Fusion pop-up coming to street food festival

After surviving breast cancer and watching her husband live through a brain tumour, Marilyn Magtoto decided it was time to take a chance.

Magtoto left her corporate job as a mortgage specialist in July to start M3 Cravings, a pop-up restaurant that blends the traditional Filipino cuisine she grew up on with Mexican street food.

“To me it was like, how much longer do I want to put on hold this thing I’ve been wanting to do for a while now?” Magtoto says. “People may think I’m crazy for leaving behind a corporate professional career I’ve been doing for 22 years, but you know what — it’s worth it.”

Magtoto will now have the chance to share her food at the Streat Feast Festival at The Forks to Sunday; the event brings together people from a variety of backgrounds to share their culture through food, art and performances.

Magtoto says she’s excited for people to experience her Sinigang Birria Tacos. Sinigang, a stew with a distinct sour and savoury flavour, is a staple in Filipino culture.

“My dad makes the best sinigang, but we all think our parents’ food is the best,” she says with a laugh. “When I think of home and I think of comfort, I gravitate towards making sinigang.”

Magtoto also uses the sinigang broth and infuses it with Mexican spices to make a dipping sauce.

The business has served as a creative outlet, allowing her to experiment in the kitchen, she says.

“The beauty of cooking is there’s no exact measurement with these things. I always say it’s by taste,” she says.

Magtoto had been cooking her specialty tacos for years before starting her business. The food was a hit with friends and family, and she eventually decided to quit her job and dedicate herself to cooking full time.

So far, it’s been a rewarding experience, and she’s excited to be a part of this year’s Streat Feast Festival, she says.

“Having a place like Streat Feast to showcase our food, it’s not just about selling food — it’s a place where we can put our hard work and our effort in front of the community.”

The festival is important for small businesses who may not have their own brick-and-mortar storefront or restaurant, says Lou Alarkon, co-founder and organizer of Streat Feast Festival.

“They basically depend on special events like these ones to market or sell their products,” she says.

The event has 80 vendors and will also feature a variety of performances, such as Chinese line dancing, along with things such as Indigenous drumming and storytelling.

There will also be an Amazing Race-style food showdown Sunday, where people will have to solve riddles to collect food from different participating vendors.

This is the woman-owned festival’s fourth year; it was founded by Alarkon and her cousin Lynn out of their shared love of food.

“We love food and we love being able to support local and showcase local because we’re local business owners ourselves,” she says.

tiago.resko@freepress.mb.ca