An Insider's GuideAn IntroductionYour Guide to Filipino Food in Melbourne

With a single, working mum and not much else going on outside of school and extracurriculars, when I was a kid, I had pretty much set up camp at my best friend’s house, whether it was for after-school hangs, group projects, cooking classes, legendary sleepovers and oh-so-much more.

The Silvas were originally from the Philippines. Lore moved to my hometown, when we were kids and became inseparable throughout high school. Her mum —better known to me as ‘Aunty’— was an absolute maverick in the kitchen and my personal gateway to Pinoy (slang for Filipino) food.

Mornings at Aunty’s were an experience—telenovelas like Yo Soy Betty, La Fea (the OG Ugly Betty) running on full volume in the background, while she juggled chores and still managed to cook up a feast for her five kids—and the extra mouth to feed (me, obviously, and sometimes a few more of us strays).

Aunty’s meals weren’t just food—they were how she showed love, and how it brought people together. The younger me quickly fell in love with signature dishes like ube, lechon, leche flan (which I still dream about), sinigang, and chicharon (pork skin crackling for the uncultured).