Kalye Hits and Exotic Pinoy Foods Like Isaw in the US

Today, I felt compelled to write this blog.

In the US, I live in a area that is densely populated with Filipinos. Well that’s California for you. As far as North of San Francisco to the Southern edge of Chula Vista right near the border of Tijuana Mexico. You will find niches of Filipino towns, Filipino malls that makes you feel home away from home.

I am ashamed to say though given my mixed Pinoy heritage that there are certain Filipino foods I strongly refuse to eat.

Number one is Adobo ( yes yes shame on me ) and the next is Lumpia. The first was due to a bad experience I had with my Nana which she feed me adobo everyday for nearly a month that I have lost all the desire to eat or even smell the meal without gagging, no matter how good the chef who prepares it.

Lumpia for me is overrated. Chinese restaurants have it, Japanese places serve it….American Buffets have them. So I’m kinda over the flood of Lumpia everywhere.

I do like though is Pork Belly or Liempo…most Americans call them giant slabs of bacon. I like em grilled and dipped in vinegar with some crushed garlic and soy sauce. Then there's the other favorites like Sinigang, Nilaga, Pancit… which if you live right next to a Goldilocks in San Francisco or San Diego…you have no problem of running out of your Pinoy food craves.

However, if you are craving for old school Filipino exotic street foods like Isaw ( barbecued pork or chicken innards). Kwek-Kwek ( deep friend quail eggs ), Addidas ( barbecued chicken foot), Fish balls and Kikiam ( Filipino Fishsticks ), then you have better luck in just buying a plane ticket back to the Philippines because not all Filipino restaurants here serve these.

Ironically the ingredients to make the above mentioned are inexpensive and easy to make. In the Philippines alone, they are called "street food" since you can see any person at a corner street, roadside or sari sari store barbecuing them by mid-day till late night in a makeshift coal grill. They are also called Pulutan food…food that you normally eat when you are having some beers with friends. Its funny because my dad would warn me how dirty some of them are yet I still eat them anyway..the thrill of meal, plus a quick and inexpensive lunch when you are on a tight budget back in High School and College.

I was lucky enough that a friend showed me recently the possibly ONLY place in California and surrounding states that serve these. Seriously Google it and this is the only name that comes up.

The place is called Kalye Hits. Its located in National City, CA in a literally hole-in-the wall location right next to another Pinoy restaurant called Point Point Joint ( or in Tagalog Turo Turo). Their hours are awesome, open till late and they are always busy:

Mon - Thurs: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

Fri - Sat: 11:00 am - 3:00 am

Sun: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

In addition to the street foods, they also sell other Pinoy favorites like Shawarma, Goto, Arroz Caldo, Pork and Chicken Barbecue even birthday cakes. The isaw and barbecue sticks are sold per stick and its not a small serving either. I have friends from as far as Oxnard ( that’s a nearly 3 hours drive) that venture to this little shop in a weekly pilgrimage for a taste of their old favorites.

The place is popular but doesn’t get that much web buzz….YET. So hence me posting this article to inform my other Pinoy foodies in the US.

Also to other Filipino Entrepreneurs in the US this may be a great idea for you as a start up business. Seriously.. if there is only one Pinoy Street food restaurant in the whole of California serving this that is doing good business..think what it can do for you.

Links to the place are as follows

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Z8dDAvsbWjcdYiaaYJHU8g?select=VfjYi8DfKrF7MPxjNiFglg
Facebook page

Was He Really Arrogant?

Last week has been a flurry of debates about the infamous Youtube video of US Pop Idol Justin Bieber titled “ Justin Bieber: How arrogant can you be” posted by a scorned fan and daughter of the father featured in the video being brushed off by the singer. The video for me was too choppy for me to see, some say he was pushed away other seems he was ignored. In my interpretation, the man quickly rushed over to Justin as he was quickly walking out of the tarmac and brushed passed the man who dropped something on the floor. The daughter immediately posted the video and closed the comments section in her Youtube account.

Since then PEP and Yahoo Philippines and other media sites has picked up the story of the Viral Vid calling Justin ungrateful to the very fans that lifted him up to his fame. And the opinions and flurry of comments came flooding in on whether the pop idol or the employee was on the wrong for their actions.

The work I am in now allows me to work and interact with VIP clients such as high profile celebrities and politicians. Most of who have a similar crazed fan base as Justin Bieber. As a fan myself, say if I am in the presence of the cast of Fringe or of Jonny Depp, my human side is fighting every last cell of my body from trying to give one of them a hug, a kiss and ask for an autograph.

However before the start of our shift we are briefed such actions are unprofessional, can cause problems with the security detail and can also get us suspended or worse fired. Already the fact the fan approached the VIP and another video taping the incident by both employees of the airport questions security and protocol issues by the managers of NAIA.

After a while working with such VIPS, some I can say ARE snobs, others seem like they are, not because of choice but because they are instructed to ignore fans at certain areas by their agents and bodyguards due to security reasons. In most cases celebrities can only pose for pictures and sign autographs for a short period of time at certain public areas.

I understand that the Tatay in the video was trying his best to give his daughter such a great gift. After all his daughters greatest fan can walk up to him once in a lifetime. However the viral buzz of the video has taken the whole thing out of context. Maybe JB was sick, maybe he was running late behind schedule, maybe his agents told him to ignore any fans that come his way as he walks out, maybe he really is arrogant. There are many factors here to consider and we have yet to hear from the actors side. And also remember that US has a different way of how their celebrities interact with fans as compared to Philippine celebrities. Seriously its only in the Philippines I find certain people actually do a live interview that they have an STD or tweet how jealous they are of another co-host or air.

I am not defending the actor here, but the issue is now a mountain of a molehill. What does the daughter want? A public apology from JB which I am sure the Philippine fan base will be gain spilt on their opinions about him, and rebirth of new issues about his actions. This can cause a gaffe between possible future concerts of the actor in Manila. Because seriously, every US based celebrity that visits our country seems to get a bad rep the moment they leave.

And the father who IMO broke some serious protocol in walking over to him to ask for an autograph. He was actually lucky he was just brushed aside. I have witnessed and myself have been tackled by a bodyguard simply by being within a few feets space of an VIP. If I was NAIA’s marketing and security manager, the best way I could have deflected this issue was give everyone involved a serious briefing on professionalism when facing a VIP. And then speak to the agents/publicists of the VIP for a latter photoshoot with the crew as a complimentary gift in exchange for assisting JB on both his arrival and departure in Manila. Most celebrity agents allow this because it builds rapport with them and the company and can be used as a positive publicity stunt.

Reading most of the comments in PEP and Yahoo Philippines, show that the fans are running mostly on emotions. But we need to see all sides of things in every issue and controversy before making hasty judgments and conclusions.

Unfortunately humanity nowadays with the rise of social media, have an unsalable hunger for negativity, trolling and controversy.