Patio Victoria all set for Imelda’s bash

If you happen to be in the vicinity of the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila tonight and you hear some minor explosions at the stroke of midnight, don’t be alarmed. No, it’s not a terrorist attack but just fire-works to herald the 73rd birthday (July 2) of former First Lady Imelda Marcos who will be honored with a family salu-salo at Patio Victoria, the specialty restaurant owned and managed by her nephew, former Leyte Rep. Alfred Romualdez and his wife, Cristina "Kring Kring" Gonzales.

By the time the fireworks are set off, the 200 or so invited guests shall have had their fill of the Spanish cuisine Kring Kring specially prepared for the occasion. "That’s their request," said Kring Kring. "Spanish food."

The recipes, according to Kring Kring, are straight out of her lola and her mom’s (Charito Mallarky-Gonzales) cookbook. For sure, the beautifully-decorated buffet table will be heaving with such mouth-watering Spanish goodies as Callos, Lengua, Paella, Bacalao, Putanesca and Croquetas, with the omnipresent lechon enthroned at the center of the table.

Salads will be international style, with three kinds of dressing – Blue Cheese, Vinegrette and A Thousand Islands.

For appetizers, Imelda’s well-wishers will have bites of Pizza Marquitos and Prociutto Ham while swapping juicy bits of gossip. For dessert, they’ll have three choices – Assorted Pastries, Brownies or Blondie Bars – to go with their coffee (or decaffeinated tea?) and more idle talk while waiting for the fireworks ("A surprise gift from somebody," said Kring Kring) to brighten up the drab skies of Intramuros.

Tonight’s salu-salo, an asalto of sorts, is one of the three parties organized to mark Imelda’s seven decades and three years of colorful and dramatic existence. Another one was held last night at Westin Philippine Plaza and a third one is scheduled tomorrow night at Imelda’s home.

The Patio Victoria affair won’t be complete without the kantahan (will Imelda sing Dahil Sa ’Yo one more time?), with Cecille Cobarrubias (a.k.a. Shyr Valdez), daughter of Imelda’s Girl Friday Cherry Cobarrubias, as the "entertainment committee" head.

Nestled between the Manila Cathedral and the San Agustin Church, Patio Victoria opened only in December last year and it’s what has been keeping Kring Kring busy especially now that she has retired from showbiz and Alfred is out of politics (but 2004 isn’t that far off, is it?). The couple has only one child, Sophia Cristina, who’s turning three in August.

The whole place is "very Cristina Gonzales," from the decor (full of flowers, etc.) to the menu (predominantly Spanish, the Gonzaleses being Spanish). When you see the place, you expect Kring Kring to bloom with all those flowers, especially when she’s preparing for a wedding banquet or for a debut party or for a birthday party or for any of such packages Patio Victoria specializes in.

"Even when I was still in showbiz," said Kring Kring, "it had been my dream to put up a restaurant business; not any other business but a restaurant business."

Although she considers herself a "retired" actress, Kring Kring isn’t completely closing the door to showbiz. But if and when she agrees to do a movie, it will definitely have to be different from the genre she used to do.

"Maybe I’d do a movie because I love to do the role and not because I have to do the role," added Kring Kring.

(Note: For inquiries about Patio Victoria, call 526-1953, 527-8006 or 0917-7956726.)