The men of C’

It may be the warmest time of the year but I am not complaining  about the heat.  I am floating on Cloud Nine. My heart is full and warm. I’m basking in the love of my one and only teenaged son Vincent who wrote me a loving card that ended with, “Thank you for keeping my feet on the ground, my head in the clouds. Happy Mother’s Day.”  And he added, “Every day is Mother’s Day.” Awww...he succeeded in melting my heart with his grateful love.

 On May 11, Sunday, Vincent and his dad conspired to take me out on a date to celebrate Mother’s Day. They were whispering as I overheard that our destination was a newly opened place in town and quite special. Friends highly recommended it. With excitement, I dressed up carefully in a bright summer dress, gathered up my new shiny mane of hair, crowning it with a pink floral pompom. My son drove us through the tree-lined streets of Salcedo Village in Makati, stopped on the corner of 115 L.P. Leviste and Toledo Streets, right across the verdant Salcedo Park. I hopped off the car as my husband opened my door. I immediately loved what I saw. The entrance was most inviting. A quaint red canopy hung above stone steps and a sign revealing the name of the restaurant: C’ Italian Dining. 

I was met by a smiling waiter and led to a table for three reserved especially for me. The air-conditioning was efficiently cold, the interiors, warm and welcoming. We sat on comfortable dining chairs, charmed by the combination of stone and plastered walls, wooden beams, the refreshing greenery of the park across us made visible through the glass doors. The enticing open kitchen appeared like a live painting on clear glass encased by a gilded frame, as several cooks, sporting red paisley kerchiefs that made them looked more like animated artists, whipped up enticing dishes.

After ordering our food, my husband Benny looked around, closely appreciating the eye-catching artwork, cozy restaurant interiors, and wondered who designed them.  Later I discovered that they were done by the owners themselves.

Margarita con fungi panizzas made a grand entrance at our table. Tasty strips of delicate mushroom cheese pizza, baked with a thin savory crust. Family conversation and laughter flowed freely as we each picked our own slice. After filling it up with fresh alfalfa sprouts and arugula leaves, we then dipped our panizza rolls in an infusion of chili garlic olive oil. And smiled at each other with sheer delight. The linguini tartufo cooked aldente with prosciutto and asparagus was just perfect. The crème brulee deftly flavored with a subtle hint of lemon was a memorable finish on my palate. I knew I had to be back to try the variety of dishes still tempting me on the menu.

A week later my classmate invited me to lunch. A text message revealed the very same venue. God must have known how much I wanted to be there. It turned out to be a happy reunion of friends in foodie heaven. Fortunately, the group behind this delightful restaurant was also in the building. I was happy to meet them.

They graciously sat with us and together we shared life stories. Over fine food and scrumptious desserts we discovered this successful partnership and the story of C’ Italian Dining.

 Meet the owners of C’ Italian Dining. All charming men in their thirties.

Amiable Ed Pineda graduated Business Management in La Salle. Gentle and kind, he is an organizer, a stickler to details and has a great passion for food.

As we feasted on an Italian family-style meal of freshly baked bread with an appetizing fresh pesto dip, melt-in-your mouth gambero aglio olio, Don Carmelo panizza with anchovies, Ed claimed to being on the shy side. But he also  shared that his very supportive wife Leslie is very outgoing and enjoys spending time in the restaurant helping out and talking to guests of C’ in Salcedo. After all, this restaurant is like their first baby, he proudly claims.  He shares how thrilled he is that repeat customers frequent their restaurant.

Second partner Rey Pineda is a sharp operator. Like his brother Ed, Rey went to a “green” school, finishing Business Management at De La Salle University. Rey said, “When we were kids, we were always fighting but when we grew up we became so close and now enjoy brotherhood. We are best friends.”

Ed added his brother Rey is so reliable. He can call him for anything, anytime, even at 2 in the morning. They work very well together. Oh, did I tell you they are from Pampanga, a province known for people who take pains to produce good food?  Their C’ Italian Dining  located at Pavilion 5, Berthaphil III Cark Center, Jose Abad Santos Avenue is a must-visit in the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

Rey’s on-the-job training began in their father’s first restaurant C’ Italian Dining in their hometown in Pampanga. This was his classroom for learning the ropes of the restaurant business firsthand in 2004. He recalled that one of his responsibilities was doing inventory. 

After emptying my flavorful plate of linguine con fruti de mare, I curiously asked Rey, “How do you do inventory?” With a gregarious smile, he said, “Oh, I simply count every single item including each shrimp and fish in the kitchen.” We all laughed at the image he conjured as I dug in happily into dessert. Oh till now I am still dreaming of those sweet luscious mascarpone cheese layers on their creamy tiramisu.

Paolo Tolentino, a good friend and schoolmate of the Pineda brothers, is the third partner I met that day.  Paolo was born into a clan who loves to cook  and eat. His first kitchen experience was working in their family-owned restaurant Manila Sunset in California. Small world. During the late ‘80s, my hubby and I, as newlyweds residing in the Bay area, used to frequent their restaurant each time we craved for a good pancit palabok. Little did I know that the shrimps and boiled eggs that adorned our yummy palabok sauce were peeled by an 11-year-old boy named Paolo. Now, here he was in front of me all grown up, a talented cook and a jovial restaurateur. One of his fond memories was representing his college De La Salle-College of St. Benilde (where he took up Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management) in a cooking competition held in Singapore.

There is something so intimate about sharing a delicious meal together. I left my newfound friends with a heartfelt prayer for God to bless their families and the wonderful restaurants they run together, with such tender loving care.

(Would love to hear from you at miladayjewels@yahoo.com.)