Filipino Restaurant Series: Pinpin
27 Comments
Karen Hamilton
May 25, 2009
A year after my quest has begun, I can now say with confidence that I have found a Filipino restaurant in Vancouver proper that has become my new standard: Pinpin.
Don’t be fooled by the “Filipino-Chinese” classification on Pinpin’s awning and menu. Most Filipinos eat dishes whose origins stem from China…but these so-called Filipino-Chinese dishes, like pancit canton and chicken mami, are unmistakeably Pinoy and would probably surprise your average Filipino by suggesting that it was even remotely Chinese. Moreover, the Chinese selections on Pinpin’s menu are clearly grouped on a single page of their colourful and informative menu.
Let’s touch upon this menu a little more.
Pinpin, being one of the rare Filipino eateries in the city that is not turo-turo (buffet) in style, has an enormous selection featuring a wide range of Tagalog and other regional dishes to satisfy most families in the know. For those who are new to the cuisine and unfamiliar with the language, be comforted that the menu also has full colour illustrations of some of the more popular items, plus English descriptions of every dish that would be hard to decipher otherwise.
I’d liken the style of this restaurant to a casual, family-style Chinese restaurant: no-frills environs, descriptive and extensive menu, a mix of standalone and communal tables, and huge portions. We’ve managed to eat at Pinpin as a couple for under $20 and always wind up asking for take-out containers to spoon our leftovers into. For maximum value, come in a group of 4 or more. You’ll be able to try a bunch of dishes for a similar price per person and approximate what it’d feel like to be in the midst of a Filipino family potluck.
Word of warning to non-Filipinos: be prepared for the stares. This establishment, like most Filipino restaurants, are patronized almost exclusively by Filipinos and their families, and having travelled in the Philippines recently, I suspect that it’s a habit to pay rapt attention to newcomers. However, no malice is intended, and if you venture to chat with any of your dining neighbours, I’m sure you’ll find everyone to be hospitable and friendly, if only a little surprised to see you.
But I digress – on to the food.
Pinpin comes the closest to my family’s style of cooking out of all the restaurants I have tried to date. Consequently, I feel right at home each time I drop in for a bite or grab a couple of dishes to take to go. Thus far, I’ve tried the sinigang, kare kare, pancit sotanghon, Bicol Express, lechon kawali, and pinakbet and can’t say anything but yum.
This is not to say that there are no criticisms to make.
My favourite dish to order, menudo, is nowhere to be found on their menu, despite conversations with the owners about making it a seasonal or even a regular offering in the future.
It’s also unbelievably packed, so finding sustenance for a group is next to impossible during peak dining times unless you’re prepared to wait in line or willing to settle for take-out.
Win a $30 gift certificate to Pinpin
I am so truly impressed by the food at Pinpin that I forked out $30 of my own cash for a gift certificate to Pinpin, so that one Tiny Bites reader can get a chance to sample what I feel to be one of the most representative Filipino restaurants in Vancouver proper. But you have to work for it.
Here are the contest rules.
- Drop me a comment here.
- In your comment, tell me about a Filipino dish that you either love or have always wanted to try. Share your reasons why that is so.
- On Friday, May 29th at 12pm, I’ll do a random draw from all the entries and announce the winner here and on Twitter.
If you can’t wait until then to try Pinpin, don’t let me stop you from heading there this week. I hope you’ll love it as much as we do.
Pinpin
6113 Fraser St | Vancouver
(604) 322-3086
Filipino Restaurant Series to date:
![Pinpin Contest Winner: TS of [eatingclub] vancouver](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3355/3576827446_6e953cde1c_s.jpg)
Categories: Food, Restaurants, Sunset
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27 Responses to “Filipino Restaurant Series: Pinpin”
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Tiny Bites is a food blog that explores all things edible and imbibable in Vancouver, British Columbia. More >
Articles by Karen Hamilton
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pinpin has a challenger in my books in little ongpin in richmond. but pinpin wins hands down in terms of quality and overall presentation. their inihaw plate is amazing. crispy pata rocks the house. kare-kare is delicious. sisig is still the only one in the city.
now i’m hungry! great post.
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I’ve gotta say, I’ve never actually had authentic Filipino food before, despite having many Filipino friends!
Next time I’m in that area, I’ll be headed there for sure!
Kinilaw! I want to try it; or various versions of it. I’ve heard so much about kinilaw in the past few months, but I haven’t actually seen it served anywhere (homes, catered gatherings, or restaurants!). Hmmm… perhaps the next logical thing is to make it myself? =)
What a great giveaway!
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I’ve never thought to visit a Filipino place for lunch or dinner, though I’ve tried pan de sal and have to say that it’s my favourite starchy food in the world. There’s a place on Main st (around main and 10th) that sells pan de sal in the mornings, freshly baked, too. nom.
I think the people who own Pinpin also own Little Ongpin in Richmond. However, I’ve heard that the quality of food in Little Ongpin is not really consistent. Some friends of my parents used to always drop by that place for dinner but they stopped going because it was always hit and miss.
Sisig is *the* thing to order for sure! It’s the dish I miss the most, and the one that is almost impossible to make at home because where the heck are you supposed to find meat for sisig?
Pinpin is pretty awesome, my fiancee and i would frequent it more if they were open on mondays which is the one day she and i have off together at least once a month, but on the rare occasion that we have a weekend off and there isn’t a line-up out the doors of pinpin, we’re there for their “lumpiang sariwa” and lechon kawali…mmm.
Though our favourite filipino dish dish would have to be a three way tie between kare-kare and sinigang na baboy, and daing na bangus! Kare kare and Sinigang just screams comfort food and home. when we have it we can never seem to stop eating. can’t forget the bagoong for the kare kare and the patis for the sinigang to complete the meal. And as for daing na bangus, not sure what it is, but its the best filipino breakfast with garlic fried rice and egg, gotta have it with the egg! We can have seconds and thirds, its just sooo good! One fish each, just isn’t enough =)
Oh, I’m hungry now!
I’ve no experience of authentic Filipino food but the Bicol Express in that last photo looks just the thing for me – chilis and coconut milk… mmmmm!
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I’m slowly getting my fiancee to try Filipino food. Mad props to you for suggesting Sandy’s (and the food was excellent, by the way!), but I digress.
I’d love to see a professional chef’s take on afritada. My mom makes very good afritada and it’s always reminded me of how I learned to cook – by looking over mom’s shoulder! Well, that, and the sheer obstinacy of multiple cooking attempts to get a good result
.
Another one I’d love to see is relyenong bangus (stuffed milkfish). I typically only see it during fiestas and special occasions, and I haven’t eaten one in years and years.
That’s where we go when I need a Filipino food fix. Or rather, where I send my husband since I’m embarrassed by my pronunciation and at least no one would fault a white guy for pronouncing kare kare (my fav) incorrectly.
First time ive stumbled upon your blog.
I have to say, since I have never had Fillipino food, I have no idea what to expect, but I would love to try their stuffed tilipia
that crispy pata photo almost killed me! though i can make some decent filipino dishes, i cannot…and will not right now for lack of equipment and proper exhaust in our suite…make crispy pata! and i so miss sisig too!!!! haven’t had those 2 dishes in more than 2 years now!!! yummmmm!
Please count me in on your prize raffle. I enjoy eating in Pinpin whenever I drive across the bridge to Vancouver. (I live in Richmond.) The dish I like is their lumpiang sariwa. Yummy!!
FYI, Little Ongpin in Richmond is no where related to Pinpin. Little Ongpin just copied Pinpin’s menu but failed miserably in the taste department. I for one just like the other commenter have stopped going to Little Ongpin. I think they should fire their cooks and start over.
I have only knowingly tried one Filipino dish and that was the one that you made! Corned Beef Sinigang– it was delicious! I have to admit that with my little experience in this cuisine, I was hesitant to try out some restaurants without a recommendation. With your sage advice on Pin Pin, I will no doubt be paying them a visit.
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Kilawing puso ng saging (banana heart)is one of my favorites. My grandma in the Philippines would cook this dish for me everytime I visit her – my last visit was in 1999. I’ve been craving it for 10 years now!
I’ve never had Filipino food — ever! Which is weird, because I have a good friend who’s Filipina and we always mean to go.
That said, I’ve always wanted to try kare-kare. Peanuts? Beef? It sounds just my thing.
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I don’t know the name, but I like the deep fried bananas, or perhaps they’re plantains.
Hi tinybites, I hope this comment makes it for the contest deadline!
Years ago I had a fantastic meal at a Filipina friend’s house, where her mom made this wonderful, fragrant smashed eggplant (with the stem remaining in as decor) with eggs fried into it. We ate it with spicy sauce on the side. I have no idea what it’s called or if it’s even an authentic Filipino dish (my friend said it was a popular recipe), but I’ve often reminisced fondly and have wanted to try it again since.
The other dish I would love to try is sinigang. I don’t know what it is but another Filipino friend who recommended it to me told me that it involves meat and spicy goodness. My live-in boyfriend recently became vegetarian, so I’ve really been craving meaty comfort dishes lately, as I don’t cook meat for both of us anymore. Sinigang would be the perfect re-introduction to beef (how I miss thee)!
@debbieshing
Pinpin is so yummy, definitely seems to have some Chinese influence but I think that’s why I actually like it more than a more ‘authentic’/traditional-feeling place like Josephine’s on Main. Had the lechon kawali, which was great, the sauce/gravy & veggies was a nice counter-balance to the super crispy lechon. Yum.
I’ve never had a chance to have authentic Filipino food, but one recipe I’ve found that looks absolutely delicious (despite seeming incredibly simple) is Lechon Kawali (pan-fried pork).
A lot of more complicated recipes are more likely to have something in them I can’t eat, but this one sounds delicious – enough that I might just make it myself!
I guess this would qualify as Filipino-Chinese, but I love Lumpia, which are basically long meat eggrolls. I first discovered them in the Idaho town my grandparents lived in and where I went to college. A Filipino-American friend’s Japanese wife cooked them for me, and I loved them so much that she would somehow sneak into the kitchen whenever I came to visit and before I’d been there more than a few minutes she have a plate full for me. I think she made them in big batches and had them ready in the freezer.
Enjoyed them enough that I’ve obtained the recipe and made them myself several times at home.
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[...] has won a $30 gift certificate to Pinpin, my favourite Filipino restaurant in Vancouver. That should be enough for you and a friend with room for dessert. For that, I suggest any of the [...]
i have tasted pinpin restaurant here in the phils before but when i tasted the pinpin rest in vancouver it reminds me of the olden days because the food is much like the same and is yummy i hope they put up another branch even in toronto so that people would not miss the authentic chinese cuisine which have handed down from generation the owners are also very accomodating and kind good luck more power and see u again pinpin
oh my god just mentioning the name pinpin reminds me of the calamares and atay con casuy which we always order during our teens in binondo and now that pinpin is in vancouver we will always visit you whenever were around we have been to some resto in vancouver but sorry to say its still far different from pinpin
[...] Filipino Restaurant Series: Pinpin [...]