Neighborhood Eats: Fast-casual Filipino food at Tradisyon
HELL'S KITCHEN, Manhattan (WABC) -- Tradisyon is serving up fast-casual Filipino food with an elevated touch in Manhattan anda long friendship between the owners is helping this business survive the coronavirus pandemic.
"When you're craving something, you miss home, you want something that tastes like home," owner Joey Chanco said. "So it was like Anton let's open up something."
And when Chanco and Anton Dayrit opened their restaurant in Hell's Kitchen it was a dream come true, but that dream was instantly crushed as New York City shut down indoor dining a day later.
"We were not prepared. I don't have things for delivery. I didn't have photos, didn't have a website," Chanco said.
As they ramped up for the new normal they also donated dozens of meals to nurses, many from the Filipino community. These old friends leaning on each other during a crisis and knowing they had to get it all right to stay in business.
"We all work together it's automatic," Chanco said.
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"There is very little room for mistakes because of the pandemic," Dayrit said.
Dayrit has cooked at high-end restaurants and brings his technique to traditional Filipino dishes, hence the name Tradisyon.
There's the oxtail Kare Kare, the pork Sisig, and of course, adobo both pork and squid versions.
"That's the thing that brings people back they can get it elsewhere, but not how I do it," Dayrit said.
And customer loyalty will help small businesses like this survive.
"I hope the good deeds, to feed the workers, will pay dividends in the future and is enough to attract people," a customer said.
Tradisyon is open every day for lunch and dinner, they have outdoor dining available as well as pickup and delivery.
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