THE "first-ever" Filipino restaurant in Yorkshire has opened in the heart of Bradford.

Tres Marias @ Son, in Manor Row, first opened its doors on Valentine's Day last week.

That was a "soft opening", but it was still fully booked says chef and business owner, Roy Remoroza.

The venture is the brainchild and long-term dream of Roy and his wife, Menalyn, who originally hail from the Asian islands.

Menalyn declared the restaurant is the first of its kind in Yorkshire.

Their story began when Menalyn came over to the U.K. in 2002 to become a nurse.

A year later, her food-mad husband joined her.

The couple settled in Bradford and then dipped their toes into the food industry by setting up a catering business, specialising in Filipino food, with one other person.

But, Menalyn said: "Eventually, the catering, in 2005 or 2006, three became a crowd and so we decided to put on our own family business.

"We started on our daughter's christening, then since then, we've carried on until now.

"We've been doing it for years and my husband really loves cooking and everything - he thought this would be a success so we opened a restaurant."

The grand opening was the day after the "soft opening" and Roy says it was busy then too.

He described Filipino cuisine as different to Chinese and Thai food, with a big focus on rice.

Menalyn said: "Anything that he's cooking is my favourite.

"Adobo is a speciality - plain pork, or plain chicken, or a mix of it."

The menu also includes a number of other traditional options from the Philippines.

Bicol Express - named after the Filipino region, Bicol, which specialises in it - is a spicy dish, which has a creamy undertone thanks to the use of coconut.

The family's Filipino roots are sung loud and proud throughout the restaurant.

There are pictures of the country dotted around the walls, the signage outside incorporates the colours of the nation's flag, and there are chairs made from a mainstay of Asian plantlife.

These were put together by Roy, who bought bamboo frames separately and then fitted leather padding for the seats.

This is a family business - epitomised by the name "Tres Marias @ Son", which is an ode to Menalyn and Roy's three daughters and one son.

Menalyn explains how "Tres Marias" refers to her three girls and that the "@" symbol in Filipino means "and".

The couple's eldest daughters - one who has just finished studying to be a pharmacist and the other following in her mother's footsteps to become a nurse - helped support their father's vision of opening a restaurant.

It's something you feel as soon as you enter the building - welcoming and friendly, as if you're part of the entourage rather than a customer.

Menalyn and Roy got hold of the premises in November 2019 and had planned to open on the day of their 25th wedding anniversary - on January 8.

But, that was pushed back until February.

Menalyn is still juggling between her job as a nurse and helping run the restaurant, while the couple continue to run their catering business.