Meet Chris:
Navy Brat. Worked since I was a kid in family businesses. High school graduate who got caught up and lost his way. Got my shit together, got a degree in technology because that’s what paid. I’ve been in the field for almost 20 years. I was never meant to do this type of work. Finally realized that my upbringing is what made me who I am and my destiny has been sitting right under my nose. Embraced the family tradition of being the kitchen. Worked on my inspired dishes. Still stuck in engineering field making good money and benefits. Ready to follow my destiny and make my mark on this planet…stay tuned.
Gig: 2nd Generation Restauranteur
Current Locale: National City, California
Website: Zarlitos Family Restaurant
Facebook Page: Zarlitos Restaurant
Twitter: @zarlitos
Instagram: @zarlitos
Tell me about Zarlito's and how it got started:
Zarlitos has been in business since 1991, we are a family owned business. Our family has owned several restaurants/bars in San Diego...My dad came to the U.S. via the Navy back in 1958 and petitioned his father who then petitioned the rest of my aunts and uncles. My mom leased a restaurant called Lourdes which was the spot for the military and fellow Filipinos.
Once that lease ran it's course, my uncle (dad's brother) took it over and my mom went on to open another restaurant called Carol's. My uncle in the mean time was doing well with Lourdes that he turned around and purchased a bar several miles away as well as another bar close to another military base here in San Diego. Business had its up and downs for the family... My uncle bought the building and land where Zarlito's currently is and Carol's was doing well, but things happen and that closed. My uncle passed away and left my dad to manage what was left…so my dad decided to consolidate all businesses and run what we have today - Zarlito's.
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| Chris and his father |
Did you grow up eating Filipino food? What other food did you eat in San Diego?
Well kinda, but my dad was a cook in the Navy and always had American food at home. My dad is a magician in the kitchen. His fried chicken is something else. I grew up on fried chicken...damn, I love fried chicken!!! So I’d eat Filipino food when it was there, but mostly pop's food. Also, Mexican food...we're 10-15 minutes away from Mexico, so it's been part of my life forever…Nothing compares to So Cal Mexican food. I remember taking the trolley down to the border with my friends just to go and eat. Keep in mind we were like in junior high. WTH were we thinking?
What is a special cooking memory you have?
My dad would give me free reign on the BBQ and would often have meat or whatever in the fridge and would let me do whatever I wanted. I would do some crazy shit like cut up the meat, find whatever was in the fridge and marinate it in whatever I thought was good. Soda, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, juice, mustard, it was all free game. I would cook it up and it ended up actually being pretty damn tasty from what I remember.
Tell me about your adobo. What makes your adobo special?
My chicken adobo enchiladas: Adobo in its simplest form, if made good, is damn good.
Don’t get me wrong, fresh cooked is good to some, but to me is not good. If one lets it cool down completely and absorb all the goodness and then reheat that is when adobo is at its best. Why not wrap it up like enchiladas which I love so much? What an idea right?? But that would be too easy. Everyone loves to smother their rice in adobo sauce, so cover the enchiladas in adobo sauce as well.
There are other ingredients I add to the adobo which gives it a nice enchilada feel and taste as well as coming up with my green sauce - "THEE" green sauce which I have to make fresh weekly for my weekend runs, it's to die for. To make the adobo sauce a little creamy, I hit it with a dab of sour cream as well, topped with fresh sliced avocado, cheese, and served on a light bed of garlic fried rice to absorb the extra sauce. Rice is never a filler, but an absorber to me. It's my ZMEX binding agent in my burritos as well.
Check out this Eat and Ron segment where Chef Ron samples Zarlitos' food
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| The Zarlitos Restaurant Crew |
Where do you think Filipino food will go in the next few years?
Honestly it’s really hard to say, but it does look promising. All I know for sure is, I’m one person who is trying to break the glass ceiling on this topic. I’ve come to the realization that I was put on this earth to make damn good food and have made it one of my passions to accomplish this and pave the way for our food and culture. All we have to do is just get passed the lumpia and pancit that all non-Filipinos have come to know and enjoy. This is why I see my inspired dishes as a gateway for others to try Filipino food. Focusing on the main ingredient will lead them to the traditional dish.
If you can share your food with absolutely anyone, who would it be?
Wow, this is a hard one. From the past, I would have to go with Bob Marley. Definitely would love to get lifted with him, cook up some grub, and chill and chop it up. Bob paved the way for his music and people to cross all platforms. He’s a legend.
In the present, I know Anthony Bourdain has been to the Philippines, tried the food and etc, but he was not convinced from what I saw. I think I relate to him as a person as well as his homie David Chang.. seem like cool peeps to cook and bullshit with while at the same time getting down to business…that’s just my answer right now at this moment. There are so many people out there, but how does one relate to them without being star struck. Oh yeah, would also definitely love to cook at the cafeteria at Apple…That is just a big ass campus of open minded creative people…
If someone handed you your passport and a plane ticket to 5 places around the world, where would you go?
1. Philippines - Palawan 2. China and then visit Asian, especially Japan and Vietnam, by land or boat to save plane tickets. 3. Israel 4. Spain and take the train throughout all of Europe 5. New York and work my way back home.
Who inspires you in life?
I would definitely have to say my father and mom inspire me. To come to a foreign country not knowing English as a language and have the balls to open up a business to fail and succeed is something I am proud of.
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Would you like to be a part of Project:Adobo?
Follow this link to submit for your own adobo-file!
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