Growing up in the Philippines Daryl Bingaman sold skewered meats from buckets as a street vendor working for his aunt.
The experience and her authentic Filipino recipes made a lasting impression. Years later, Bingaman, who owns Ego Ink Tattoo & Body Piercing Shop in Lemoyne, is preparing to open the Harrisburg area’s first Filipino restaurant.
On Sept. 17, he’ll welcome the public to Lapu Lapu Filipino Fusion at 324 Market St. in Lemoyne, a project with his wife, Samantha Stitt. The casual 25-seat restaurant specializes in traditional Filipino cuisine, including lumpia, bbq skewers, adobo and topsilog, a type of marinated pork with garlic fried rice and fried egg.
The recipes, for the most part, are the same ones Bingaman grew up eating in the Philippines. He said his aunt made sure he knew how to cook. Otherwise, she told her nephew he would never find anyone to prepare the comfort foods he enjoyed.
In 2000, Bingaman arrived in central Pennsylvania at age 17 when he was adopted by an American family. He worked at a tattoo shop in his early twenties and about a decade ago opened Ego Art.
Food has always remained a passion. He recalls sketching plans to open a fantasy restaurant on stilts on City Island.
“I always wanted to open a restaurant, even before I got into the tattoo shop,” he said.
Last year when the pandemic hit temporarily closing Ego Ink, Bingaman said he panicked and bought a food truck. He was ready to hit the road selling Filipino foods but realized it would be easier to open a restaurant.
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“When this became available, it was so convenient next to the tattoo shop,” Stitt said.
Lapu Lapu is decorated with art and murals painted by Bingaman. Orders will be placed at the counter and delivered to tables.
The couple created a simple, straightforward menu of appetizers, authentic, fusion and vegan dishes. Filipino cuisine combines Spanish and Asian influences with bold flavors.
Lumpia, a type of Filipino egg roll is made with savory chicken or pork fillings. They serve Filipino spaghetti made from a traditional sweet sauce; bicol express, chicken or pork with coconut milk, ginger and shrimp paste; and fried eggplant with Spanish rice.
Fusion dishes include a Lapu Lapu burger with the sweet spaghetti sauce, fried egg, house slaw and fries; chicken or pork tacos; and sisig fries with pork belly. Of course, Lapu Lapu sells chicken and pork skewers marinated in barbecue.
“The cuisine will be a mix of Asian, Spanish and American influences in this one big pile of flavor,” Bingaman said.
The restaurant’s hours will be 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday and closed Monday-Tuesday. Phone is 717-571-5223.
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