Why are there so few Filipino restos around here?

cholle

Bakit nga ba? Apart from the ones in and around Blacktown that are more like carinderia-style, where are all of them, considering that Sydney is home to a very diverse international cuisine and food market scene?

I came across <a href="http://clubtroppo.com.au/2011/01/12/why-are-there-so-few-filipino-restaurants/">this article</a>, but the question sort of remains unanswered.

vhoythoy

My opinion is because of the market and recognition ng pinoy cuisines globally. Di masyadong sikat ang pinoy cuisine, as compared sa chinese/ turkish/ korean/ japanese/ indian. Unlike cguro ung ibang cuisines, all nationalities will try the ramen, pratas, turkish, sushis, kebabs, shawarma, laksa, fish and chips, burgers, etc.

Here in Singapore, maraming nagsasarang pinoy restaurant, (e.g. kamayan in tanjong pagar, ilang pinoy restaurant sa may chinatown, tanjong pagar plaza, etc). Nag thrive lang talaga sa mga gaya ng lucky plaza for obvious reasons, and in laupasat and small hawker store in some locations. If you observe sa mga pinoy restaurant 98% or more ng customers nila is Pinoy. May maliligaw na foreigners lang if may kaibigan or kasamang pinoy. Bihira talaga ako makakita na foreigners na kakain on his/her own.

Ako madalas ko yayain mga barkada ko at boss ko na ibang lahi sa Kamayan pinoy restaurant at sasama sila kasi vibes kami at sa ibang mga pinoy, pero ramdam ko sa pagkain nila at itsura na napipilitan lang sila. Mas gusto nila ung food na nakasanayan nila which is maraming sauce/ halo halong mga gulay/ maanghang/ curry based, etc. Minsan nga comments nila is sobra daw mamantika, maalat, sobrang matamis, etc. Yung mga chinese/ japanese restaurants pa nga mabilis nila maluto ung ibang foods nila kaya kapag kinain mo masarap kasi bagong luto. Ung "ibang" pinoy restaurants nga minsan parang recycled pa ata ung meat, kaya cguro kapag may foreigners na naka try eh madisappoint. Marami nyan dito sa SG. I can comment better kapag naka try nako sa Australia.

Plus yung ingredients siguro ng pinoy foods is medyo mahal kasi iba2ng klase talga. Kaya kapag nagtitipid yung isang pinoy restaurant alam ko kasi ung lasa ng adobo/ menudo/ afritada/ igado/ etc, eh halos pare parehas na at lumalangoy sa mantika.

Ang alam ko lang na pinoy brands na hindi laging nauubusan ng tao at dinadayo is jolibee. Dahil siguro sa pinoy pride thing, panlasang pinoy at ang foods is may similarities sa McDonalds which is globally known. So even foreigners will actually try .

vhoythoy

Another theory for me is that most pinoy immigrants have already good professional career before going to Australia and they are happy with monthly income/ working in corporate setting. Also, di business minded ang majority ng mga pinoy as compared maybe sa ibang lahi gaya ng mga chinese. May nababasa din ako sa mga ibang forums na other migrants have their own business already in their respective countries and may kaya talaga. Not sure the situations sa Australia, pero sa Canada kasi maraming taga ibang bansa like HongKong peoples ang pupunta sa state let say Vancouver and will buy expensive properties in cold cash. Kaya ang taas ng property dun and hindi na maafford ng mga taga dun talaga. Kaya currently binabawasan na ang millionaires/ investors visa. Yung karamhinan talaga kasi na mayayaman na pinoy is hindi naman nagmimigrate kasi lalo silang yumaman sa pinas and they can just tour around the world if they like and/or send their kids abroad. Most of them, their credentials is not so good pero madami sila pera so makakabili agad ng property and makakapagtayo ng business which is the best way to go. Others are just simply businessminded people.

TasBurrfoot

Filipino food is not just famous... 🙂

dhey_almighty

wala sigurong pinoy ang gustong mag invest sa pinoy resto here...

**dont worry, isa yan sa pinagiisipan kong business here in perth...hehe :-)

cholle

My theory is that it's hard to market because it's too diverse. When you take a foreigner to a Filipino restaurant, what dish would you make him try for him to remember distinctly what Filipino flavor is?

Sa dami ng putahe natin, you need something that will hook them and make them come back. Then it will sort of develop some identity and fame.

I made my partner try adobo - yan ata yung common na safe daw ipa-try sa first time mag-try ng Pinoy food. He thought it was "just okay", in other words walang impact sa kanya. (Tingin ko naman tama yung pagkakaluto ko hehe)

vhoythoy

Mahirap maginvest sa pinoy resto kung hindi ka susuportahan ng mga pinoy kasi yan lang ang market mo talaga. Kadalasan pa expensive ang food natin kasi cguro sa mga ingredients, as compared sa mga korean/ chinese/ malay restaurants. Mas fresh din kasi ung food nila kapag serve and mainit2 pa talaga. Kaya kung nagtitipid ang isang pinoy dun sya kakain sa mas mura or kaya mag luto/ baon nalang.

Dun lang sa may laupasat pinakamababa na S$7 samantalang sa mga ibang food store may less than S$5 pa and bagong luto pa kundi lang talaga ako mahilig sa pinoy food hehe. Ang daming pinoy restaurants dito sa Singapore ang nagsara after few months lang others umabot ng 1-2 taon. I know this kasi talgang suki ako ng mga pinoy food since i arrived here in 2009. Kaya naoobserve ko din kung may nadadayong foreigners. Yung sa may kamayan lang talaga inabot ng ilang taon, pero nagsara din. Kung may pera naman ang isang foreigner, they might go sa other asians authentic restaurants tlaga.

Foreigners might like adobo tama as safest choice, pero i doubt they will like other foods gaya ng sinigang, menudo, etc. Safe bet din yung mga inihaw/ grilled, seafoods, etc. Kasi sa Mang Kiko dun may mga pumipila na ibang lahi. Mararamdaman naman natin kung gusto tlaga ng foreigners food natin or nagpapanggap lang to please us. Mas sikat pa nga ata ung balut, kasi exotic and weird sa kanila.

May mga ilan nakakasurvive at sumisikat like Jeepney restaurant sa New York, pero we dont know until when they survive but hopefully they will. Yung restaurants/ business venture ng chef na si Sandy Daza sa Vancouver is nalugi kaya umuwi sila sa pinas base sa mga news. So medyo mahirap din talaga at risky.

engr_boy

dito naman sa WA, sa midland may na-oorderan ng lechon. malapit sa amin sa thornlie, may carinderia style na kainan. malapit sa centrelink/medicare (sa albany highway), may nakita din ako. i have not tried any though, lagi naman may libreng pabalot sa mga pinoy parties nun kasagsagan ng holiday season.

to be frank, kulang sa spices and flavors ang typical pinoy food compared sa neighbours natin like vietnam, malaysia and thailand. And average pinoy food is not visually pleasing pa.