good fortune.
Supreme bbq closed? Tried it once and was not impressed
I did take out couple times when it was Supreme BBQ. Not the best as far as BBQ goes. Maybe this time it will be better!!!
WOW, are we lucky? I lived in the Philippines and the food and the people are wonderful. Thanks to their once being our colony, and the U.S. Navy understanding how competent are its people, the United States now has over four million Philippine Americans. It is the only English-speaking country in Asia and Filipino is the fourth most spoken language in the U.S. Not only is their food great, but lucky are those who have a Filipina nurse when in the hospital.
Horrible fluorescent lighting. They must not want their guests to stay. This will be take out only for me and will wear a visor and sunglasses to keep from going blind.
It’s fast food, of course they want you to leave soon……. you solved the riddle genius. Rotfl
Thanks for the laughs, Horace. I needed them.
Whoa- that’s quite the pedigree of restaurants. I’m sad to see Supreme bbq go, but this sounds amazing!
Lumpia…babingka…pancit…YUMMMMM!
Had lunch there on Friday, place was busy. Sisig and lumpia. Very tasty. I’ll be there regularly.
Decor is what you get at most fast-casual restaurants, such as Chipotle. Though it is apparently made to order, since my meal took about 10-15 minutes. Which was ok for me, since I needed to get a few things from Giant at the other end of the shopping center. Next time, I may order online for pickup.
Very nice addition to Annandale.