From Texas with Love
New Mt Pleasant restaurant Purple Patch couldn’t call itself Filipino American without proper lumpia. That’s why co-owner Patrice Cleary’s Filipino mother, “Mama Alice,” rolls the traditional snack and overnights them from Texas. When they run out, however, it’s up to Patrice to make the fried spring rolls stuffed with beef and pork: “We went through 75 orders last night, and that was a Wednesday.” Food has always been in Patrice’s family—Mama Alice was a caterer and her Lebanese uncle owned a restaurant. She knew she wanted to follow suit, just not in the kitchen. Fortunately, Patrice says Chef Jason Smith executes her family recipes to perfection and then has free reign over the American dishes on the menu like steak frites. Find Purple Patch at 3155 Mount Pleasant St NW.
