This small business specializes in Indian Filipino fusion food

A Redwood City couple is combining their culinary heritages to create new flavor combinations

SpiceVow co-owner Karen Singh squeezes some lemon over palabok butter chicken. Photo by Magali Gauthier.

Some cuisines seem to naturally go together. Tex-Mex is perhaps the most ubiquitous fusion cuisine, Indo-Chinese food seamlessly blends Indian spices with Chinese sauces, and East Asian dishes mix with Mexican ones to create favorites like sushi burritos and Korean tacos.

But others are a bit trickier. You don’t really see Chinese Italian or Vietnamese Ethiopian. And one fusion I’d never seen along the Peninsula was Indian Filipino – that is, until now.

Redwood City residents Karen and Rahul Singh are combining the flavors they grew up with in their catering business and pop-up SpiceVow. They shared that marrying outside of their own culture and religion wasn’t easy, and neither is their ambitious goal of combining cuisines that some may say don’t go together. Just like the couple’s love for each other, they’re trying to prove doubters wrong.

Stay tasty,
Adrienne

Redwood City couple blends cultures to launch an Indian Filipino food concept

Redwood City residents Karen and Rahul Singh are pioneering a cuisine as unlikely as their love story: Indian Filipino fusion.

A new addition to Town & Country, an acclaimed boba shop expands and a Mid-Autumn food festival

From left: Brandon Jew, Ben Moore and Anmao Sun are the founders of Mamahuhu, a fast-casual Chinese American restaurant that recently opened in Palo Alto. Courtesy Mamahuhu.

Mamahuhu, a fast-casual restaurant created by a Michelin-starred chef, recently opened in Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village.
Boba shop Chicha San Chen is hosting the grand opening of its new Daly City location on Saturday.
Tsukira Ramen recently opened in Foster City.
Shugetsu in San Mateo recently permanently closed.
The Sunnyvale Mid-Autumn Food Festival is Saturday and Sunday at Cityline with more than 80 vendors and live performances.
The San Carlos Art & Wine Fair is back this weekend with more than 200 artists, food, wine, live entertainment and a family fun zone.
Winters Tavern will host its annual chili cook-off Saturday with live music.

Pandan Paradise at Big Mug

Pandan Paradise ($7.50) at Big Mug Coffee Roasters in Santa Clara. Photo by Adrienne Mitchel.

Pandan is hands-down one of my favorite flavors (back in August, I was raving about Gong Dessert Shop’s pandan tiramisu.) But that doesn’t mean every pandan-flavored coffee is a hit for me; in fact, I really did not like MoDo Hawaii’s rendition of it.

Big Mug’s really hits the spot.

The Pandan Paradise ($7.50) has a strong espresso and pandan flavor, with neither flavor overpowering the other. It’s sweet and creamy, but not overtly so, as most of the decadence comes from its pandan cream top.

My only gripe? Drinks at Big Mug are either fully caffeinated or decaf – no half-caf option is available.

The local coffee roaster has two locations in Santa Clara, and the one on El Camino is particularly excellent for remote working – great Wi-Fi, a clean bathroom, multiple outlets, plenty of tables and chairs and open until 10 p.m. on weekdays. In addition to coffee, Big Mug offers a variety of hearty breakfast items and baked goods.

With a charming atmosphere, a warm and comforting environment and delicious coffee, it’s a cafe I find myself continuing to return to.

Big Mug Coffee Roasters, 3014 El Camino Real, Santa Clara; 408-816-7932, Instagram: @bigmugcoffee. Open Monday to Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Cafe Big Mug, 3787 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara; 408-296-7600, Instagram: @cafe.bigmug. Open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. 50-397-5614, Instagram: @urfabistro.@urfabistro.397-5614, Instagram: @urfabistro.

Puranpoli opens sister restaurant Surmai in Sunnyvale showcasing coastal Maharashtrian cuisine
Owner worked at the former eatery in the same location as a dishwasher 7 years ago

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