I must have tried hundreds of restaurants growing up. Some of them, I still continue to patronize but some of them have since closed it's doors. Here is an in depth look of some of the restaurants I used to frequent when I was a kid that have since closed, each giving me some source of inspiration in deciding to become a chef.
Ambassador Chinese Restaurant - I practically grew up eating at this Chinese restaurant. From it's old location in the Bricktown/Angela arcade of what is now the driveway of Glorietta 4 to the location where it transferred until it finally closed it's doors in early 2000 across the New World Hotel, the family, as far as I can remember, frequented this place on Saturday nights and even on weekday lunches. Graduations, anniversaries, birthdays were spent here. I even remember my parents bringing me here in 1991 to console me since I got my first ever failing grade in Junior year Filipino no less. And we had every reason to do so to keep coming back - Lemon Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, Chinese Style Beef, Young Chow Fried Rice. We were here so often, mostly with my Lolo, that the waiters and floor manager already knew what we would order. They never even bothered giving us the menu. Imagine my surprise on that day I finally found it ceased operations. I should have interviewed the chef and have gotten a copy of all those Chinese food recipes when I had the chance - If I only knew !!!
Choo Choo Junction-The Great Spaghetti Station - I have been a sucker for Italian food most especially Spaghetti. As far as I can remember, Spaghetti has always been my weakness. Imagine the delight I experienced as a child when my parents brought me to this train shaped restaurant in Greenhills that served nothing but Spaghetti. And not only that - the restaurant even had train whistles as sound effects to entertain its guests. It may sound corny now but back then - who cares ?
The Plaza - a coffee shop that was popular in the 70's that was located across Goldcrest right beside the family's very first Coney Island Ice Cream Parlor in Makati. The plaza served short order fare such as the usual burgers, hotdogs and chicken sandwiches. It also had an exhibition area where the Bayanihan Dance Troupe would entertain tourists. Now, why was it so special ? Again, it was it's Spaghetti ! The way The Plaza served it's spaghetti - in a personal stainless steel oven-proof bowl with a lid- always amused me. I always anticipated the moment when the waiter would place the bowl in front of me. I would then lift the lid and out came the delicious aroma of hot fresh meat sauce oozing wit melted cheese. Now that's what I called comfort food at it's finest!
Au Bon Vivant - Au Bon Vivant was one of the few fine dine French restaurants that existed in Makati during the late 70's and early 80's. I don't remember much about this restaurant except for the fact that it was owned by the Philippines own version of Julia Child and Philippine culinary expert Nora Daza. I guess my parents thought that no way would they bring a mischievous 7 year old inside a fine dine restaurant. All I can remember is that it was beside the family's first ever Coney Island Ice Cream restaurant in Makati and while us kids (my cousins and I) would create a raucous in our store, our parents were next door fine dining on steak, foie gras, souffle, chateaubriand, fondue and tarte tatin !
Sulo - probably every bonafide Makati resident would know Sulo. Located at the spot on where Landmark department store now stands, Sulo served traditional Filipino fare. It is where families would often bring their balikbayan friends or where tourists can watch a Filipino native presentation of dance and song through the restaurant's built in amphitheatre. But of course the food is it's main attraction - grilled seafood, palabok, goto, lumpiang sariwa, crispy pata and of course it's popular dish, the one thing I would often order everytime I visit - the pork barbecue - thick chunks of pork glazed in a silky barbecue sauce often served with Java rice. Back on it's heyday, Sulo definitely gave Aristocrat some serious competition-and often won.
Schwarzwalder- a German restaurant that used to be right beside the old Ayala Museum along Makati Avenue and then transferred to- of all places - the Atrium, Schwarzwalder was one of the favorite restaurants of my Lolo Ito, hence, Saturday night dinners there were quite frequent. The restaurant served traditional Austrian/German fare such as golden brown Schnitzel served with buttered Spaetzle, thick Goulash, grilled Hungarian sausages and my favorite dish - German Farmer's Chicken- oven roasted chicken served with a bacon potato hash then topped with a sunny side fried egg. Even before this restaurant closed, I already perfected preparing this dish which was requested by my dad. Part of this restaurant's draw was it's deli store located at it's entrance. Before there was Santi's, Schwarzwalder's deli was already selling sausages, cheese, preserves, jams and of course Swiss chocolates and confectionery. Families and expats would often be seen dining at Schwarzwalder on weekends. The food was so good that the patrons did not mind the raucous and noise it's second floor neighbor made since two of Makati's most popular 80's and 90's nightspots-Metro Disco, followed by Faces was just a flight of stairs away.
Rickshaw-this small Chinese restaurant was literally a "hole in a wall". Located behind one of the office buildings that ran along Benavidez street that was parallel to Pasay road in Makati, I remember discovering this restaurant by chance. It was just one of those Saturday evenings when the family was driving around Makati to look for a place to eat when Rickshaw caught our attention. It looked inviting so we gave it a try- For me, it was probably one of the best decisions the family ever made. We found ourselves going back numerous times after it's chance discovery. The food was not your usual traditional Chinese, but it gave me the chance to try a different kind of Chinese. I remember trying Pata Tim for the first time but it was Rickshaw's fried oysters -plump oysters deep fried in a batter that made it crispy- that made a trip to this restaurant so damn worth it !
Yung Kee- another Chinese restaurant the family dined in frequently during the early 80's since this was right beside the family's Coney Island restaurant in Makati. I remember being amused with the restaurant's large aquarium displays filled with crabs, prawns and groupers. It was also in Yung Kee where I was introduced for the first time to a Chinese dish that has become my favorite to this day - deep fried prawn balls with sweet and sour sauce !
Arnold's Diner - looking for American size portions - then Arnold's Diner in Makati Avenue was the place. Everything here was served BIG !- burgers, fries, lasagna, hot dogs, tacos, milkshakes, pies and cakes. Me and my sisters use to frequent this joint especially during summer since this was just within walking distance to my mom's office. I enjoyed hanging out here since it felt like being in Pop Tate's Choklit Shop which was Archie and the Gang's favorite hang-out (which happens to be my favorite comic book character). It had it's own jukebox, a soda fountain and it's booths were made to look like the insides of 50's convertibles.
I remember being served a huge heaping dish of chicken a la king- a thick mound of rice with a creamy chicken stew then topped with melted cheese-thinking "am I dreaming"?
Di Mark's - it seems that my mom's office was within walking distance to a number of great restaurants, Di Mark's being one of them. Owned by my DLSZ high school classmate, Kimmie Assad, Di Mark's, also along Makati Avenue, served great pasta and pizza. Their meatballs spaghetti, thick round all beef meatballs drowning in an equally thick and rich marinara sauce was a winner. But it was their Don Arturo pizza, a pizza of ground sausage and bell peppers, that made me look forward to eating in this authentic pizzeria !
Singya- Singya resembled a classic pre-war, old Manila, "panciteria" - high ceilings, long ceiling fans, busboys pushing their carts piled high with dirty dishes, fifty or so large dining tables with lazy susans crowded side by side, loud chattering coming from Chinese customers and a noisy ambiance! Located along Jupiter street perpendicular to Reposo street (now Nicanor Garcia avenue) in Bel-Air Makati, Singya was too a family sentimental favorite. This was perhaps the first Chinese restaurant I ate in. Despite it's chaotic and noisy ambiance, the family often ate here and it is where family birthdays were often celebrated. The food was good. I also remember me and my cousins contributed a lot to the noise this restaurant made since we would often play "choo choo train" and hide n seek in the dining area and in their huge comfort rooms often being reprimanded not only by our parents but from the customers as well !
Mr. Ho - Mr. Ho was more of a Chinese take-out counter. This was also one of those establishments that was beside the family owned Coney Island Ice Cream parlors in Makati. I don't remember much about Mr. Ho except for the fact that my mom used to bring home a box of their succulent pork asado !
Kowloon House - when Mr Ho closed down in the early 80's, my mom's love affair with pork asado transferred to Kowloon House. Located along Pasay Road right next to Park Square, Mom would take out a kilo of pork asado that was good for two meal sittings. Half of it, we ate for dinner, the other half, mom would make it an omelet the next day for breakfast. It was one of those few places where the employees knew us very well that mom need not look at a menu. Just by pointing at the barbecued chunk of pork hanging in the kitchen, the restaurant staff already knew - one kilo of take-out pork asado coming up !
Italian Village - another one of those restaurants within a few minutes to my mom's office, Italian Village's theme was that of an Italian Seminary. Dark and quiet with candles that served as the only source of light and where waiters here were dressed in a monk's get-up. It maybe strange, but hey-they served Italian...and by now, you should know my affinity with Italian cuisine !
Nathalie's Vinotek - a hidden gem located along Zapote road. The family ate here a lot during the mid-late 90's when family Saturday night dinners moved from Makati to Alabang. Continental cuisine was it's main fare. It was a fairly small restaurant that probably had fewer than fifteen tables. It also had a small open kitchen where you would see the restaurant's 2 chefs at work, one of them being the son of the European expats that ran and owned this restaurant. The menu was set, usually presented in a small placard that had 2 choices for soups/apps, 2-3 choices for main entree and two choices for dessert. Menu items changed every day. It was also very affordable - for P 550, you already had a soup or app, main course, dessert and iced tea ! - now that's what I call for value for money !
Peacock- Peacock Chinese restaurant was located in Greenbelt that existed way before the plethora of new restaurants that serve fusion and art nouveau cusine which is now seen a lot in Greenbelt. While not as popular as Ambassador, we usually found ourselves eating at this small Chinese restaurant on a Saturday night.
Nandau - Nandau was top notch when it came to traditional Filipino fine dine. Long before Cabalen, Nandau was the choice of many Filipinos when the craving for Filipino cuisine sets in. Located in Greenbelt, their grilled Blue Marlin was just pure heaven. They also had "heart attack mode" Chicharon Bulaklak. But surprisingly, the one dish I craved for everytime I visited Nandau was their Adobong Kangkong. You could say that my love affair with vegetable dishes started in Nandau !
Round Table Pizza- even before Round Table Pizza came to our shores in 1995, I was already familiar with Round Table Pizza. We would eat at this restaurant every time we were in South San Francisco for summer vacations since this was just a five minute walk from my Lolo and Lola's town house in Daly City, California. Imagine my surprise when I heard the news that Round Table was opening a branch here. While Round Table really did not become a success on our shores, having only 2 restaurants, one in Greenbelt and one in Glorietta, and closing shop after three years, I still find myself craving for a slice of Round Table Pizza....and their baked potato covered in cheese, bacon and sour cream...hmmmm !!!
Kookie Korner- what was once a bake shop known as "Cookie Monster", Kookie Korner served the best, fudgiest, thick in chocolate icing , chocolate cake there is. The icing on this cake was so thick, it made it so difficult to swallow. This existed way before the now famous Polly's Chocolate Cake. Located in Greenbelt Mall, Kookie Korner's classic chocolate cake continues to motivate me to come up with an equally good, if not, better, Chocolate Cake !
Bun On The Run- a sentimental favorite. This was my favorite after school hang-out. Located in Alabang Twin Cinema ( now popularly referred to as ATC) where Metro Gaisano now stands, I used to enjoy eating their Chori Burger, Chori Pizza, Baked Macaroni, Brownies, Crinkles and Chocolate Chip Bars after high school classes. A lot of lows happened at Bun On The Run since I recall that it was here that I broke the news to my parents that I did not pass the DLSU entrance exam. But a lot of highs happened here (well not the Alabang branch but their Taft avenue branch). Despite the fact that I did not pass the DLSU exam, I was still accepted in Benilde. And it was in their Taft avenue branch where AIESEC meetings, an organization in DLSU that helped me become more open, were held on Wednesdays.
Jonis- I'm really not sure as to why Jonis closed shop considering that it was a crowd pleaser because of their Bibingka. It also gave some serious competition to Goldilocks and Red Ribbon. Nevertheless, I remember buying boxes of their Marble Slice in their BF branch. I also recall that the owners of Jonis provided a really good show one Halloween. They hired an actor and an actress to portray Aladdin and Princess Jasmine and were made to sit on top of their roof at their house in Ayala Alabang. The actors were throwing candies and treats to the thousands of trick or treaters that it created a monstrous traffic jam inside Ayala Alabang !
Samor Foods- while more of a take out counter rather than a restaurant, Samor holds a lot of sentimental value. Samor provided Chinese deli items such as siopao, siomai, kikiam and meatballs skewered in sticks. They had a counter at Makati Supermart's old location across Landmark. When Makati Supermart transferred to Alabang, they too moved and just like the one in Makati, opened up a take-out counter just outside the Supermarket's check-out lanes. For cheap merienda fare, Samor Foods was quite popular. Patrons would often see the owner , a lanky Chinese man who looked like in his late 60's, sitting outside the Supermarket everyday. When it closed mid 2000, everyone asked why considering Samor was always full of customers. Some say the owner had passed. Little does he realize the impact he brought to a lot of people.
Orange Julius- another one of those found outside Makati Supermart's check-out lanes, Orange Julius was famous for it's Hotdogs and Orange, Mango and Pineapple fruit shakes. It was a much more affordable option than that all beef 99 peso franks outside S and R !
n Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar - all of the restaurants I have featured here opened during the 80's and have since closed. n Spanish restaurant opened around mid 2000. So why include this Spanish restaurant which was located at the parking lot of the Shangri-la Plaza mall in EDSA then transferred to Rockwell until it closed in 2004? It seems out of place. If ever I would write an article about restaurants of the past, I will always include n since it was here where my culinary aspirations became a reality. It was here where I had decided to become a chef. It was here where I was trained to become the chef that I aspired to be. Ran and owned by my cousin Leah Magallanes and her business partner Marivic Diaz, now the Executive Chef of Apartment 1B, it was this two who helped me improve my skills - from perfecting an onion brunnoise to making a moist fluffy frittata; from inventory and plating to research and development, menu planning and food costing -everything there was to know of what it is like work in a professional kitchen. Part of the perks of my training here was how to prepare the food - and what food it was - gambas, paella, adobo flakes, salpicao etc. It was also in n that I chose to focus on pastry and desserts. I started in n exactly two days after my mom was buried in 2001. She never got to see me in my crisp chef whites but nevertheless, she got a front seat where she saw me evolved to who I am now.
Coney Island- you would think I would leave this one out ? A lot of memories were made in the fourteen years the family ( my lolo and lola, my uncles and aunts and us fifteen cousins) founded and owned this once booming ice cream business...outlets all over the Metro.. gimmicks such as half-price holidays... the Coney Island Christmas parade, where I was an astronaut and a sailor..weekly taste tests in our factory, kid's parties in our store in Greenbelt...32 All American flavors- New York New York, Pistachio, Bubble Gum, Mandarin Orange, Lemon Chiffon, Fudge Brownie, Rum Raisin..Ice Cream concoctions like Denver Splendour...flavored cotton candy...eskimo rolls...cream bars and frank furters...and later on summer jobs at our store in Greenbelt Mall and new products like chicken and steak sandwiches, spaghetti and flavored fries...a lot of friends keep asking me if ever Coney Island will return...I don't know the answer to that but I am certain that Coney Island continues to inspire and motivate me to move further and move forward in the food industry.
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