A Taste of the Philippines in Buffalo’s Theater District
The act of creating a delicious meal is powerful. A savory dish, one full of spices and aromas, crisp textures, saltiness, sweetness, buttery, or tartness, moves us in inexplicable ways. The sensations we receive when eating a good meal are memorable. For many, a single bite of a delicious meal can transport you to a distant memory, your childhood, or that first great restaurant you tried as a young adult.
As for me, that first bite often sends me back to my old Los Angeles neighborhood, where the sounds of the streets erupted with the roar of vendors, sirens, laughter, the smell of smoke, and the sizzle of fat. Memories that were instrumental to my love for food and endless quest for a good dish.
Friendships are made around a meal, and some of the greatest bonds are formed at the dinner table. Throughout my teenage years, one of my best friends was a hysterical, lanky teen, Alvin, who spent his early years in Manila before leaving the Philippines to settle in Southern California with both his parents. Like good friends, we spent our free time at each other’s houses after school.
A peek inside the Downtown Bazaar in the Theater District, filled with beautiful, illuminated lanterns.
What I loved most was going over to Alvin’s home to a freshly opened can of Spam or Vienna Sausages, a pot of rice steaming on the stove top, but most of all the aromas of a homemade Filipino meal, which was usually a slow-braised, savory, tender Chicken Adobo, and a garlicky plate of Pancit Palabok stacked with hard-boiled eggs, and other garnishes. Looking back on those days, I can say with full certainty, we didn’t have much, but we always had enough.
Recently, I had been reminiscing on those formative days of my early adulthood, the comedic moments in my past, but importantly, the strong Filipino communities and the abundant restaurants. I needed a fix, and I needed it bad. Unfortunately, Western New York and the Finger Lakes lack Filipino restaurants. Interestingly, I have met many Filipino community members who all feel the same way. Searching for a restaurant, I discovered that a food vendor called Pinoy Boi was operating at one of the stalls inside the Downtown Bazaar in Buffalo’s Theater District. With haste, I planned my next trip to visit the Nickel City.
A front view of Pinoi Boi, the Filipino kitchen located inside Buffalo’s Downtown Bazaar.
While I came to Pinoy Boi expecting an authentic taste of the Philippines, I also found a small taste of home. Inspecting the menu, smelling the aromas, and placing my order at the counter brought me to a familiar place, and eating a generous plate of charred, tender and buttery, smoky, and flavorful pork Sisig, a helping of sticky rice, an over-hard fried egg, and two crispy, savory, and seasoned Lumpia pieces (Lumpiang Shanghai) served with a side of a fresh sweet chili sauce brought me gratitude. It was a taste of the Philippines and a familiar taste of my old neighborhood that I needed after a long Northeast winter.
For those who venture across the border to visit Toronto for an authentic and savory Filipino meal, I recommend checking out Pinoy Boi at the Downtown Bazaar. It’s a fantastic place for a quick and tasty bite.
The Pork Sisig plate made fresh at Pinoi Boi, a Filipino kitchen in the Theater District in downtown Buffalo.
