Filipino restaurant serving taste of home

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This article was published 11/08/2022 (1129 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Those wondering what’s on the menu of Brandon’s new Filipino restaurant only have to look at the name and logo to get a good idea.

Robyns Lechon opened in June at the former home of Los Brothers and Hansen and Gretel Schnitzel House at 361 First St.

“Lechon” is a type of whole roast pig that is frequently featured at Filipino gatherings.

At Robyns — named after the 10-year-old daughter of owners Sunshine and Ryan Bahena — they roast slabs of pork belly on a rotisserie originally used for cooking poultry.

That’s why the restaurant’s logo has a smiling, winking pig enticing customers to come in and enjoy its namesake.

“It’s moist inside and very crispy inside,” Ryan said of lechon. “It’s very popular nowadays, especially in the Philippines … I’m very proud to serve the lechon belly here so the people of Brandon don’t miss out.”

He wouldn’t say all their customers have liked the taste of his lechon, but Ryan said most people who tried it have loved it.

Though the restaurant has only been open for a couple of months, eagle-eyed visitors might notice an “est. 2014” element on the signage.

That’s because the Bahenas operated a catering service specializing in lechon in their native Philippines. Back then, they cooked their lechon the traditional way using charcoal outside.

For those who have never tried Filipino food, Ryan described it as well seasoned with a variety of spice levels and dishes to appeal to a wide range of taste buds.

Apart from the main attraction, the menu also includes options like garlic fried chicken, pickled papaya, bulalo — a light-coloured beef soup — and desserts like flan. There’s also halo-halo, a Filipino specialty made of shaved ice, milk and fruit.

“It’s a custard cake made of steamed custard,” Sunshine said of her leche flan. “It’s made with egg yolk and caramelized sugar.”

As time goes on, Ryan and Sunshine hope to expand the menu to incorporate more dishes.

In 2017, Ryan moved to Neepawa to work at HyLife’s pork processing plant, with Sunshine following him the next year.

After gaining permanent residency, they moved to Brandon in 2020. According to Ryan, they wanted to live in the Wheat City because it has the amenities and features of a bigger city but isn’t as overwhelming as larger Canadian municipalities.

The owners see their restaurant not just as a way to serve Westman’s growing Filipino community, but also to share their food and a piece of their culture with people from other backgrounds.

“It’s his passion,” Sunshine said of her husband’s cooking.

“Financially, it’s hard to get support,” Ryan said of trying to start a business in the Phillippines. “Here in Canada, if you have better papers, documents, it’s much easier if you can apply for things, they will give you those supports.”

After opening, business was slow, but has gradually started to pick-up. The Bahenas are looking forward to the end of summer, when Brandonites will return from their vacations and travels and could be looking for a good meal.

“We have big ambitions, but first [we must] establish customers,” Ryan said. “We must put our name on their routines.”

The couple said they wanted to thank Brandon’s business community for helping them as they establish their restaurant as well as diners who have decided to give their taste of home a try.

Robyns Lechons is currently open five days a week, from Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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