How Three Nurses Are Bringing Filipino Comfort Food to Their Community

Overview

Bilao, a restaurant that opened at the height of the pandemic in Manhattan, was started by 3 Filipino nurses who worked at a nearby hospital. After working a night shift - nurses Jude Canela, Maricris Dinopol, and Joan Calanog left the hospital craving a taste of their homeland in the Philippines. Bilao serves up the ultimate Filipino comfort food such as Tocilog - a breakfast dish made up of garlic rice, fried eggs, tomatoes, and cured pork. With no local options to feed their craving - the 3 chose to open Bilao and in the process, feed the local community of healthcare and frontline workers.