Menchie's Restaurant, Amarillo

Back the Philippines, Menchie enjoyed cooking the island nation’s traditional cuisine for her friends and family, imbuing her kitchen with the signature Filipino aroma of garlic and onions. After immigrating to Amarillo, Menchie still commands the wok in her eponymous restaurant, crafting authentic dishes the minute they’re ordered. Located in a former A&W drive-in, the dining room’s red-backed booths host diners as they enjoy plates of noodles mixed with chopped veggies or skewers of barbecued chicken. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, hot coals slowly roast a whole pig stuffed with lemongrass and onions as the pig quickly regrets its decision not to eat its lemongrass salad in the shade.