COURTESY OF RANDY ARCEGA
Sally (center) and Randy (right) Arcega with their son Jeross.
This Saturday, a new restaurant serving Filipino cuisine will open in Midtown St. Louis — but it's a restaurant that already has a big following. Kain Tayo first opened in Trenton, Illinois, in 2018, but owners Randy and Sally Arcega drew diners willing to make the 40-minute trek east from St. Louis.
"The majority of our customers were coming from here," says Randy. "That's the reason we moved to St. Louis to find a place." The couple closed their Illinois restaurant in May and have been preparing for to open the Midtown location ever since.
They have big plans. Not just as a spot for Sally Arcega's food (Sally, a native of the Philippine city of Valenzuela, is a self-taught chef.) but also for karaoke, with a machine set up in the corner of the dining room. "People in the Philippines, when they're out to eat, they're usually singing," Randy explains. "At Kain Tayo, after you eat, you can sing too."
And there should be plenty of good things to eat. Randy promises Filipino favorites like lumpia Shanghai, the beloved deep-fried riff on a Chinese egg roll, and sisig, which is made of oft-neglected parts of the pig like ears and jowls, tossed with peppers. (Sally's version utilizes chicken.) And of course there will be the Spanish-influenced, vinegar-and-soy braise called adobo, considered the national dish of the Philippines, although Randy notes that Sally's Valenzuelan version stands apart.
"You go north or south, all have a different taste," he says. "Ours is a little bit sour, a little bit sweet — right in the middle."
Located at 2700 Locust Street, Kain Tayo will be part of a small hub of hospitality businesses planning 2023 opening dates, including a wine bar and a coffee shop. Randy is hopeful that the businesses can become a destination. "If you're hungry, you can go to Kain Tayo or Nexus [Cultural Cuisine and Craft co*cktails]. If you're thirsty for wine, you can go to Videira. If you want a fresh coffee you can go to Anita Cafe and Bar," Randy says."It's a one-shot deal."
Kain Tayo, though, is opening first. Randy anticipates lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, with the restaurant opening at 11 a.m. and staying open until 8 p.m. most nights. On the weekends, they hope to stay open until 9 or 10 p.m., depending on business.
But Randy has no doubt that people who give Kain Tayo a try will become repeat customers, much like the diners who eagerly visited them in Trenton. He says, "Once they taste Sally's cooking, they'll definitely come back!"
See kaintayostl.com for more on the restaurant.
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