Barrio Fiesta of Manila

History

Sixta Evangelista Ongpauco was a food lover, a great cook and a woman of sound business sense. Mama Chit, as she was affectionately called, loved to cook for her friends at her home on Highway 54 in Caloocan. In 1958, Mama Chit officially opened her home as Barrio Fiesta, one of the country's first fine dining restaurants. Barrio Fiesta's special way of preparing Crispy Pata (specially prepared pork knuckles fried to a golden crisp) makes Barrio Fiesta an early innovator in the local restaurant scene. Paired with the Filipino specialty Kare-Kare, the specialty drew crowds to the first of many restaurants Mama Chit and her family would open. With the help of her 8 children, Mam Chit expanded Barrio Fiesta to numerous branches nationwide and in other countries.