In April ‘24, Filipino Restaurant Month took over Calgary’s culinary scene. It was created to “support Filipino restaurants, highlight the skills of Filipino chefs, and encourage the use of Philippine-made ingredients.”
One of the restaurants featured was Amihan Grill + Bakeshop, co-owned by Richard Quiambao and his partners Ryan Tiqui, Allan Ulgasan, Desiree Bansil and Sherrel Bansil. Together, they aim to make Amihan a household name. “Calgary chose me,” says Quiambao, describing what he calls the “typical immigrant story.”
Amihan was opened during the height of the pandemic in 2020. The group initially had the idea for a bakery. “We were scouting out locations and found a small spot,” says Quiambao. When the current northeastern location became available, they took it as an opportunity to expand the concept to include a restaurant.
The foodie community has noticed their efforts. Earlier this year, our sister mag, Avenue, awarded Amihan Best Filipino Restaurant in Calgary. Amihan has also opened a downtown location, perfect for a quick and tasty lunch inside the Paramount building.
“I was browsing through all these Filipino books and magazines,” says Quiambao. “We were trying to find a name that resonates with Filipinos.” They settled on Amihan (pronounced Ah-MEE-han), a word that refers to the season dominated by trade winds. “Think of it like the opposite of a Chinook,” says Quiambao. “It cools down the hot weather [when it’s] very humid.”
The wind comes in the winter, around Christmas. Quiambao smiles as he tells the story. “The commonality between all five of us is that we all love Christmas, and Christmas in the Philippines starts in September. The Amihan season brings fond memories and represents Filipino culture.”
There’s more to it, though: In Tagalog folklore, a legendary bird named Amihan saved the first human beings, Malakas and Maganda, from a bamboo plant. Both locations of Amihan have bright, colourful murals by local Filipino artists Harvey Nichols and Kiara Clariz depicting the legend and the wind.
The northeast location is a tidy, modern-casual spot with lots of colour. You can dine in or take out; they also deliver. The front of the restaurant has seating, and at the back of the shop, there’s an order counter and a bakery display.
Amihan focuses specifically on northern Filipino cuisine. “The taste profile is savoury, sweet, and spicy,” says Quiambao. The standout dishes are undoubtedly the barbecued meats. The homemade sweet, tangy barbecue sauce is to die for, and the chicken inasal is grilled perfectly with a flavourful lemongrass marinade. Everything is made fresh to order, making the restaurant smell sweet, spicy, and delicious.
Filipino favourites like peanut-y beef kare-kare ($21) and various pancit noodle dishes ($15) like bihon, canton, and palabok are on the menu, with pictures of most dishes. The kitchen takes care and time to prepare each dish to be visually pleasing and to entice patrons unfamiliar with the cuisine. Quiambao’s personal favourite is the sisig: pork belly chopped into small pieces and tossed with spicy chillies and citrus, which he likes to pair with a beer.
For cheap and satisfying eats, you’ve got to try the street foods, all priced at only $7. The crispy siomai — think fried pork-shrimp dumplings — pair well with lemon soy sauce. The fishballs and kikiam, fried fish-shrimp cakes, are rich with savoury umami, making you want to eat them forever. Kwek, the orange-battered deep-fried quail eggs, are a favourite of many customers.
Their signature dish is ube flan, which is both delicious and looks great in photos. It combines ube jam and leche, creating a bright purple custardy flan for dessert.
The street food would be ideal bar food, and the Amihan group has the same idea. In the spring, they plan to open Toto Bits, a nighttime pop-up shop in the downtown location. It will be open with a select late-night menu for the afterparty crowd Thursdays through Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. for sit-in dining.
Filipino cuisine is booming in Calgary, and Amihan stands out as the perfect spot for devoted fans and curious first-timers. Authentic flavours and warm hospitality bring the vibrant spirit of the Philippines to the Blue Sky City.
Visit one of Amihan’s locations today: 208, 3132 26 St. N.E., 403-455-6050; 100, 1011 1 St. S.W., 825-540-1211, and check out their website: amihan.ca.
