This is the most exciting time yet for Philippine-style politics in several decades – contentious, hard-hitting, dramatic and many times venomous. But all that is now behind us as the people have chosen our new leaders. In six years’ time, we will probably be reliving the same scenario, with the same characters figuring in the national elections, but hopefully with a lot of valuable lessons learned. As we wrote down our choices, we had our share of winners and losers among our candidates, but the die is cast now, so let us begin the healing towards one unified nation. To the victors, congratulations, may you live up to our expectations. To the losers, we’ll see you again in 2022.
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Having said that, I guess many of you have had enough politics for the last few months, so let’s take things a little easier now and check out what’s cooking out there. Let’s check out a new find in the restaurant scene.
One of our newest discoveries is in Bo. Kapitolyo in Pasig City: Calderon. Why the name? Because their very first outlet was in Calderon St. in San Juan, and since the very word calderon also references cooking pots (think caldero), the owners Marmie Perez, Angelo Melo and Ramon Carballo thought it
was a good name for recall.
It was Ramon Carballo whom the roving staff of B&L (Business & Leisure) spoke to, and he said the location they discovered was exactly what they dreamed of, where the immediate community had the spending power and where restaurants were starting to sprout. What is interesting is that there are already quite a few residential streets that have become food streets now. Some have opted to turn their own homes into a revenue-producing asset, others just put up their ancestral homes on the block for much-needed cash or capital.
That was what happened to the Calderon group when they chanced upon the San Juan property, and exactly what happened also when they discovered the property in Barrio Kapitolyo for another branch of Calderon. Bo. Kapitolyo is now a certified food street when back in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, this area developed by the Ortigases before they opened the different phases of Valle Verde subdivision (Nos. 1 to 6), was an exclusive subdivision. Today, there are still a lot of old houses, some of them left in a neglected state. It was only natural that many of them would be converted into restaurants, and now it is one of the newest food streets in the area.
The third branch of Calderon is in Salcedo St. in Makati. For a group that has never ventured into the restaurant business before this, they have certainly expanded the brand so well in just a few years.
What Mon Carballo said about their original concept though was amusing. The owners had conceived of the restaurant as a hole in the wall serving Spanish specialties home-cooked style.
Calderon in East Capitol Drive in Bo. Kapitolyo is hardly a hole in the wall—the décor is pleasing, warm, hospitable. It is not a young, hip restaurant –it has quiet elegance that families or a group of old friends wanting to catch up would appreciate.
One of the partners, Marmie, happens to be an interior designer. The mix of dark brown wooden chairs and tables on one side and bleached furniture on another side, homey Spanish tiles, the large tapestry of España on the wall, the warm glow of yellow lights, and the red bricks all come together for a unified
old Spanish look.
Spanish food that is lutong bahay is how Mon spoke of their cuisine. They don’t pretend to be authentic because authentic is not necessarily the best, according to him. So what are they known for? Their paellas, naturally, which some patrons keep coming back for, he said. The B&L crew got to taste one of their variants, the paella negra which was much appreciated by the group. Other specialties include traditional favorites like the very tender lengua and the bacalao which probably hit it off with many customers last Holy Week. Their Iberian Chicken is also another best seller. At P1,000 for one large chicken, it is rather pricey, but we ordered some for take out anyway. The dish turned out to be very tasty, served with potatoes and carrots, and presented very well. This dish has to be pre-ordered at least 24 hours ahead, but it can be a nice addition to one’s buffet table or special Sunday lunch for the family. Like many Spanish restaurants, they are also proud of their tapas and bocadillos (sandwiches), but what they are pushing now is their newest dish—cangrejo. This is crab roasted in garlic butter which they graciously offered for the crew to try. Crabs are always a winner wherever they are served, but this one was a winner, according to the crew. Lucky guys. They say their prices are competitive, not hotel prices definitely, but not your neighborhood eatery either because they do not scrimp on their ingredients, just like home.
Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino.
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