Actions

Founder of Grand Rapids Asian Pacific Festival opens Filipino restaurant on Plainfield Avenue

By: Sam Landstra

Posted

and last updated

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A foodie's search for Filipino cuisine in West Michigan can find satisfaction at Adobo Boy.

On Saturday, the family-owned restaurant will host its grand opening, complete with a ribbon cutting, traditional folk dance performances and, of course, food.

"Food for us, it's more than taste," said Ace Marasigan, co-owner of Adobo Boy. "It's more of an adventure, more of a way to connect with your family."

Two decades ago, Marasigan met his wife at a Filipino restaurant in the Detroit area. They talked about opening up a similar spot themselves and together began their own family.

"We decided we were going to put it all in, our everything," Marasigan said. "We were going to see what happened."

Now open for business on Plainfield Avenue in Plainfield Township, Adobo Boy is what became of the husband and wife's shared dream.

The restaurant's name references the nickname given to Marasigan's son, Redd, and his childhood affinity for adobo pork, a savory, Filipino food.

Those who've already tried this menu item and the others offered at Adobo Boy — pork and chicken rice bowls, a variety of traditional stews, Filipino purple yam ice cream and more — have left rave reviews.

"Ace is phenomenal. His family is really nice," said Dylan DeCaire, a regular customer who works at the nearby RepcoLite.

"Come here as soon as you can and try everything. All the food's delicious," DeCaire said.

Prior to opening Adobo Boy, Marasigan founded the Grand Rapids Asian Pacific Festival, which led to the creation of two other celebrations of Asian culture in West Michigan: Noodle Fest and Dumpling Fest.

"The whole idea is to create a space for everyone to thrive, to be able to say, 'Hey, I belong here. West Michigan is my family, and this is who I am,'" Marasigan said.

By his own estimate, the Grand Rapids Asian Pacific Festival annually attracts around 12 to 18 vendors and 10,000 to 25,000 visitors to the city.

"This is a great opportunity for us to be able to share our culture in a very meaningful way," he said.