Ozark Living July 2025 | Page 28

Lasang Pinoy

Brings Authentic Filipino Cuisine & Culture to NWA

A spectacular new culinary experience awaits you in Rogers, ready to transport you to the colorful world of Filipino cuisine and culture. The eatery is called Lasang Pinoy, and since it opened in late April 2025 it has already gotten people talking and eating and coming back for more.
“ Our menu options are designed to be inclusive,” said Maria Smith, owner of Lasang Pinoy.“ We only use gluten-free soy sauce, we have four different fryers to keep proteins separate, and once the guest makes their order, the appropriate stock( chicken, veggie or beef) is selected that meets their needs.”
Lasang Pinoy offers vegetarian dishes and creates certain sauces and dishes vegan, making their foods accessible to as many people as possible. Guests will experience eating the way Pinoy families have always eaten – as a community, family style, with a fork and a spoon, and no separate courses.
“ This is a from-scratch kitchen making authentic Filipino cuisine,” Smith said.“ Guests will find a warm, colorful environment with decor directly from the Philippines, where they were made by a company that aims to keep traditional weaving alive using sustainable materials like rattan and bamboo.”
What exactly is Filipino cuisine and what makes it unique from other countries?
“ Filipino cuisine is a melting pot of culinary traditions,
reflecting the Philippines’ history of colonization and trade,” Smith explained.“ Local ingredients and cooking techniques transform the flavors from Spanish, Chinese, Indian and American influences into its own beautiful cuisine that is characterized by bold flavors, a wide variety of ingredients and a unique combination of sweet, sour and savory tastes.”
The guests at Lasang Pinoy generally fall into two categories: Filipinos and those that grew up in the culture and seek a taste of home; and adventurers that just love food.
“ We are the only brick and mortar Filipino restaurant in Northwest Arkansas, so that alone makes us special,” Smith said.“ But I will say that I designed Lasang Pinoy to feel like you walked into our home. If you actually came to visit my home, you would totally experience the same. I have step stools in the restrooms so that littles can wash their hands, just like I have for my granddaughters when they come visit me.
“ I have a china cabinet filled with glasses and dishware, just like the one that I inherited from my grandmother,” Smith continued.“ I have bright colored walls in the restaurant, just like the pink walls in my own dining room. The dishes are brought to the table in mismatched platters that I picked up at all the different flea markets in Rogers. And our art is personal.”
Lasang Pinoy opened its doors
on April 29, but it was a long journey to get there because the building was significantly damaged by the tornado in May 2024. Before their current location, they opened a three-month pop-up at Proof Downtown, which is an incubator for those who want to explore restaurant life. For these new restauranteurs, it was a perfect training ground.
Smith described how she arrived at the decision to open the restaurant.
“ Lasang Pinoy means‘ flavors of the Philippines’ and the first reason I opened the restaurant was to give my very talented brother, Bill, the opportunity to be creative and have free reign in the kitchen,” Smith said.“ The second reason was for me. After decades in corporate life, I wanted to run a small business that put people and environmental values first and prove that it could be profitable. Funny enough, someone once asked me what I would do if I wasn’ t in the office and I said,‘ Open a Filipino kitchen and karaoke bar.’ And last, but certainly not least, this is about our family and bringing all the talents together. My parents, husband, children have all been so instrumental in making this dream come to life.”
28 • JULY 2025 • OZARK LIVING