In Princeton, Texas, a Filipino “karenderya” is attracting a lot of attention. Several people have been lining up to dine at a basic outdoor restaurant managed by Pinoy businesswoman Josephine Cook aka “Ate Jo” to their regulars and her Japanese-American husband, Allen, according to a feature report on GMA News’ “State of the Nation.”
They offer a lovely Filipino dining experience, replete with karaoke, and serve a variety of Pinoy comfort food such as lechon, banana cue, leche flan, and so on.
Big Hit: Pinoy Karenderya’ Has People Lining Up in Texas
Josephine explained that she came up with the outdoor karinderya concept after noticing the large number of indoor and air-conditioned restaurants in their neighbourhood.
When asked what the “secret ingredient” to their success was, Josephine simply stated that she wanted to see a smile on the faces of her customers.
“Yung ngingiti din sila kasi ngingiti ka [That moment when you smile at them and they smile back],” Josephine said.
“Kahit na pagod ka, ngumiti ka parin kasi [kapag] naghahanap buhay ka, gusto mo ‘yung hanapbuhay mo umunlad, ngumiti ka [No matter how tired you are, you should smile. You’re running a business! If you want it to go well, you should smile],” she added.
If you’re in the neighborhood or are visiting from nearby areas, make sure to check out their heavenly selection of all-time Filipino favorites served fresh and hot! Check out the photos below and try not to drool.
Screengrab from ORC Filipino Asian/American BBQ / Facebook Page
Catch the full video feature here:
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