Kanto Fiesta, the Filipino food pop-up based outside Urban League of Greater Madison’s Black Business Hub, has secured a permanent spot at the popular Asian grocery store and food hall Global Market (2161 Zeier Rd.) on Madison’s East Side. The restaurant will celebrate its grand opening this Saturday, Jan. 10.
Over the past year, Kanto Fiesta seemed to have been on everyone’s tongue: Outside of their regular Saturday post in South Madison, the pop-up began vending at city-wide events like Taste of Madison, Fete de Marquette, and Madison Public Library Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Ex Libris.
To be a Taste of Madison vendor, which the couple had only dreamt about two years ago, was a particularly exciting accomplishment. “We were able to really put our name in front of that presence in the community [and say] that there is Filipino food not 30 minutes from here, not 90 minutes, but right here in the city,” co-owner Camille Poliarco said.
Now, Kanto Fiesta is setting even deeper roots into the Madison community.
“I feel like this is a big milestone for us to secure a spot for the business,” Poliarco said. She runs Kanto Fiesta with her husband, Nic, and her mother, Mama Carmen. “It gives us a sense of stability that we really like.”
Like many Asian Americans in the Madison area, Politico and her family are no strangers to Global Market, and she has always taken note of a glaring absence in its food hall.
“There’s Chinese food, there’s Hmong [food], and I was like, ‘You know what’s missing here? Filipino food,’” she explained.
On one of her trips to the store in November of last year, Poliarco noticed that there was one stall in the food hall that never seemed to be open. Following that, for two weeks straight, Poliarco returned to Global Market every day to inquire about this potential vacancy and to convince management that Kanto Fiesta could take it over successfully.
“I’m a hard worker. I don’t run from anything I sign up for,” Poliarco said. “That’s how I found out about the space.”
Her persistence paid off: After agreeing on a manageable down payment rate, Poliarco was able to sign a three-year contract with Global Market, giving Kanto Fiesta a permanent home.
Like any small business owner, Poliarco had some hesitations about whether her business could sustain a permanent location, but she says she didn’t let the worry get to her head. “I was really confident and excited about securing the place,” she said.
This confidence is rooted in the support that Kanto Fiesta has received from the Madison community over the past year. Poliarco has begun to recognize her regulars, giving them affectionate family titles, as is typical in Filipino culture as a sign of both familiarity and respect.
“Everyone is now my tita (aunt). Everyone is now my ate (older sister), my tito (uncle), my kuya (older brother),” she explained with a laugh. “You’re now all my relatives.”
Even those outside of the Filipino community have shown tremendous support for the Filipino joint, and Poliarco is careful to take their feedback into account.
“I always ask people if they’ve had Filipino food before,” she said. “And if they say no, I always tell them to try it because it’s something unique in the palate.”
Despite this openness towards slight adjustments, Poliarco says that one of Kanto Fiesta’s strengths is its dedication to classic, authentic Filipino food.
“We don’t do fusion,” she said. “We don’t want to confuse the flavors. We want to serve authentic, traditional Filipino food. Sometimes it feels like authentic Filipino food gets left behind. [We want it to feel like], ‘Oh my God, I remember this dish. It feels like my grandmother’s cooking.”
These home-cooked meals are exactly what Kanto Fiesta’s customers will continue to get. With a private kitchen rather than the shared facility they used at the Hub, Poliarco says that the restaurant will be able to expand its menu.
Their soft opening on December 27th drew over 135 orders and a diverse crowd of eager diners. That weekend’s expanded menu included Kanto Fiesta-style fried chicken, pork and chicken Filipino BBQ (traditionally brushed over with banana ketchup) and sisig (sizzling pork belly served with calamansi, onions, and chili peppers).
For the grand opening, in addition to Kanto Fiesta classics like lumpia (fried spring rolls) and pansit (noodles), customers can also expect lechon (roasted pig), lechon kare-kare (deep-fried pork belly in a peanut sauce) and halo halo (shaved ice dessert).
“Having our own kitchen boosts our business [and] the quality of our offerings,” Poliarco said. “It allows us for greater control over the cooking process that we’re doing and ensures that every dish meets a high standard.”
In preparation for the big day, Poliarco has expanded her cooking team — which is typically made up of her, her husband, and her mother — to include her close Filipino friend and her mother.
While Kanto Fiesta credits much of its success to the Madison community’s warm welcome and enthusiasm, Poliarco knows that her other skill sets have also played a part in Kanto Fiesta’s trajectory
Poliarco notes that her career working at a bank has helped with the financial aspects of running a small business.
“I know how numbers work,” she said. “It makes me feel confident that I’m doing the pricing right. I’m doing the paperwork right. It helps me connect with local vendors.”
Her background in marketing has also allowed her to utilize the restaurant’s Facebook page to adequately create buzz around their menus and appearances around town.
As a business owner of color in a majority-white city, Poliarco is eager to share these skills with others in order to help them “achieve their [culinary dreams] and financial goals.”
When asked about what advice she has for other aspiring entrepreneurs, she encouraged them to “take a leap of faith, believe in your dreams, leverage your unique cultural background, and remember that your community supports you.”
She continued: “Your business can be a powerful way to uplift your community. You have to stay confident, persistent, and tell yourself that you’re capable of doing amazing things. I was able to take advantage of what I’ve known. I grew up in the Philippines. I was able to adapt here in the US, but I’m still carrying that love I have for Filipinos and my country and I was able to leverage that as one of my traits.”
As Kanto Fiesta settles into the rhythm of a permanent spot, they still have an eye on the road ahead. Poliarco recently purchased a secondhand food truck from Facebook Marketplace, which she says they plan to use for appearances at farmers’ markets, festivals, and more.
Kanto Fiesta’s grand opening will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The restaurant will be open at Global Market’s food hall from Wednesday to Monday (closed Tuesdays).
