by Ronnie Estoque
A longtime favorite for Filipino cuisine in Beacon Hill, Kusina Filipina was forced to close in 2017 due to a rent hike. The Paraiso family had run Kusina Filipina since 2010, making it a destination for authentic classics like lumpia, pancit, and adobo, all in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Now, almost six years after leaving Beacon Hill, the Paraiso family is coming back. CheBogz, the family’s food truck, will open a brick-and-mortar restaurant right next to the Beacon Hill light rail station at the Colina Apartments. Currently, they have an active Kickstarter campaign to help secure funds to finalize their return to the local community.
After closing Kusina Filipina, the Paraiso family acquired Manila’s Pride Sari-Sari Store in Federal Way and Paraiso Filipino Native Foods in Tacoma.
Chez and Bogie’s daughter Trixia took to the family business, having worked at Kusina and learned the ins and outs of both customer service and cooking Filipino cuisine. In 2016, Trixia branched out and launched the CheBogz Filipino Food Truck. CheBogz is Filipino slang for “Let’s go eat,” as well as a nod to the nicknames of Trixia’s parents. The CheBogz food truck has traveled all over Washington for various events as well as maintaining regular stops in neighborhoods like South Lake Union, where Trixia often gets to introduce people to Filipino food for the first time.
Trixia acknowledged that community support made this opportunity a reality for her family, including Angela Castañeda of Beacon Hill Business Alliance, Sonia Abenojar and Sergio Legon Talamoni of La Union Studio, Harry Clean of Paradice Avenue Souf, Chera Amlag of Seattle’s OED & Hood Famous Bakeshop, Melissa Miranda of Musang, Bob Luciano of Rainier Valley Community Development Fund, Tim Abell of Pacific Housing Northwest, and Danny Sayah of Coastal Construction Remodels.
Check out this video to learn more about CheBogz and their Kickstarter campaign.
This article is published under a Seattle Human Services Department grant, “Resilience Amidst Hate,” in response to anti-Asian violence.
Ronnie Estoque is a South Seattle-based freelance photographer and videographer. You can keep up with his work by checking out his website.
📸 Featured Image: Despite having to close Beacon Hill’s Kusina Filipina in 2017 due to rising rent costs, the Paraiso family never stopped cooking authentic Filipino classics, whether at their restaurants in Federal Way, Tacoma, or via Trixia’s CheBogz Food Truck. Pictured: Trixia (left), Paula (middle), and Frayne Paraiso (right). (Photo: Fredrick Avila)
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