Happy Saturday! As part of our
foodie weekend, we continued the festivities with a trip to the vibrant Pinoy Festival at
Swangard Stadium in Burnaby. It was the perfect way to celebrate a belated
Mom's birthday and Father's Day with the whole family!
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Pinoy Festival in Burnaby
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Of course, no Filipino festival is complete without exploring the incredible
food scene. I embarked on a delicious pork barbecue adventure, sampling
skewers from four vendors.
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Pinoy Festival in Burnaby
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Before I share our food adventure with you, below is a complete list of food
vendors at Pinoy Festival.
Manny's Grill
Our journey began with a classic pairing - pork barbecue and pancit. Manny's
Grill's barbecue took me right back to childhood. The melt-in-your-mouth pork
offered the perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and a touch of fatty richness.
It was absolutely the best barbecue we had all day, begging to be devoured
with fluffy white rice. Unfortunately, the pancit fell a bit short. While
flavorful, it lacked the variety of ingredients that make this stir-fried
noodle dish truly special.
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Pork Barbecue and Pancit from Manny's Grill
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Streetfood Hustle Food Truck
My next stop was Streetfood Hustle, where I shared a single pork barbecue
skewer with my husband. Their take on the dish was a delightful contrast. The
marinade leaned towards a savoury soy sauce base, highlighting the natural
flavour of the leaner cut of pork.
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Pork Barbecue from Streetfood Hustle
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Manila's Finest Food Truck
The next stop was worth the wait! Manila's Finest, a Kelowna-based gem,
offered a street food sampler that was an explosion of textures and flavours.
The fish balls, kikiam (deep-fried meat spring rolls), and squid balls were
perfectly cooked, each bursting with savoury goodness that reminded me of the
streets of Manila. This was hands-down the best Filipino street food I've had
since moving to Vancouver!
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Pork Barbecue and Streetfood Platter from
Manila's Finest
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We also tried their pork barbecue, which, while a touch sweet, was
unfortunately a bit too lean for my preference. The siomai (steamed pork
dumplings) didn't quite live up to my expectations either, lacking the rich
flavour I was hoping for. (For delicious Filipino siomai,
Macau Imperial Tea
still holds the crown so far!)
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Siomai from Manila's Finest
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Thankfully, their halo-halo completely redeemed itself. This shaved ice
dessert was pure perfection, a symphony of colourful ingredients like sweetened beans, jellies,
fruits, and leche flan. It had everything you could ask
for in a halo-halo, all perfectly balanced. Absolutely divine!
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Halo-Halo from Manila's Finest
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Boodle Filipino Fiesta
Our final food stop of the day was Boodle Filipino Fiesta. While the wait for
their grilled Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdog was long (an hour in line
followed by another 30 minutes for the food itself), the first bite made it
all worthwhile. This hotdog is exactly what I expected, begging for a generous
drizzle of ketchup and a plate of fluffy rice to complete the experience.
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Red Jumno TJ Hotdogs and Pork BBQ from Boodle
Filipino Fiesta
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I also tried their pork barbecue, which delivered the perfect sweet and
savoury balance I craved. However, a touch more fat would have elevated it to
new heights.
Despite the delicious food, I felt a little lighter than
expected. It could be the lack of readily available rice or the long lines
between food stops.
A minor suggestion for future Pinoy festivals: having the food vendors with a
view of the stage would allow hungry patrons to enjoy the performances while
waiting in line. Additionally, placing food vendors closer to the non-food
vendors might encourage more browsing, especially for those primarily focused
on culinary delights. (For the record, my youngest sister did find some
adorable crocheted octopus and snail plushies, while my younger sister scored
some beautiful candles!)
Overall, the Pinoy Festival was a fantastic way to celebrate Filipino culture
with my family. The food was incredible, and the atmosphere was vibrant.
