Kathmadnu, March 28 -- While mainstream Southeast Asian cuisines often represent Asia's diverse food culture, Filipino cuisine remains largely overlooked, even in Nepal. To change that, Cebu Fiesta Kitchen in Lalitpur offers an authentic taste of the Philippines.

The restaurant's wooden tables are topped with glass, under which small snail shells, miniature surfboards, and pebbles are carefully arranged, creating an island-inspired aesthetic.

Two Filipino friends, Sharon Gayosa Shakya and Terence Lee, felt a need for authentic Filipino cuisine in Nepal. Even though there was a community of people from the Philippines, not even a single restaurant in Kathmandu served the country's dish; thus, they opened Cebu Fiesta Kitchen.

The restaur...