If you’re not already familiar with lechon and lumpia, then you’re likely to get acquainted with them soon. New food truck Asian Persuasion hit the streets of Columbus back in August and they’ve quickly gained a following for their Filipino-centric menu.
“So far the response has been wonderful,” said owner Jason Kibler. “People have loved the food we put out, and those people who just happened to come across us seemed excited about the presence of a Filipino food truck.”
The aforementioned lechon is a slow-roasted spit-roasted pig. The dish is Spanish in origin, and a staple tradition across many Caribbean and Southeast Asian countries, including The Philippines.
“We are doing the boneless version of this dish,” said Kibler. “We are also doing Pancit — a vermicelli rice noodle dish, in addition to Lumpia Filipino pork eggrolls. On the Thai side of the menu we have fried Thai-style beef jerky, sticky rice, and papaya salad. I’m hoping that as we move forward we will get opportunities to introduce more dishes like Filipino Adobo or homemade Thai Sausage.”
Kibler said that after spending several years working off and on in restaurants, and picking up a lot of recipes from family and friends, he and his wife Michele decided that launching a new mobile food business was a way to break into the industry.
“Michele and I, along with our business partner Scott have been in love with the idea of starting a food truck,” said Kibler. “I always wanted to find a way to introduce more people to Filipino food, and this is a great outlet for that. I also think there are people out there who are familiar with the food and culture that will be really excited. We have such an open minded city, we are just glad to be a part of it.”
Asian Persuasion can be found in various locations throughout Columbus, as well as some special events at The Commissary. Follow them on social media to find their latest locations.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/asianpersuasionfoodtruck/.
Photos by Ethan Hellstrom.