Once there was a Little Manila in Manhattan
In the 1980s, the nurses who worked near 1st Avenue and 14th Street could rent Nora Aunor movies, stock up on patis and Sky Flakes, and share a plate of pancit palabok for merienda.
This was before Sam Sifton wrote about Purple Yam's adobo in The New York Times. This was before Jeepney's Kamayan Night. And before Filipino chefs began competing on Bravo and The Food Network.
Before all of that, for almost 20 years, there was Elvie's Turo Turo feeding the Filipino diaspora who called New York City home.
In 2009, Elvie's closed.
In 2009, Elvie's closed.