16 Tour Stops from Beaverton to Troutdale with Distinct Filipino Ingredients
Geri Leung, Amanda Mailey, Bea Lugtu
In honor of National Filipino Food Month in April, Amanda Mailey, owner of ALIST LLC, a local, Filipina-owned marketing and business consultancy, is partnering with Filipina artist Beatriz Lugtu and Baon Kainan food cart co-owner Geri Leung to launch the first ever Filipino Food Tour in the greater Portland region entitled “SOBRANG SARAP,” which translates to “Very Delicious” in Tagalog. Mailey, Lugtu and Leung invited 26 small business owners to join together to create the first-ever Filipino food crawl in Oregon.
The three women coordinated 16 Filipino-owned food businesses and community organizations from Beaverton to Troutdale, and each will highlight four distinct Filipino ingredients through their own dish, drink or dessert each week in April. To further educate and provide greater context to the specials, each ingredient will be complemented by historical background and personal storytelling provided online.
SOBRANG SARAP is sponsored by Travel Portland and the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Oregon (PACCO). SOBRANG SARAP represents a memoir of Filipino dishes, which were created by 26 small business owners who united together to honor their ancestors. With 16 locations throughout the month of April, covering 25 miles and featuring 60-plus dishes, locals and visitors alike will dine on distinct Filipino dishes, drinks and desserts each week. Additionally, diners will learn about, or further enhance their knowledge of, the diverse Filipino food businesses and locations included in the food tour. Each participating chef has a shared goal of dedicating their respective and unique dishes to the family that raised them.
The month-long Filipino food tour will introduce diners to Filipinx-owned restaurants, food carts, pop-ups, cafes, residencies, and non-profits. The food tour will culminate on Sunday, April 28th at Kolectivo at 959 SE Division St. in Portland from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. for a ticketed, family-friendly celebration that is open to the public.
Beginning on April 1st, participating locations will feature at least one dish on their menu, based on one key Filipino ingredient. Each special dish will be noted as the Chef Challenge on the menu and it comes with significant room for interpretation and creativity.
For the Filipino ingredients, Week One will be Ube. Week Two is Adobo. Week Three will be Calamansi and Week Four will be Pancit. “We invite both Oregon residents and visitors to our beautiful Rose City to join us, dine on our diverse Filipino cuisine, and come learn about these talented Filipino chefs in April, and throughout the year. Come explore the deeper meaning behind the dishes and learn more about the chefs’ inspiration via their stories posted online and in social media to get the full cultural experience,” said Mailey.
“Organizing this event, alongside so many other Filipinx-owned businesses, is my way to honor and celebrate my ancestors and their relationship with the earth,” added Mailey.
Mailey, Lugtu and Leung are driving the branding, marketing, and storytelling supporting this cultural Filipino food tour.