The Isle of Wight’s 1st Filipino restaurant – Kusina Restobar – opens today (Saturday 8th October) on Holyrood Street in the heart of Newport.
Not only will it be the 1st eatery of its type on the Island – Kusina will be the only such establishment along our stretch of the South Coast. There are not believed to be any Filipino diners in either Portsmouth or Southampton.
Kusina – the Filipino word for kitchen – is the brainchild of Cristy Pedley, who moved to the United Kingdom from the Philippines 28 years ago. Cristy was originally marketing manager for a shipbuilder in the Philippines. She 1st came to England in 1994 to cooperate with FBM Marine in Cowes, in a project for the construction of fast passenger vessels.
Cristy subsequently settled on the Island. She has raised 2 children here: Genesis (now a solicitor in London) and Christopher (who is currently studying to become an engineer).
Ms Pedley is no stranger to the world of business. She is the owner of the beauty shop Metier Ingenuity (St Thomas’s Square, opposite God’s Providence House). While living in the Philippines, she ran 4 restaurants as well as a travel agency.
Island Echo spoke to Cristy about her restaurant, Filipino cuisine and life on the Island.
Cristy said:
“I’m sure we are the 1st Filipino restaurant to open in the Isle of Wight. I’m not aware of anything similar in Southampton or Portsmouth, but I know there is a Filipino restaurant in Brighton.
Article continues below this advertisement “When I 1st came to the Island in 1994, it was impossible to get the ingredients for Filipino cooking. Now, you can buy the necessary fish sauces and seasoning in supermarkets like Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s, and Asda.
“Filipino dishes contain all the richness that only Filipinos can make. It is simple cooking, using simple ingredients, but very flavoursome. Filipino cuisine is more savoury than spicy. It’s not as hot as Thai food and not as sweet as Chinese.
“Adobo is the national dish. It can be made with any kind of meat: goat, lamb, chicken, or pork. Every Filipino Island has its own cuisine, and we have 7 thousand islands. This means we have 7 thousand different ways to cook adobo.
“Living on the Isle of Wight means I miss my family back home and the weather: it is usually over 30C all year round in the Philippines. But the Isle of Wight is now my home.”
We also spoke to Cristy’s husband Rick about his wife’s restaurant and Filipino food and drink.
Rick Pedley said:
“We are aiming to create amazing food and a friendly, family atmosphere here at Kusina. We want to make the restaurant affordable for families: somewhere you can go to eat tasty food without breaking the bank.
“The favourite beer in the Philippines is Red Horse and the most popular spirit is Tanduay rum. But both are difficult to source. We can buy San Miguel beer here, however.
“With non-alcoholic drinks, Filipinos drink coffee and tea much like we do. But bubble tea (milky tea with semolina balls) is a Filipino speciality.
“You should try the Filipino breakfasts. They are in some ways like a full English with sausages and fried eggs, but the sausages are spicier. We are going to be open every Sunday, serving Filipino breakfasts from 8:00.
Finally, we asked Rick about the Filipino community here on the Isle of Wight.
Rick told Island Echo:
“They love the fact that their kids can get free medical care and schooling, which they would have to pay for at home. They can lead a better life here. The Philippines is a lovely place, but only if you have money.
“There are a few thousand Filipinos on the Isle of Wight. Not only do they work in St Mary’s hospital, but they are also employed at Vestas, in care homes and some even work for Wight Fibre.
“The change of the seasons astounds them. Where they come from is on the equator, and therefore it is the same weather all year round. Also, they get thrown by the changes in the length of the day, as in the Philippines this remains constant throughout the year.”
Kusina RestoBar is located at 7/8 Holyrood Street, Newport. It will be open daily from 16:30 until late and from 8:00 to 14:30 on Sundays. Further details may be found on the Kusina Facebook page.
I really hope this is successful for you I will certainly try it out
Sounds great. I will take my wife there !
“The Philippines is a lovely place, but only if you have money.”
My Filipino mate says the same. i tell him to get a job. He doesn’t listen, such is life.
I worked there for a couple of weeks- lovely welcoming people. I just couldn’t fancy eating whole fish which seemed to be part of their staple diet.