CEBU, Philippines - Recently-opened boutique-restaurant One Claypot House serves a fusion of various all-time favorite dishes from the Philippines and also from the neighboring countries of Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
This quaint-looking shop boasts an excellent, cozy ambiance for families who want a quiet time together, couples who are on romantic dates, and yuppies/teenagers/groupies who wish to catch-up all day long, while enjoying delicious dishes that can be shared together.
Head cook/owner and Cebu-based, Winston Desierto, 32, came up with the idea of One Claypot House while working for his hard-earned money in Singapore for almost four years as an Interior Designer in a furniture shop. "Being an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) is tiring-yet-fun. At the end of the day, you really have to work hard to earn a good pay. This forced me to save up, to dream big and have a business of my own one day, and do what I really like which is cooking," says Winston.
Before flying to Singapore, he previously runs his own boutique shop where he does fashion/wedding design and tailoring for various clients including some Cebu socialites and famous personalities. With Winston's background in design, passion in cooking, and exposure to Southeast Asian dishes in Singapore, "One Claypot House" came about. Most of the food in the menu are his very own favorites that's why he worked hard in studying how to cook each one of them.
Located at the very heart of Cebu (#68 Don Gil Garcia St. Capitol Site), the restaurant is easily accessible from people working around the areas of Cebu Doctors, Provincial Capitol Building, and even those living within the vicinity.
Contrary to initial perceptions that the dishes in "One Claypot House" are a bit pricy because of the look-and-feel of the place, the meals here are all affordable. Per meal, prices range from P120.00 to P180.00 which is comparable to most restaurants out there.
When you visit, the must-try dishes include the famous Lah-Lah-Lah Claypot (Claypot Rice) from Singapore which mixes rice, a staple of most Southeast Asian countries, and pork/chicken and Chinese sausages. Other favorites are: Thailand's Sawasdee Noodle Salad (Glass Noodles) which suits those who wish to try out a sweet-soury-and-spicy noodles; Malaysia's Milky Fried Fish Soup, a healthy, milky soup perfect for health buffs; the Tempting Seafood Pasta and the Super Meatballs to answer various Pinoys' pasta cravings.
Winston adds, "Our marketing strategy behind the restaurant is through word-of-mouth PR and social media. We are hoping that people can come by our resto, take pictures of themselves while eating our dishes, and upload them on Facebook or blog about it." After all, the ambiance of the restaurant and the food here are really worth sharing to other people.
To make reservations, call: +63908-2791498.
Opening Hours: Mondays to Saturdays (closed on Sundays) from 10 A.M. till 10 P.M. — CONTRIBUTED