The Team Behind RoyAl’s Are Opening A New Filipino-Style Eatery, Lola’s Filipino Diner

As far as the Perth burger scene goes, RoyAl’s Chicken & Burgers is right up there in terms of many peoples’ favourite. And now co-founder Al Craigie is returning to where it all began, re-opening their beloved Lola’s Grilled Chicken as a Filipino diner in the original RoyAl’s shop in East Victoria Park.

The concept of Lola’s Filipino Diner is a simple one according to Craigie: “To pay homage to our Filipino heritage and the food we grew up with. To recreate the original Lola’s that we started with mum (Estrella Craigie, now a Lola to Al’s daughter Callia), and also an ode to our Lola’s carinderia in Santa Cruz Manila, which is my earliest memory of being in Philippines and being introduced to Filipino cuisine.”

South East Asia’s answer to soul food, you’ll be able to enjoy traditional Filipino dishes like Inasal (BBQ) Chicken in the traditional Filipino way – “Boodle Fights” i.e. eating out of a banana leaf with just your hands. There’ll also be gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options like fried eggplant adobo and braised coconut chilli and ginger greens, and Craigie says to look out for standout dishes like “our house made longanisa sausage and corned beef dishes served with Lola’s garlic rice and fried egg”.

But what about the much-loved Lola’s gravy, enjoyed on special occasions when it sometimes pops up in RoyAl’s special of the week? “If there was one crowd favourite it will be the fried chicken and gravy, it’s our nod to Filipino chain, Jollibee’s, chicken joy.”

It’s ticking all kinds of boxes for us so far, and we can’t wait to check it out when it opens Saturday 26 June.

Find Lola’s Filipino Diner at 8/885 Albany Hwy, East Victoria and keep up to speed via FACEBOOK.