La Cocina Filipina opens as the first Filipino restaurant in Billings, Montana

La Cocina Filipina, run by Philippines-born Lani Vicente and co-owner Doug Erickson, opened in late September at 310 N. 29th St. in downtown Billings, turning a two-year-old catering business into the city's first brick-and-mortar Filipino restaurant.

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La Cocina Filipina opened in downtown Billings, Montana, in late September, KTVQ reported on 15 October. The owners say it is the first brick-and-mortar Filipino restaurant in Billings. It is at 310 N. 29th St.

Co-owner Lani Vicente was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to the United States nearly 17 years ago. Before opening the restaurant, she spent nearly 11 years working in the kitchen at St. Vincent Healthcare and opened a catering business under the same name two years ago. She runs the restaurant with her boyfriend and co-owner Doug Erickson, and works alongside her daughters Lian and Viel.

The menu features homemade lumpia, pancit and pork adobo, along with Filipino street food such as fish and squid balls. Vicente makes a weekly special, including sizzling sisig, and the restaurant serves halo-halo for dessert.

The couple first considered a food truck, but friends Kaela Chanhthavee and Quito Keutla, owners of the downtown Vietnamese restaurant Phonomenal, offered extra space in the building they lease. "We just got into this by sheer luck and goodwill of some friends," Erickson said. We are Main Street also reported the opening on 15 October, noting the shared lease.

"Billings has a pretty big community for Filipinos," Erickson told KTVQ. Vicente said: "I think this is the right time to do my big dreams. And now it's happened."