Filipino pop-ups in Des Moines serve ube, lumpia and tocilog

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Filipino entrepreneurs in Iowa are sharing their culture through food and coffee businesses.

These businesses feature Filipino staples such as lumpia and ube, a purple yam used in desserts and drinks.

The morning of Oct. 25 was a rush. ManilaBoy was in the house.

At Horizon Line Coffee, Earvin Idio — the Ankeny chef behind the pop-up restaurant inspired by his homeland of the Philippines — was slinging traditional Filipino breakfast staples with a twist. The 39-year-old father of two enlisted his crew, including his wife, parents and siblings, to serve customers who piled into the downtown Des Moines shop that Saturday morning to grab items off his menu.

On the list was tocilog, a slow roasted pork belly dish paired with garlic rice and a fried egg, and tofu sisi