‘Queen Asia’ Gives Foodies Authentic Pinoy Cuisine in Utah
Jared Bray, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
Posted at 01/28/16 7:57 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – New Filipino restaurant Queen Asia is slicing and dicing its way to a royal reputation in the Salt Lake City food scene.
“It was great. I loved it. They had a variety of food and they had different flavors than American food,” said customer Row Gowen.
Another customer, Megan Bettilyon expressed, “This sounded like a fun place to go. Plus, they have karaoke. I mean, who doesn’t want to go to a restaurant that has karaoke?”
Local food critics have also been impressed. The Salt Lake Tribune, for example, recently wrote: “Diving into the heart of Queen Asia’s Filipino menu is highly encouraged.”
In a separate piece, the paper also named the eatery’s grilled squid as one of its 12 best dishes of 2015.
The pusit or grilled squid is stuffed with tomatoes, onions, and ginger and then carefully grilled until the tentacles are crunchy on the exterior.
Many Filipino restaurants have struggled to make it in Utah, but Queen Asia seems to be cooking up a solid following of both Pinoy and non-Pinoy customers.
Queen Asia co-owner Agnes Higley pointed out, “Lately, we have been getting a lot of repeat customers because of the consistency of the food that we serve, and they love that.”
According to Higley, another key ingredient in the restaurant’s recipe for success is helping diners feel at home.
“If I miss Filipino food, I can just go here anytime,” remarked customer Annaliza Blanquisco.
In the future, Queen Asia’s management plans to add new dishes to the menu as well as host concerts and shows by well-known Filipino performers.