When customers walk up to Las Islas Filipinas, a replica of a “Bahay Kubo” (“Nipa Hut”) greets them. Indigenous artisans handcrafted the miniature structure in Baguio, the Philippine city Michelle Perez and her son, Jakob, call home. Sitting on the window of their food truck, it serves as a proud symbol of Filipino identity, resourcefulness and community.
This visual reflects core values of the Philippines while telling a cultural story that is baked into every dish on the menu.
“We wanna serve something different that Madison hasn’t seen in a long time,” Michelle’s husband Ell Perez said.
While Madison’s food scene boasts diverse culinary traditions, Las Islas Filipinas is bringing a long-underrepresented cuisine to the city’s forefront. At a typical pop-up or event, the family-owned food truck serves an average of 60 to 70 customers in just a few hours. Lines form to try classic dishes like pancit (stir-fried rice noodles), lumpia (fried spring rolls) and biko (sticky rice cake). Fan favorites also include adobo (chicken or pork), chicken asado (chicken in a tomato-based sauce) and beef salpicao (garlicky beef).
Specialty menu items, such as their ube adobo sliders, complement these popular dishes with a unique modern twist on traditional flavors.
Las Islas Filipinas hit the ground running when it launched in May, skyrocketing in popularity after Michelle’s ube tres leches cake went viral on social media over the summer. The dessert brought waves of customers stopping by solely to purchase a slice.
“Somebody even went to my (Facebook) post and said, ‘You need to bring more, you need to bring more Tres Leches. It’s gone in 30 minutes, not even an hour,'” Michelle said.
The online buzz boosted their visibility in the community. The truck’s Facebook page quickly amassed over 1,100 followers, where Michelle posts weekly location and schedule updates. Despite opening just three months ago, the truck has received an outpouring of support and positive reviews from eventgoers and the local Filipino community alike.
For Michelle, the truck is a continuation of a lifelong passion. She grew up learning from her mother’s catering business in the Philippines before moving to the U.S. nine years ago. After she posted her baking recipes online, followers began requesting catering for Filipino food. When the family relocated to Madison from Washington State six years ago, they noticed a bustling schedule of local events and an untapped market.
“Nobody had an actual (Filipino) food truck here in Madison, so that put the idea in our head,” Ell said.
Running the truck is a full-family operation. Jakob greets customers at the register, Ell handles background business logistics and Michelle leads the kitchen.
“A day off is not really our thing,” Ell said.
While the truck primarily feeds local crowds, members of the broader regional Filipino community travel from as far as Oshkosh and Milwaukee for a taste of home.
“It’s heartwarming,” Jakob said. “It takes a lot of time for prep and stuff like that but when people appreciate our work, it makes it worthwhile.”
“A lot of the people we meet, especially Filipinos, become like family. They just reach out and say hey, can you cook me this? Even though it’s not on the menu, when we have a rest day, we go, you know what? Let’s just cook it for them,” Jakob said.
The family continually adapts their menu based on customer feedback.
“They’re loving the food. A lot of people say it hits home, and the flavors are on point,” Ell said. “Filipino people are the true judges of our food because they are the ones that know the real flavors. Getting that great feedback from them is kind of an approval. Like okay, they like the food. We’re doing something right.”
Operating out of a food truck comes with distinct challenges. The compact space limits menu size, while turbulent weather and unexpected event cancellations can disrupt service and generate significant food loss. But for the Perez family, the mission goes beyond profits.
“It’s not all about making money,’ Michelle said. “We want to make people happy, and that’s our goal.”
Looking to the future, the family envisions expanding Las Islas Filipinas into a brick-and-mortar restaurant featuring a Filipino and Puerto Rican fusion menu, pulling from both Michelle and Ell’s respective heritage.
“This is our first step, is having the food truck. Then we’re working towards that,” Ell said. “One step at a time.”
Follow “Las Islas Filipinas LLC” on Facebook to keep track of menu offerings and where they will stop next.
