Filistix the First to Undergo “Permanent Pivot”
There have been many stories about how local restaurants have adapted to the COVID reality out of necessity, offering take-out and delivery, meal kits, and opening up their pantries. And though some food businesses have decided to re-open their dining rooms again, one local restaurant has decided their new model will be here to stay.
Filistix, who was due to celebrate the one year anniversary of their Downtown storefront on May 26, 2020, has chosen to permanently pivot away from full service dining. After two months of positive response to their in-house delivery service, and in light of their need to plan for the future of the restaurant, they will be focusing on delivery, take-out and fast casual dining.
Ariel del Rosario, co-owner of Filistix, wrote,
Are we set up for success? Are we going to come out of this unscathed? Only time will tell. But I am confident that we are putting ourselves in a good position to weather the storm. It was already an immensely tough challenge to break an unfamiliar, unpopular cuisine to the Edmonton masses. We don’t serve pizza, or burgers, or sushi. We serve Filipino food and the curve is steep to bring it to the level of acceptance as our Asian counterparts. One thing we learned from our food cart days is that to survive, we had to adapt and evolve. How we come out of this, we look at it as another chapter in our story, another adventure on our journey.
Find Filistix here.
In other COVID-19-related news:
- Many restaurants continue to join the list of establishments offering dine-in at 50% capacity. These include: Violino, Ono Poke, Tiffin Fresh Indian Kitchen, Upper Crust, Rosso, Bianco, Hap’s Hungry House, and the newly-opened Fox Burger rooftop patio. The Journal covered Earls’ re-opening of their dining rooms last week. Others will be coming online later this week or in early June: Woodwork and Black Pearl. Avenue is also trying to maintain a list.
- Some restaurants have re-opened for take-out only, such as June’s Delicatessen, or next week, Pho Hoan Pasteur.
- Take-home offerings continue to evolve with the season, now incorporating the desire for some to grill. Three Vikings is selling chicken souvlaki bbq kits, XO Bistro has marinated skewers, and RGE RD has been offering dry-aged Nonay beef through The Butchery.
- Need bread? Consider Get Bread, which offers delivery of breads and pastries from Popular Bakery.
- Local food/entertainment venues The Spotlight Cabaret and The Comic Strip were forced to close, but may be permitted to open only as food establishments.
- Restaurants continue to try to help diners recreate the dining out ambiance at home, as was the case with The Next Act, Meat, and Pip partnering with local DJ Thomas Culture to create three unique playlists to pair with the “gastronomic experience.”
Openings
- A new food cart is now open in Edmonton, called Street Tacos.
Upcoming Events
- The next Food Truck Drive Thru will be in the parking lot of the Leduc Recreation Centre on May 30, from 12-7pm.
- Homestead’s Positivity and Innovation for Edmonton’s Reopening (PIER) Speaker Series will be featuring Filistix’s Ariel del Rosario on May 28, 2020.
Local News
- More small, delivery-based food businesses continue to crop up during this pandemic, including Benny’s Bread, offering cinnamon buns and artisanal bread.
- The Globe Diary lists the best coffee shops in Edmonton.
- Why are cans all the rage for beer these days? Jason Foster shares his knowledge about the current trend.
- This Vice writer contributes an ode to Padmanadi.
- This take on the Italian Centre’s premade sandwiches seemed to garner a lot of traction online.
- The Alberta Hospitality Association wants a fee cap placed on third-party delivery services.
Beyond Edmonton
- A Kansas-based pizzeria owner gamed Door Dash and made $75 by ordering his own pizzas.
- Is physical distancing enough to prevent another outbreak? The Atlantic tackles how COVID-proofing restaurants may look like.
- From Restaurant Business: is the buffet dead?
Urban Agriculture and Farming
- Open Farm Days continues their partnership with The Organic Box in featuring Alberta products in exclusive boxes.
- With gardening all the rage this year, some Edmontonians have applied permaculture to their front yards.
What I Ate
- Chilly weather last week had me craving bun bo Hue, so take-out from King Noodle House was in order!
Our usual from King Noodle House
Only Here for the Food 