Mates on Crates Feat. Jemie Rico-Salvacion
G’day,
Those in the know, know where to go.
We’re excited to have just launched our latest episode of Mates on Crates, featuring Jemie Rico-Salvacion, General Manager at Haliná in Vancouver, BC. Haliná opened in June 2025 on East Hastings and has quickly become one of Vancouver’s most talked about Filipino restaurants. What began as a meal prep business during the pandemic evolved into a thriving catering company before the team fulfilled a five year dream by opening their first restaurant. Today, Haliná is known for its bold Filipino flavours, vibrant atmosphere, welcoming hospitality, creative cocktails, and lively programming including DJs, karaoke, and kamayan feasts, making it a destination for both first time guests and longtime fans of Filipino cuisine.
Jemie joined the journey long before the restaurant opened, after jokingly being promised the General Manager role during one of the team's early pop ups. Coming from a background in finance and sales rather than traditional hospitality, she has become the face of Haliná, bringing warmth, energy, and genuine hospitality to every guest experience. Her passion for sharing Filipino culture and introducing new diners to the cuisine has helped establish Haliná as a welcoming gathering place for the entire community.
Each time we do a Mates on Crates interview, our guests share up to twenty of their favourites with us. For each episode, only a handful of those favourites make it into the final two minute cut. In order to highlight all of our guest’s favourites, we are happy to share the full list of favourites right here.
Jemie’s favourites at Haliná:
To Eat: Pancit Batil Patong or Dinakdakan (Spring Menu)
Pairing: Red Horse Beer
The FULL LIST of Jemie’s Local Favourites:
Brunch: Egg Bomb
Cocktail Bar: Cactus Club Cafe
Dim Sum: Kam Wai
Food Neighbourhood: Kingsway
Fried Chicken: Church's Chicken
Hangover Cure: Hotpot or Pho
Hidden Gem: AMA Bar
Japanese: Tentatsu
Karaoke Bar: Deconova
Last Meal That Blew Them Away: Lunch Lady
Thai: Bai Bua Thai Cuisine
Vietnamese: Le Petit Saigon
Sushi: Sushi Nanaimo
Dying to Try: Selene
Outside of Vancouver: Pearl Hot Pot (Burnaby)
Thanks for joining us, Jemie!
Watch jemie’s full Mates on Crates Episode below.
