The opening date and plans for Perth’s first Filipino restaurant have been unveiled.
Eric Toralba has worked as a chef in Perthshire for 20 years after moving to Pitlochry from the Philippines in 2005.
He is launching a new venture on Perth’s High Street that will blend the Filipino and Scottish cuisines.
Eric will run the kitchen as chef and his wife, Jennifer, will manage front of house.
Lamesa, which means to gather round a table with family, will open to the public on May 7.
Perth restaurant will ‘marry Scottish and Filipino cuisines’
Eric, 46, told The Courier: “I see the population of Filipinos in Perth becoming bigger and it urged me to open my own place.
“There are possibilities here on the High Street and we want it to be a real fusion type of food, with Filipino and Scottish hearty dishes.
“I don’t want to overwhelm my menu with only Filipino foods.
“I want to see the balance with Scottish ones – I want to marry both cuisines.”
Eric added that Lamesa will be Perth’s first Filipino restaurant.
The restaurant will use local produce such as brewed fruit wines and Wasted Degrees ale for its steak pies.
The ground floor will have a dining room and fully-stocked bar, while the upstairs space has potential for private events.
What’s on the menu at Perth’s first Filipino restaurant?
The menu will offer a mix of authentic Filipino and Scottish dishes.
Garlic stir-fried rice with sweet bacon and a fried egg is one example of a dish that will feature at Lamesa.
Stir-fried noodles, spring rolls, cured salmon, traditional coconut sauces and a range of desserts will also be on offer.
Eric wants to serve an alternative to a traditional roast at the restaurant, featuring crispy roasted pork belly.
He added: “I’m going to try and deliver my imagination with Scottish traditional food.
“I’ll be making haggis bon bons but, instead of coating them in breadcrumbs, I’ll be using shredded spring rolls.”
Lamesa will operate from Tuesdays to Saturdays from 12pm until 9pm.
Elsewhere in Perthshire, a former head pastry chef at Cromlix has opened her own venture in Crieff.
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