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Entertainment

Far East feast

An Inverness restaurant offers a delicious, healthy taste of the Philippines and a chance for Filipinos to stock up on goods from the homeland.

By JORGE SANCHEZ
Published May 6, 2005

A new restaurant and grocery featuring food from the Philippines is filling an ethnic food niche and attracting a mainstream following.

JMJ Philippine Cuisine Restaurant in the Times Square Shopping Center in Inverness opened last month as a gathering place for local Filipinos, said Jose Feliciano, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Donna.

There is a small but growing Filipino community in east Citrus, said Donna Feliciano. Mostly they are nurses who work at Citrus Memorial Hospital and their families.

"There are about 70 families," she said. "And they are the main reason we opened here."

The Felicianos operate a similar but smaller restaurant and grocery in Crystal River. It is now self-sufficient, so they felt they had the time and energy to open a second, slightly larger operation on the east side.

The Inverness JMJ Philippine Cuisine Restaurant offers a more extensive menu, with appetizers and entrees featuring noodles, seafood, chef's specials and a good selection of vegetarian dishes.

For those unfamiliar with it, Philippine food is similar to Chinese, but the sauces and sautees are water and vinegar based instead of oil based.

Appetizers such as Lumpia Shanghai (ground pork or beef with vegetables, wrapped in egg roll) and Lechon Kawaii (crispy, spicy deep-fried pork bellies) are a good starting point to discover Philippine cuisine.

The menu is heavy on seafood, with stir fried mussels, coconut shrimp, Tinapang Bangus (smoked and boneless milkfish, fried to a golden brown), Inihaw Na Hipon (barbecued shrimp), tuna or salmon steaks, and Kamaron Rebusado (shrimp and vegetables tempura style).

Meat entrees include Pinoy style barbecued pork or chicken and barbecued spiced liver.

Looking for something vegetarian? There's tofu or noodles, sauteed with vegetables. Three noodle choices are offered: bean thread (thin, transparent noodles made from ground mung beans), rice stick (made from rice flour) and canton (long egg noodles).

Other vegetarian entrees are Ginisang Mustasa (pickled mustard sauteed in eggs and tomatoes), and steamed or sauteed Shanghai bok choy, sprinkled with sesame seeds and a dash of sesame oil.

There is a also a daily buffet, with a choice of one entree for $3.50 or two for $4.99. The fragrant jasmine rice is a popular companion for almost all the dishes.

Specialty dishes include sauteed palm corned beef, crispy duck and a chicken broth soup infused with bok choy.

The restaurant, which opened in April, complements a grocery store featuring marinades, coffees and preserved vegetables. Donna Feliciano said the local Filipinos comment that they feel that part of their homeland is with them.

"They're homesick, and we try to re-create a little bit of what they left behind," she said.

Jose Feliciano decorated the restaurant with bamboo, using it as wall paneling to complement the dark brown leather booths. He also used the bamboo to craft a small hutch and lamp coverings above the counter and buffet table, for an authentic island theme.

"We have karaoke every night, and this has become somewhat of a nightclub for the local Filipinos," he said.

The restaurant will also cater parties with Philippine cuisine.

During the hot summer months, Pinoy drinks like mango juice, fresh coconut milk and Gulaman with sago drink (gel and Tapioca pearl with banana) offer cool refreshment.

The restaurant also features specialty beers like San Miguel and the Japanese brew Asahi.

Once a month, a traditional Philippine roasted pig entree is offered. The pork is grilled and basted with herbs and spices.

The convenience of a grocery store and a restaurant in the same location is appreciated by the patrons, who can be on a tight work schedule. Shoppers can find rice sticks, preserved duck eggs, sushi wraps and guava soup base.

"This way they come in, place their food order and sometimes they even shop until the meal arrives," said Donna Feliciano.

Jorge Sanchez covers arts and entertainment in Citrus County. Call 860-7313 or e-mail sanchez@sptimes.com

WHERE: JMJ Philippine Cuisine is at 3786 E State Road 44, in the Times Square Shopping Center, Inverness.

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

PHONE: Call 344-5212.

[Last modified May 6, 2005, 00:38:16]