KENT, Wash. — Eating at Fil Cuisine in Kent will get you as close to the Philippines as you can get, without taking a flight.
"The food out here is what you would eat if you fly back to Manila. It's a taste of home in Kent," shared Jose Panlilio, co-owner of Fil Cuisine.
At Fil Cuisine, they take traditional Filipino food seriously; and that goes for the BBQ as well.
"Barbecue is part of the culture in the Philippines. If you go there, every street corner you will see a grill with smoke billowing up. It's like a McDonalds here, where every corner you have a McDonald's or a Starbucks — Filipino bbq is the same thing," explained Panlilio.
At Fil Cuisine, they serve traditional chicken and pork barbecue skewers. They also sell ribs. It's similar to the traditional Filipino BBQ, but with a Texas-style twist.
But good Filipino barbecue starts with the marinade. The one at Fil Cuisine is traditional and has been passed on through generations.
"It has a sweet, tangy taste. The sauce that you use is vinegar to get that tangy taste. There's an element of Sprite to tenderize the meat and then some secret sauces. It's sweet, tangy and very soft," said Panlilio.
Fil Cuisine typically sells out of barbecue on the weekends, so it is recommended people order ahead.
They have a second location planned for Lynnwood.
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