Texas Today foodie Dominic Gonzalez visited Sarah's Kitchen in Killeen to celebrate AANHPI Month.
KILLEEN, Texas — A humble Filipino restaurant brimming with culture, food and karaoke at 829 West Lanshire Avenue in Killeen.
Sarah Walls, owner of Sarah's Kitchen, was born in Davao City, Philippines. Her Filipino culture is infused into everything she does.
“What I like most about being Filipino… we make sure our visitors are satisfied. We make time for them and take care of them,” Walls said. “Most Filipinos are kind.”
The authentic food that comes out of Sarah's kitchen tastes just as good, if not more so, than it looks. You can feel the care taken in each and every dish. Walls told Texas Today that he takes customer satisfaction and criticism very seriously.
“Of course, we want to make sure (customers) are 100 percent satisfied with the food, and if they're not, we want them to tell us what we can do better,” Walls said.
Walls understands that Filipino food is different from American food and wants all her guests to leave feeling satisfied that they enjoyed a delicious meal, so she adjusts menu items as needed. We are open to criticism and customization.
The secret to Sarah Walls' continued success in the culinary world seems to be her tenacity to remain humble. She is no stranger to cooking for others. She always had a passion for it, but at first she was unsure of herself.
This journey began in 2008 when she first moved to the United States. Her friends had asked her to cater their birthday party.
“I'm cooking and everything is done,” Walls said. So I'm like, “Oh, it's true!”
As this continued to happen to her, her confidence began to grow. She decided to buy a food truck when the COVID-19 pandemic began so she could make food for others without the stress of brick-and-mortar business closures. I decided. Eventually in 2021 she moved to her current restaurant.
The most popular dish at Sara's Kitchen is definitely the Pancit Bihon. A rice noodle dish mixed with chicken and vegetables. Texas Today went behind the scenes of its creation.
First, add garlic and oil to the frying pan so that the proteins do not get hot. Then add the protein and cook for about 7-10 minutes. Wall urges individuals not to cook chicken for too long for fear of it becoming dry.
While the chicken is cooking, start soaking the pancit rice noodles in water for about 5 minutes.
Remove the cooked chicken, but leave the remaining liquid in the pot so you can cook the rice noodles and vegetables. The vegetables used in pancit were carrots, celery, red onions, and cabbage. Walls recommends not cooking vegetables for too long, as vitamins and minerals can be lost during cooking.
Put everything back together, mix and enjoy. For additional customization and garnish, Walls uses lemon juice and crushed chicharrones.
For Sarah Walls, her restaurant is her second home, and she doesn't take it for granted. She spoke to Texas Today about her struggle not being allowed home during the pandemic.
“I'm drawing a logo because I'm not feeling well,” Walls said. “My logo is where I live.”
Walls told Texas Today that her logo drawing took about 20 minutes to create from memory. She looks at her old home's artwork every day and it gives her the strength to keep going.
Perhaps one of the more unique aspects of Sara's Kitchen is its karaoke lounge. Anyone who can sing with all their heart can participate anytime during business hours.
“Being Filipino means I love to sing!” Walls says with a laugh. “Most Filipinos love karaoke.”
