Finally Heart2Heart reached Quezon City and was able to visit the newly opened restaurant of our friends, Enzo and Sandie. It was well worth the trip. I did not see Sandie there but was able to meet and talk to Sandie’s partner, Yong Nieva, who showed me around and intrduced me to the restaurant. He said that they wanted to really open a restaurant in a home which is the trend nowadays. It was his wife, Ivy Almario-Nieva who designed the place. Yong told me that they are still on soft opening and have not had their grand opening, yet the place was fully booked at the time I was there and it has been that way since they opened.
Congratulations Enzo, Sandie, Yong and Ivy!! More power to you!! We are looking forward to a Makati branch!
Since I was not able to meet up with Sandie in the restaurant, I asked her to give me a short background on the restaurant and this is her story….
I put up this resto to honor my lolo as most people have forgotten him
Our main dinning had black and white floors. Each room is divided into different stages of his life. the main dinning has the pics of all the Philippine Presidents he served plus other dignitaries he met. The bar area has pics of his war years it has the famous Landing in Leyte Pic.
It was Enzo who conceptualized the resto.
Ivy looked at old pics of our Forbes house and that is how she came up with the black and white floors.
On the wall by the stairs, written by Carlos P. Romulo
The Menu is more Filipino Spanish. Some of the dishes we are know for are recipes from our family like the Lola Virginia’s Relleno (which is still made in our house) & Tito Gregs Karekare. Other Favorites are the Bangus Pate, Boneless Crispy Pata Binagoongan and the Flying Tilapia.
The private rooms are named after the different houses we had the “Kasiyahan Room” was our residence in Forbes and pics of his UN days there. Kaligayan was our Baguio house where we have photos of the family. The Kapayapaan Room is his UP days.
Location:
# 32 sct lazcano cor sct tuason
Quezon City, Philippines
[email_link]
Thanks, Rica! I have been wanting to try this resto.
Hi, Rica! Thank you so much for this. You captured and put into words (and pictures! ), the very essence and the personality of the place. We really wanted it to be a destination restaurant known not only for upscale Filipino food,but also to experience the rich life history of Carlos P. Romulo, ,though only ‘subliminally’, through the photo collections on the walls..
Enzo, Sandie, Ivy and I want to thank you as we are only the “peons” to give this great man a final home, a solo restaurant entirely his own!!! He must really be so proud of what we have done. And that is enough for us already. We will just continue to give good service, worthy of the genteel ways of the old world elegance he thrived in- the diplomats’ circle he moved around in. All the best!- Yong Nieva
hi Yong!….hope to visit the place…am sure it will as cheery and welcoming as the other places where you were…this is shirl sun…from the salumeria days all the way to greenbelt 🙂
more power!
ps: a makati branch would be lovely!
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