{"id":204058,"date":"2019-03-24T00:32:04","date_gmt":"2019-03-24T04:32:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=204058"},"modified":"2019-03-24T00:32:04","modified_gmt":"2019-03-24T04:32:04","slug":"eskenita-foods-a-smoky-corner-of-filipino-favorites-in-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/03\/24\/eskenita-foods-a-smoky-corner-of-filipino-favorites-in-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"Eskenita Foods: A Smoky Corner of Filipino Favorites in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-204058 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/03\/24\/eskenita-foods-a-smoky-corner-of-filipino-favorites-in-canada\/52729384_1173115036147182_4117923134831591424_n\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52729384_1173115036147182_4117923134831591424_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-204060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52729384_1173115036147182_4117923134831591424_n.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52729384_1173115036147182_4117923134831591424_n-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52729384_1173115036147182_4117923134831591424_n-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52729384_1173115036147182_4117923134831591424_n-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-204060'>\n\t\t\t\tStarted from just selling on Filipino festivals, now, they already have put up an actual restaurant in Toronto. Currently grilling in Steeles Avenue West in Thornhill, Ontario, the Eskenita Foods. (Supplied)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/03\/24\/eskenita-foods-a-smoky-corner-of-filipino-favorites-in-canada\/52548564_313398392705235_7044754759336591360_n\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52548564_313398392705235_7044754759336591360_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-204063\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52548564_313398392705235_7044754759336591360_n.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52548564_313398392705235_7044754759336591360_n-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52548564_313398392705235_7044754759336591360_n-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52548564_313398392705235_7044754759336591360_n-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52548564_313398392705235_7044754759336591360_n-1024x1024.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-204063'>\n\t\t\t\tEskenita Foods&#8217; different kinds of skewers such as Pork Barbecue, Pork Intestine (Isaw ng Baboy), and Adidas (Chicken Feet). (Supplied)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/03\/24\/eskenita-foods-a-smoky-corner-of-filipino-favorites-in-canada\/52513890_346374389299142_6493610193543233536_n-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52513890_346374389299142_6493610193543233536_n-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-204067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52513890_346374389299142_6493610193543233536_n-1.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52513890_346374389299142_6493610193543233536_n-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52513890_346374389299142_6493610193543233536_n-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52513890_346374389299142_6493610193543233536_n-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52513890_346374389299142_6493610193543233536_n-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-204067'>\n\t\t\t\tEskenita Foods&#8217; Pork Intestine or Isaw ng Baboy (Supplied)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/03\/24\/eskenita-foods-a-smoky-corner-of-filipino-favorites-in-canada\/52508153_239222446982815_2559160030007918592_n\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52508153_239222446982815_2559160030007918592_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-204071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52508153_239222446982815_2559160030007918592_n.jpg 960w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52508153_239222446982815_2559160030007918592_n-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52508153_239222446982815_2559160030007918592_n-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52508153_239222446982815_2559160030007918592_n-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-204071'>\n\t\t\t\tEskenita Foods&#8217; #PiyestaEskenita &#8211; a boodle fight set with different kinds of grilled sea foods and meat. (Supplied)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/03\/24\/eskenita-foods-a-smoky-corner-of-filipino-favorites-in-canada\/52861281_580978632329410_2502153229735821312_n-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"565\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52861281_580978632329410_2502153229735821312_n-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-204080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52861281_580978632329410_2502153229735821312_n-1.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52861281_580978632329410_2502153229735821312_n-1-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52861281_580978632329410_2502153229735821312_n-1-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52861281_580978632329410_2502153229735821312_n-1-1024x536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-204080'>\n\t\t\t\tEskenita Foods&#8217; another iced dessert, Mais Con Yelo. (Supplied)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/03\/24\/eskenita-foods-a-smoky-corner-of-filipino-favorites-in-canada\/52446357_292334841451116_7148021020266332160_n-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"851\" height=\"851\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52446357_292334841451116_7148021020266332160_n-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-204082\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52446357_292334841451116_7148021020266332160_n-1.jpg 851w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52446357_292334841451116_7148021020266332160_n-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52446357_292334841451116_7148021020266332160_n-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52446357_292334841451116_7148021020266332160_n-1-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 851px) 100vw, 851px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-204082'>\n\t\t\t\tEskenita Foods&#8217; Special Turon with 2 Scoops of Ice Cream. (Supplied)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/03\/24\/eskenita-foods-a-smoky-corner-of-filipino-favorites-in-canada\/52901618_251724942378721_1871759318966075392_n\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52901618_251724942378721_1871759318966075392_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-204084\" srcset=\"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52901618_251724942378721_1871759318966075392_n.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52901618_251724942378721_1871759318966075392_n-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52901618_251724942378721_1871759318966075392_n-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/52901618_251724942378721_1871759318966075392_n-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-204084'>\n\t\t\t\tThe owners of Eskenita Foods with Toronto Mayor John Tory at one of the biggest Filipino festivals in Toronto, Taste of Manila. (Supplied)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Remember one afternoon in the Philippines, when the sun\u2019s about to set and you suddenly crave for some <em>merienda<\/em> but you realize it\u2019s too early to have dinner yet?<\/p>\n<p>Remember just having to step out of your house, your school, or your office and you\u2019ll already have a variety of food selections along your street to choose from?<\/p>\n<p>Remember that cart that <em>manong <\/em>pushes, full of <em>tusok-tusok<\/em> to choose from? Or the stall on one corner of the street almost covered with smoke from the <em>ihaw-ihaw<\/em> they\u2019re selling? Maybe the stall on the other side with different kinds of cold desserts?<\/p>\n<p>For Filipinos, who love eating and usually allot four meals a day, street foods are the best choice not only for <em>merienda <\/em>\u2013 most common to Filipinos as the meal before dinner, but also just whenever we feel like snacking.<\/p>\n<p>This, for sure, is one of the many things Filipinos miss whenever they live abroad.<\/p>\n<p>Having a plate of your favorite Filipino dish \u2013 such as adobo, sinigang, kaldereta, etc. is easier whenever you miss those while living in another country. All you\u2019ll need is a recipe and a list of ingredients that are usually easy to find at the supermarket. But what if you suddenly crave for something else, something Filipino, but something you won\u2019t be able to get or prepare <em>that<\/em> easy? Something you love eating along the street corners around your house back in your home country?<\/p>\n<p>Here in the Philippines, University Belt\u2019s (U-Belt) <em>hepa lane<\/em> is one of the famous street food places in the Metro. Along the streets of R. Papa and Morayta is a lane of different kinds of skewers such as <em>kwek-kwek<\/em>, fish balls, squid balls, <em>kikiam<\/em>, fried <em>isaw <\/em>(pork intestines), fried <em>kalamares <\/em>(calamari), banana cue, etc., or students\u2019 favorite heavy <em>merienda<\/em> like hamburger or hotdog sandwiches, matched with a cold refreshing drink like <em>samalamig<\/em> or buko juice. These, you can have at a very cheap price but will definitely fill your hungry tummies and gratify your cravings.<\/p>\n<p>But how about in Canada?<\/p>\n<p>Now, worry no more, fellow <em>Pinoys<\/em>, because a Filipino couple, who are now living in Canada, has brought your favorite street foods to Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to satisfy the cravings of our <em>kababayans<\/em> and to bring them home without even having to leave the foreign country.<\/p>\n<p>After staying for quite a while in Canada, couple John Paul Abejo and Ana Clariz Inarda first noticed in a Filipino festival back in 2015 that there were no vendors selling authentic street foods from the Philippines. Considering the large Filipino community in Toronto, John and Ana thought it would be a good idea to put up a restaurant in GTA that caters mostly Filipino street foods.<\/p>\n<p>What started from just selling on Filipino festivals, now, they already have put up an actual restaurant in Toronto. Currently grilling in Steeles Avenue West in Thornhill, Ontario, the <em>Eskenita Foods.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Finally bringing another part of the Filipino culture in the place, fellow <em>kababayans <\/em>were excited when the restaurant opened in September 2017. <em>Eskenita Foods<\/em> reminded the <em>Pinoys<\/em> in Canada how it feels like living in the Philippines again just by visiting the store \u2013 with the raw skewers welcoming them when they enter the place just like how it is set up in the <em>ihaw-ihaw <\/em>stalls in the Philippines.<\/p>\n<p>While parents who had their children born and raised in Canada were also delighted to introduce these, perhaps, unknown Filipino trend to them, who have never experienced the authenticity of eating street foods in their home country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur main goal is to cater to our Filipino community and make them \u2018feel at home\u2019 and make them feel nostalgic when they eat our food,\u201d John said during our interview then adding, \u201cIt is also our goal to showcase our street food to non-Filipinos here in Toronto and give them a little taste\/experience of what it\u2019s like to be in the streets of the Philippines.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Also with these goals, John and Ana made sure to keep their whole store as simple as possible \u2013 not just on the menu and the foods they\u2019re serving, but as well as the look of their place.<\/p>\n<p>Fancy is definitely not on their vocabulary when they thought about the concept of their store, as much as it isn\u2019t on the typical street foods stall in the Philippines. Outside, you can see a large sign with their name and logo at top of the fa\u00e7ade. While another poster with their logo is posted on their glass windows with the list of their menu and some photos of the mouth-watering foods they offer.<\/p>\n<p>While inside, a wall purely painted with a creamy white color that accents the basic dark brown sets of table and chairs will welcome you.\u00a0 A huge banner with photos of their past Filipino festival participations as a store is hung on the wall. And to touch the millennials and gen-Zs, Eskenita Foods started a gimmick wherein they take a picture of their customers, or what they prefer to call <em>#TeamEskenita <\/em>friends, enjoying their food, and post it on their social media pages and store wall, as well.<\/p>\n<p>Their place is so simple that some non-Filipino customers are wondering and even\u00a0complaining of how different their store is to other Filipino restaurants in town that they know. But for John and Ana, they take this as an opportunity to introduce and share to them what it\u2019s like being in the Philippines.<\/p>\n<p>Onto the foods!<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, Filipino\u2019s favorite <em>isaw<\/em>, or pork\/chicken intestines are not that appealing to the foreign customers as it is to our <em>kababayans<\/em> as they are not that adventurous enough to try the famous exotic skewer. They rather have the chicken barbecue because of its unique and owner\u2019s proud home-made basting.<\/p>\n<p>But aside from <em>isaw<\/em> and chicken barbecue, there are a lot more grilled skewers to choose from, such as pork barbecue, <em>adidas <\/em>(chicken feet), walkman (pork ears), <em>balunbalunan<\/em> (chicken gizzard), grilled pork skin, and <em>betamax<\/em> (hardened pork blood).<\/p>\n<p>They also offer what\u2019s famously called in the Philippines as <em>tusok-tusok<\/em> like <em>kwek-kwek<\/em> (battered quail egg), fish ball, and <em>kikiam<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>While the main concept of the restaurant lies on bringing authentic street foods to Canada, Eskenita Foods also offers other variety of Filipino foods such as the beloved all-day breakfast <em>si-logs <\/em>[si \u2013 <em>sinangag <\/em>(fried rice); log \u2013 <em>itlog<\/em> (fried egg)].<\/p>\n<p>Also, they offer group meals that are served in a boodle fight set-up, to which they call #PiyestaEskenita. The set is served on banana leaves, with a lane of rice topped with different grilled pork skewers, <em>liempo <\/em>(grilled pork belly), sea foods, salted egg, with a variety of sauces scattered around, and citrus fruits. Just the sight of it already makes you starving.<\/p>\n<p>Thirsty? Of course, Eskenita Foods also brought Filipino\u2019s classic refreshment \u2013 <em>samalamig<\/em>. <em>Samalamig <\/em>is a sweetened drink with bits of <em>sago <\/em>and <em>gulaman.<\/em> But they also have flavored juices to choose from \u2013 orange, apple-grape, and apple.<\/p>\n<p>And who would forget the popular Filipino cold dessert \u2013 <em>halo-halo &#8212; t<\/em>he icy sweet course loaded with different ingredients, filled with crushed ice and milk, topped with <em>ube<\/em> (purple yam) and leche flan. The dessert that even though it\u2019s rainy season, you\u2019d still want to savour, is also in here.<\/p>\n<p>Eskenita Foods is really the place to be to every Filipino in Canada. Like what they say, <em>There\u2019s no place like home.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>No need to wait for the clock to reach 3:30, because when you are in Eskenita Foods, it is always <em>merienda <\/em>time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Remember one afternoon in the Philippines, when the sun\u2019s about to set and you suddenly crave for some merienda but &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":204060,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-204058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-filipino-canadian-in-focus","category-food","mauthors-arlnie-colleene-talain-singca","mauthors-philippine-canadian-inquirer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=204058"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204058\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/204060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=204058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=204058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}