By: Cliona Joy Piligan
On Beach Boulevard, you can find a few Filipino-owned businesses that bring food, music, and community to Jacksonville. Maharlika Jax Bar and Grill is no different, with a history built upon cultural pride and family.
In pre-colonial Tagalog society in the Philippines, the word Maharlika refers to the nobility class. According to Wen Castillo, the restaurant’s owner, his father, Edenn, chose this name to honor the Castillos’ Filipino heritage, showcase their cultural pride, and reinforce the restaurant’s identity.
Maharlika’s location was originally an old furniture store near a travel agency business run by Edenn. After retiring before 2010, Edenn learned the furniture store was being sold and had an idea to turn it into a restaurant. It took almost three years to renovate the store and fully turn it into a restaurant.
“That was my dad’s vision,” said Wen. “To have a restaurant from the beginning.”
Though Edenn had a passion for business and selling Filipino goods, he still pushed his son to become a nurse. During college in the Philippines, Wen studied occupational therapy before transferring to nursing. He then worked as a dialysis nurse upon graduation and passed his board exams.
“I wanted to be something else,” said Wen. “But knowing a Filipino family, your mom, your dad, you have to obey what they want you to do.”
Though having an extensive history in nursing and the healthcare field, Wen continued to have a passion for cooking. In 2013, when Maharlika officially opened, Wen was already helping his aging father with most of the restaurant’s operations, including opening and closing shifts.
At one point in his career as both a restaurant manager and a nurse, Wen decided to make the change and continue running Maharlika as his full-time job. He even added artwork he made and work by other Filipino artists to liven up the restaurant.
Since its establishment 13 years ago, Wen has noticed that Maharlika has become a place to host karaoke and events for people of all cultures and races. In the beginning, when Edenn ran the restaurant, only Filipinos came in. As Maharlika became popular through word of mouth and social media like Facebook, diverse audiences came to enjoy the food and festivities the restaurant offered.
“Food-wise, it’s the same thing. We never changed anything,” said Wen.
Wen prefers to keep Maharlika’s menu of Filipino food like Adobo, Pinakbet, or Lechon free of fusion cuisine, meaning he doesn’t try to change or add new techniques or flavors from other cultures.
“I just want it like how my grandparents make it. That’s how I do it,” said Wen.
Right next to the main restaurant, Wen’s aunt, Ayumi, runs Maharlika Emporium, a sister restaurant that operates only during lunchtime.