Lampara Kitchen + Bar: Bringing Back Classic Filipino-Ilokano Dishes to La Union with Family Recipes since the 70s

Classic family recipes passed down from generation to generation are like family heirlooms, preserved and well-kept to keep the family’s history and traditions alive. Enter Lampara Kitchen + Bar by Cucina ni Maan, a humble home-cooking restaurant from the Trinidads of San Fernando, La Union who preserves their family’s best dishes and shares them with the rest of us to enjoy.

Cucina ni Maan is a home-cooking restaurant created in 2021 specializing in classic Filipino-Ilocano cuisine and fusion dishes. Some of their bestsellers are bopis, a sauteéd dish consisting of pork heart and lungs with many different spices, and laing, from minced taro leaves and vegetables cooked in a unique coconut cream sauce.

Although the family kitchen officially began last 2021, its history actually roots way back from the 1970s from their lola’s recipes. “Back in the 70s, my lola put up a sari-sari store and a BBQ stall that fed and put my mom along with her siblings through school. The business was good and they had to set up tables outside the store for the customers coming in every night,” says inventory manager and assistant cook Alainah Chan. She also mentions that somewhere along the line, her lola’s business eventually died as her relatives eventually went to their own separate ventures in life.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last 2021 with everyone stuck at home due to quarantine restrictions, Chan and her relatives had more time to cook their classic Filipino-Ilokano dishes again, and found a perfect business opportunity to start with their family. “Food has always been part of my family history and who we are. Friends would often ask if we had planned on starting a food business, so we entertained the idea, “Why not continue what lola started?”,” Chan says.

She also says that apart from relearning and mastering her lola’s recipes, their family also took inspiration from some of their favorite Filipino restaurants such as Manam, Livestock, and Centro.

With Cucina ni Maan being their family’s first foray into the food industry again after 50 years, Chan mentions some of the roadblocks their home kitchen has experienced as well. She recalls, “It was hectic putting up a small food business from home. We willingly took upon an additional responsibility on top of our separate jobs and duties.” Their home kitchen also did not have a physical storefront, and she mentions this as a factor that used to limit their sales.

“[During this time] We increased our social media presence and marketed more through our usual customers, family friends, friends of friends and also bet on word of mouth,” she says. The family also had to learn different skills in managing their food business. “Having proper inventory and knowing how to budget are the two most important skills in any business. If we did not prioritize these, we would have been out of business!” Chan recalls.

Their family also noted how their business was able to bring their family even closer, and said, “The best part in doing this business is really the feeling of getting to connect and share a portion of my family history with our friends– and even strangers through our food.”

From starting as a humble home kitchen in 2021, Cucina ni Maan’s Lampara Kitchen + Bar will finally be having a physical restaurant in Mabini St. Catbangen San Fernando, La Union. Chan and her family will officially be opening Lampara Kitchen + Bar on May 30.

Alongside Lampara is their family’s car wash business and non-life insurance business with Metropolitan Insurance Company Inc., “We would greatly appreciate if you’d support, like, and share our Facebook pages Lampara Kitchen + Bar @lamparakitchen and Lavare Car Wash @lavarecarwash!”, the Trinidad family says.