By Trish Fontanilla

About a week and a half ago I went to check my Instagram feed, and my inbox was flooded with pictures of purple colored drinks. I had gotten messages from the Filipino community and beyond, “Did you know the lead bartender at Baldwin Bar is Filipino?!” Well of course, I had to find out who that was and feature them on the BF blog for what might be the drink of the summer.

Hope you enjoy this profile on Justin Ang!

Provided by Justin Ang / Justin and his mom

Where are you and your family from?
Justin: My family is from Manila, Philippines. I'm Filipino / Chinese, but I was born in 1989 and lived in Manila for 20 years until my mom, my brother, and I moved to America in 2008.

Where do you work and what do you do?
Justin: I'm the Lead Bartender at The Baldwin Bar in Woburn, MA. I bartend at both bars (The Baldwin Bar downstairs, and Baldwin & Sons Trading Co. upstairs). I'm also in charge of cutting down a block of ice for the bar program.

How did you get into bartending?
Justin: When I decided to leave college, I was already working in a Chinese restaurant called Lilac Blossom as a server and I liked it a lot. It was a very educational experience for me. Being a shy guy in a new home, not only did it help me hone my English speaking skills, I also got confident being around people. One day, out of curiosity, I asked my fellow bartender to teach me how to make cocktails. I fell in love with it! It's so much fun mixing different ingredients, and the possibilities are endless! Being a fast learner, I became a bartender slinging Chinese Mai Tais and Scorpion Bowls, and the rest is history.

Provided by Justin Ang / Photo credit": Ran Duan (Instagram @cocktail_lens @thebaldwinbar )

On Boston…

How long have you been in Boston?
Justin: I used to live in NH for 9 years. Now I live in the outskirts of Boston, but I've been living in MA for a year and a half now.

What are your favorite Boston spots (food, parks, spaces, etc!)
Justin: Hojoko, Eastern Standard, Drink, Yvonne's, Lone Star, The Automatic, State Park, The Abbey, Gustazo, Shine Square Pub.

On Filipino Food...

What's your all time favorite Filipino dish? (Feel free to link up some recipes, otherwise I’ll find them around the web)
Justin: A good Bistek, extra onions please! I also love Filipino breakfast food (longganisa, tocino, etc), served with scrambled eggs, banana ketchup, and Sinangag!

What's your favorite Filipino recipe / dish to make?
Justin: I don't really cook much, although my girlfriend Sarah is slowly teaching me how. However I do have to admit, I do make a good Sinangag!

On staying in touch…

Do you have any upcoming events / programs / work things that you’d like to mention?
Justin: Just come by The Baldwin Bar, eat some spicy Sichuan food, and pair it with our delicious cocktails 👌

How can people stay in touch? (Social, email, website, whatever you’re comfortable with)
Justin: Instagram: @ang_justin @thebaldwinbar

We’re always looking for BOSFilipinos blog writers! If you’d like to contribute, send us a note at info@bosfilipinos.com.