From Philippines to U.S.

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For the Journal

POCATELLO -- When Felix Tan opened the Kowloon Express 10 years ago, the restaurant's customers could be forgiven for not knowing how to pronounce what they were ordering. Satay chicken, chicken tocino and pork afritada aren't everyday foods.

But Kowloon is not your average restaurant, and a decade later, customers don't have a problem with pronunciation any longer.

Tan seems to have found a niche in Pocatello with his restaurant, which could best be described as fast food, Oriental style.

"When we first opened, people didn't know what satay chicken was. Our recipes are different from other Chinese restaurants," says Tan, 50. "But when they tried it, they liked it and they keep coming back."

Tan, who runs the business with his wife, Tessie, moved here from the Philippines about 14 years ago to be with family. He worked for Heinz Frozen Food Co. in Pocatello when he decided to open a restaurant that features five different ethnic foods: Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

He worked at both the restaurant and Heinz for six years before opting to help his wife run Kowloon full time. The move seems to have been the right one, as the restaurant on South Fourth Avenue has become a popular dining spot.

Business usually picks up when Idaho State University students return to school. Tan said business has been down a bit this year, which he attributes to the slumping economy.

"It seems like this year is kind of slow," he says. "It's the slow economy probably -- less people are eating out -- and gas prices, too. They're coming down a bit but they're still pretty high."

Tan came here from Manila, which has a population of more than 11 million, and he's just fine with Pocatello's comparatively slow pace.

"I like the small-town feel better; it's more peaceful and there is not as much crime," he says.

One thing he's not enamored of -- the winters.

"We don't have snow over there; I don't like the snow," he said.

Tan's favorite pastime is singing karaoke, and his favorite song is "My Way," by Frank Sinatra.

"I like the lyrics," he says.

By Sean Ellis

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