In the heart of Downtown LA on the busy main drag of West 7th Street, embedded between a coffee shop and a jewelry maker, is one of Downtown’s most precious hidden gems. To find it, one must explore DTLA’s lavish Jewelry District and seek this gem at the base of the Historic Warner Brothers Theater.
There’s a marquee high above that reads “Diamonds” as if metaphorically marking the spot.
Allow your eyes to follow the marquee’s vertical descent to the tiny space below, then, look no further for you’ve just discovered – Petite Peso a quaint little Filipino restaurant offering exotic, yet authentic Filipino food as brilliant as any gem known to man.
Partner Tiffany Tanaka and CEO Robert Villanueva two outstanding members in their enthusiastic group along with Executive Chef Ria Dolly Barbosa and Robert Villanueva tell us the story of Peso Hospitality.
“People from the Philippines have deep family and community ties ingrained in their culture, and these ties come from sharing meals with close relatives, distant cousins, if not even neighbors or even strangers.” Says Robert.
For Robert and Tiffany it’s all about recreating this intimate dining experience, inviting their customers on a virtual exposition back to their hometown to eat with family.
A diamond in the rough.
Peso occupies the space that once was Rice Rowl. Most DTLA residents know the location well. Yet, opening in April in the midst of the pandemic saw little foot traffic for the tiny eatery although TakeOut and Delivery receipts kept spirits up.
With DTLA’s Grand ReOpening comes the promise of a new day as more and more patrons discover and rediscover Petite Peso’s delicious menu.
Peso dishes include good old traditional flavors that grandma loves, giving a slightly unique perspective, experimenting with different flavors, in order to add mild twists to traditional Filipino recipes.
Customers often call ahead to order the French Dip, Chicken Adobo Sandwiches, and Machado Pot Pie, a town favourite with juicy Straus beef, and assorted fresh seasonal veggies like bell peppers, tomatoes and carrots.
Sous Chef, Wendy Salazar, joins Peso. Salazar is from Mexican and Guatemalan descent. And works well with head chef, Ria Dolly, on recipes that will blend the classic Filipino dishes with the spices and tastes from South and Central America.
Soon they will be adding famous Brazillian chillies and peruian cayenne peppers for a bit of excitement.
Traditionally, Filipino cuisine often uses meat such as pork, fish and chicken to create their famous spring rolls and sausages but Peso sees new vigor in customers ordering the vegan options they offer as well. The Pinakbet salad with pickled okra, family style Munggo Bean and rice bowls are amongst the best of the chef’s selection.
For the DTLA Sweettooth, Petite Peso has an assortment of creamy pastries that will catch your eye and capture your taste buds. They sell the little known polvoron cream cookies, exhibit for all to see through the tiny shop window, including the cherry Mormon, and if you want them all, you can the fully loaded pastry box with a little of everything!
Shining Bright like a diamond.
Peso is a master at keeping things fresh, interesting to engage repeat customers. Multiple promotions, specials and seasonal dish changes from Spring to Summer offer new temptations.
Looking towards the future.
Looking towards the near future, Petite Peso plans to expand to other parts of LA and possibly to other states once this covid-19 crisis is over, looking forward to spreading the love and culture of the Philippines through delicious food and building a strong community!
They have been getting amazing feedback from their takeout menu, which is located on their website at https://www.petitepeso.com/menu
