Southern Living: 2015 June

June 2015 Volume 9 | Issue 10

SPHERES OF INFLUENCE

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CONT ENTS 11 FEATURE When art and design wax articulate

Cover photo by Everywhere We Shoot

10 MARKET Local gourmet snacks

JUNE 2015 04 HEALTH Water pollution is closer than we think at Manila Bay

26 EATS Viet ca phe changes the coffee scene

08 CRAFT Send snail mail with a marble seal

05 BEAUTY A look back at local iconic hairstyles

24 EATS A hidden hideout in Jupiter street that owes its fame to social media

06 FIXTURE Is this the gentrification of Manila?

30 RECIPE Forest foliage turned edible

EDITOR’S NOTE Passion pit “Are we still in Manila?” A question we’ve been asking ourselves the past month.

“It’s either young Filipinos are putting their Economics courses to good use or lifting ideas off of Huffington Post,” Wincy Aquino Ong writes as he ponders on the changes Manila is going through as seen on Instagram feeds and TV shows the kids are downloading these days. The scene is definitely changing with new places to hang like NYC-inspired restaurant Lazy Bastard and FrenchVietnamese cafe DiCofi. We could perhaps all be moving towards a globalization of sorts—for the better.

We also met a couple of game changers in their spheres of interests.

The fact that they do not take their craft lightly inspires us to improve or do the same. As they continue to raise the bar in fields like art, culinary, and design, we realized that there is much more to do so the country can reach a certain kind of global phenomenon in which the rest of the world can partake in. Of course, we are not one to discount achievements. After all, here we are, in this issue, celebrating the country’s biggest strides—thanks to these people who continue to make a difference with their passion.

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Southern Living is published by Hinge Inquirer Publications. 4F Media Resource Plaza, Mola corner Pasong Tirad Street, Barangay La Paz, Makati City. Visit www.facebook.com/ southernlivingmagazine now. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @slivingph.

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FEEDBACK

SOUTHERN living

INTO THE DEEP Hi Southern Living!

I'm a north gal from Bulacan, now residing here in south with my husband. I stumbled upon your magazine and fell in love with its simplicity, minimalist contents, and I'm guessing recycled paper? I love how you emphasize the good things with a hint of elegance, plus your magazine shows the laid back aura of the south. More power!

Jelly Dela Cruz Agustin

Thank you for the copies of Northern and Southern Living. I read them this morning. I really enjoyed them. Great job!

PRODUCTION MANAGER NOEL CABIE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT MARICEL GAVINO FINAL ART SUPERVISOR DENNIS CRUZ FA ARTIST JR LAROSA BOARD CHAIRPERSON ALEXANDRA PRIETO-ROMUALDEZ FINANCE ADVISOR AND TREASURER J. FERDINAND DE LUZURIAGA LEGAL ADVISOR ATTY. RUDYARD ARBOLADO HR STRATEGY HEAD RAYMUND SOBERANO VP AND CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER IMELDA ALCANTARA SVP AND GROUP SALES HEAD, INQUIRER GROUP OF COMPANIES FELIPE R. OLARTE

I love the cover! I love the article, too.

I just read it. Great job, thank you.

-Gutsy Tuason

@slivingph

CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS CECILE BALATASAR, CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, CHRYSSA CELESTINO, INA AMOR MEJIA, WINCY AQUINO ONG ILLUSTRATORS LEE CACES, MARTIN DIEGOR STYLISTS EDLENE CABRAL, CHARLIE CARBUNGCO, INA AMOR MEJIA HAIR AND MAKEUP CHUCHIE LEDESMA, CARMIE LOCSIN, BULLET REYES PHOTOGRAPHERS EVERYWHERE WE SHOOT, GABBY CANTERO, INA AMOR MEJIA COPY EDITOR SEPTEMBER GRACE MAHINO PROOFREADER CESCA VIZCONDE EDITORIAL CONSULTANT RIA FRANCISCO-PRIETO CUSTOM ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITORS PAM BROOKE CASIN, ANGELA VELASCO EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS TJ BILLONES, PAM CARLOTA, PAULINE MIRANDA, THERESE STA. MARIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES SHANNA MALING, INA MATEO, GENE PEREZ GRAPHIC ARTISTS ROI DE CASTRO, TEJ TAN, YAYIE MOTOS, JAYCELINE SORIANO, JANINE ALCANTARA

- Erwin Romulo

@slivingph

GROUP PUBLISHER BEA J. LEDESMA MANAGING EDITOR BEVERLY DALTON ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS LEX CELERA, PRISTINE L. DE LEON CREATIVE DIRECTOR NIMU MUALLAM GRAPHIC ARTIST DANICA CONDEZ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PATRICK SEGOVIA

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HEALT H

HEALTH AT BAY

What lurks in the waters of Manila Bay is scarier than we think TEXT CECILE BALTASAR ILLUSTRATION DANICA CONDEZ

It rarely fails to deliver gloriously vibrant sunsets to photographers, tourists, and lovers enjoying its warm sea breeze. But underneath the beautiful swirls of color, Manila Bay is quietly turning into a 17,000-squaremeter cesspool of health hazards.

According to the study Manila Bay: Environmental Challenges and Opportunities by G.S. Jacinto, R.V. Azanza, I.B. Velasquez, and F.P. Siringan, there are an estimated 16 million people living in cities and municipalities within close proximity to the bay.

“Large amounts of waste drain into the bay from domestic discharges since only 15 percent of the population is connected to the Metro Manila Sewerage System (IMO 1994),” says the study.

Add to this the liters of toxic chemicals dumped into the bay by factories, oil spills from ships, old engine oil from vehicles, and mounds of garbage swimming in the bay.

This lack of sense of accountability has nowhere to go but turn around and bite us where it hurts. “Cancer, immune system disease, endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, congenital malformation, [and]

developmental disorders” are just some of the health risks that the bay brings to the communities living around it, as stated by Dr. Romeo Quijano, Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, UP College of Medicine in the article Polluted Waters of Manila Bay Can Be Saved.

Now there is really just one thing left to do: we have to clean up Manila Bay, and it has to begin today.

This is a gargantuan task—perhaps one that will last a lifetime or two—and requires the commitment of everyone, most of all the government, but it can be done. After all, “…Manila Bay, with all its pollution, still contains life and gives life,” said Dr. Laura David of UP-MSI at the same piece on Environews.

We have to begin with small but significant steps.

Pepper your mayor with daily letters requesting a more comprehensive and universal sewerage system. Don’t litter, because every little bit thrown in canals eventually finds its way to Manila Bay. This certainly is a challenge. But once it is met, we can be sure that sunsets at the bay will be beautiful, both above and in the water it is reflected on.

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BEAUT Y

STRANDS OF STYLE

A reference of where local pop icons and political figures drew hairstyle inspiration from TEXT BEVERLY DALTON ILLUSTRATION LEE CACES

Imelda Marcos The former First Lady’s hair grabbed as much attention as her style. The bouffant is usually credited to Jacqueline Kennedy. Imelda Marcos caught on this trend easily and still wears her crowning glory as high as she did back then.

How-to: Put a finger by your ear and draw a straight vertical line from one ear to the other; clip the front section. Take the rest of the hair and tie it in a high bun. Tease the front section then cover the bun with the teased hair. Secure with pin and apply hairspray.

Comb the teased section lightly for a neat look.

Eddie Gutierrez He sported a slick pompadour similar to Elvis Presley’s. It was only fitting that his introduction to fame was when he appeared in the 1959 movie appropriately titled Handsome.

How-to: It all starts with the cut. Clip the sides short and leave the top with a considerable length that could be slicked back. Use pomade to brush the hair up and back.

Sharon Cuneta During the ’70s, Sharon Cuneta was the jukebox princess with her record-breaking hits like “Mr. DJ”.

Her hair had that slight Farah Fawcett factor: layered, wispy, and feathery.

How-to: Use a smaller curling iron rod, as the key is not to let the layers go as big as Farah Fawcett’s. Section by section, wrap the ends of the hair into a curl on the iron rod, then fluff hair for a more natural finish.

Pepe Smith Before Pepe Smith had the David Bowie hair he has today, he wore his hair long, wavy, and parted in the middle. During his Juan de la Cruz days, he resembled a young Mick Jagger. Men who wear their hair like this had that nonchalant charm women find attractive.

How-to: Get a haircut that frames the face. As it grows out, the layers just style themselves; no need for hair product. Getting that nonchalant vibe means taking the effortless route when it comes to hair, which is wash and wear.

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FIXT URE

EMPIRE BROOKLYN

Why the Philippines is in a Brooklyn state of mind TEXT WINCY AQUINO ONG ILLUSTRATION MARTIN DIEGOR

How does that pet theory go again? Blame it on the Boomers. The Boomers have the best jobs, the most money, and the cold surplus assets such as leisure-farms in Batangas. The Gen X-ers? They’re caught in the middle—slaves to the wage in middlemanagement jobs. The Millennials? Sadly digging through the scrap pile.

The money, of course, isn’t trickling down anytime soon. It’s frozen like a glacier in the penthouse offices.

Why so? Advances in medicine have given the Boomers longer lives. And it looks like they’re not retiring anytime soon—they’ll retire when they’re dead.

Sure, there are employment opportunities for fresh grads. But the con is as obvious as a billboard: the salaries are dismal, the contracts short-term. Small wonder the 20-somethings still live under their parents’ roofs. Economic freedom is still a pipe dream at best.

But hold on: something’s in the air. It’s either young Filipinos are putting their Economics courses to good use or lifting ideas off of Huffington Post.

Walk around the pockets of Legaspi Village and Poblacion. Check your Instagram feed. Or just observe the TV shows the kids are illegally downloading now.

Chances are, they’re shows like Girls and Broad City.

Something is in the air. A gentle rebellion, perhaps?

Have the kids smartened up? Has this generation finally declared that their parents’ life template (college degree, 9-to-5, marriage, mortgage, kids, family plots in the cemetery) is jurassic at best? If the pet theory holds water, have they found a work-around for the economic caste system set by the post-war lolos?

It seems like it. With global ideas now just a mouse-click away, the Filipino youth have looked no further than Brooklyn for that spark of rebellion.

Ah yes, Brooklyn. That storied borough in New York City. The subject of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The 59th Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy).” The token setting of most hipster dramedies such as Obvious Child. But most especially, it’s a neighborhood teeming with artisanal restaurants, fixed-gear bikes, and bearded buskers. It’s gone past being a district;

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FIXT URE

it’s become an idea being co-opted by youth cultures the help of third-party mail-order services, have the world all over. Call it Brooklynization. It’s when proven to be sound business ventures. the over-educated, the over-informed, and the Gentrification has set in. An auto-shop complex in underpaid have transformed low-rent living into an the muddy banks of Malugay has turned itself into The art form. A shunning of mass-produced enterprises. Collective, a community of kitschy food shops and art galleries. Similar revolutions have been happening in A return to crafts.

As a lifestyle model, it has spread its influence in Poblacion, so much so that the once red-light district of Makati, Burgos Street, has been Europe, Canada, and Asia. nicknamed “Williamsburgos”— And you may not know it, but the Brooklyn state of mind “Welcome to a new Age of a nod to Brooklyn’s epicenter of hipsterdom. has already invaded our shores Enlightenment—one that Mind you, the currents as well. also strong outside Look around you: your champions creative lifestyles are Manila. Tucked somewhere generic local coffee purveyor is no longer cool. The over the stale conservatism in the heritage town of Taal, Batangas is Café G, a tea informed choice now would of the old guard.” and cake shop with interiors be handcrafted coffee-houses straight out of a Wes Anderson like The Curator, Yardstick, film. Similar enterprises have and Toby’s Estate, among others. These enterprises are operated by young self- sprouted in Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro. starters in ironic t-shirts—Gordon Gecko-types need Hello, Philippines. Welcome to a new Age of not apply. Weekend markets in Legaspi, Salcedo, Enlightenment—one that champions creative and BGC have boomed. Food trucks, art fairs, swap lifestyles over the stale conservatism of the old meets—you name it. They’re all happening now in guard. Is it future or is it fad? Only time will tell, but the Philippines. Instagram-based home businesses Brooklyn seems to be the new black. And from the have flourished. Bespoke clothes and jewelry, with looks of it, it’s here to stay for quite some time.

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CR AF T

TAKING IT PERSONAL

Turn your snail mail into something extra special with marbling patterns TEXT, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND STYLING INA AMOR MEJIA

MARBLED STATIONARY What you’ll need: Medium-weight watercolor paper Black poster paint Foamy shaving cream from a can Paintbrush Toothpicks A cookie sheet Envelopes Scissors Spatula or piece of hard card

Directions: 1. Cut your watercolor paper into the size of a bond paper.

2. Line your work area with old newspapers. Put your cookie sheet on top.

3. Shake the can of shaving cream and put a layer of shaving cream on the cookie sheet (about 2 inches thick), covering an area larger than your cut paper.

4. Using a paintbrush, take some of the poster paint and sprinkle the paint on different areas of the shaving cream.

5. With a toothpick, swirl the paint around the shaving cream to create a marbling pattern.

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6. Quickly lay the paper flat on top of the marbled cream, lightly pressing onto the pattern, and keeping it steady for a few seconds. Then carefully remove the paper from the cream.

7. Lay the paper flat, then using a spatula or a piece of hard card, quickly remove the excess shaving cream in one stroke if possible. Be sure to remove all the cream. This will prevent the paper from getting too wet.

8. Once dry, you can trace your envelopes on top of your marbled paper to create liners, or simply cut them into shapes for bookmarks or gift tags.

M ARKET

LOCAL CONFECTIONS Entrepreneurs reinvent familiar Filipino snacks into gourmet finds PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

6. Coconut oatmeal cookies, P175, Echostore, Serendra.

7. Raw carabao butter, P320, Ritual.

8. Chocolate dried mango, P95, Freshco, promdideli.com.

9. Cacao bean chocolates with roasted cashew, P100, Echostore, Serendra.

1. Chocnut butter, P300, Ritual.

2. Toasted pastillas, P160, Pangalatok's Enterprises, Market! Market!

3. Mango otap, P130, Picky Moms, Market! Market!

4. Choco-coated polvoron sticks, P125, Echostore, Serendra.

5. Cocoanut Bliss Balls, P150, The Little Spatula, fb.com/thelittlespatula

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SOMETIMES, Y O U N E E D TO I M AG I N E W H E R E YO U WA N T T O B E Creative minds thrive from the bold pursuit of a raw idea PHOTOGRAPHY EVERYWHERE WE SHOOT

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DEPTH OF FIELD

Manila from an artist’s point of view TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON

Steering the local art industry away from a muddle of repeatedly borrowed works and dated styles, gallerist Isa Lorenzo aids the country’s artists in establishing a view and an art all their own. “There was a need and we filled that need,” says Lorenzo, pertaining to a time where none of the galleries here represented their artists nor exhibited work in art photography. She founded Silverlens in 2004 and now helms it with fellow photographer-turned-gallerist Rachel Rillo, handling all their artists’ needs outside the process of art production. More than getting Filipino artists to join the ranks of their foreign counterparts, Lorenzo strives to let Filipino art sustain its own identity, a visual tourde-force championing what she herself is most known for: a strong voice and a lofty vision.

What hobbies are you pursuing?

I play golf. I travel a lot for golf; I go to Bacolod, Baguio, Davao, and Bukidnon. That’s pretty much it. Our life inside and outside is very much in the art world. Even when we’re on vacation, [we] go to museums, visit galleries, and meet artists.

“Our life inside and outside is very much in the art world.”

What other places do you visit around Metro Manila?

It’s pretty much where art takes us. This morning, we were in Commonwealth, because we had a studio visit, and then afterwards we went to West Gallery on West Avenue. The other day I was in Malate, in 1335 Mabini. More and more, I like the Legaspi Market. So I go there Sunday morning.

What’s the most interesting source of pop culture here in the Philippines?

The street! People on the street, they’re so interesting. You should look at MM Yu’s photographs. The street is so rich and generous. It’s just surreal.

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MAKING THE CUT

A Japanese hair cutter changes a nation's conservative take on long, blunt hairstyles TEXT DENISE DANIELLE ALCANTARA

The incomparable discipline of the Japanese drew the attention of different nations—a race determined to make every task efficient and beautiful. It can’t be denied that they make the most menial and unassuming jobs works of art. Chiyo Tagami, born and raised in Japan, chanced upon the shores of Manila 11 years ago to test the waters of the hair-dressing scene in the city. Trained under the precise eyes of the Japanese, Tagami was taken aback by the locals’ level of expertise in haircutting. “The women all have long, shiny, black hair in one length,” she noticed. Our style is very conservative compared to the Japanese and with her unique mastery of hair, she took it as a challenge to change the scene, putting up her own salon in the heart of Makati.

How is the Pinoy style different from the Japanese?

Unlike in Japan where I see people dressed up, casually walking the streets of Tokyo all day, I only see fashionable people at night. During the day, I noticed that Filipinas go out with little to no makeup and casual clothes.

Where do you usually shop?

Univers in Makati and United Arrows in Japan.

What is your favorite fashion item?

Something gray. Something leather. Something denim.

Something real.

Who is your current favorite local fashion designer?

Gian Romano.

What was your first impression of the Philippines?

All I knew were negative things before I traveled to the Where do you look for hair inspirations?

Philippines. But I was wrong; places like Greenbelt Basically art pieces like paintings and sculptures. I also were actually like Hawaii. get inspirations from movies.

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EDIBLE PASSION

A restaurateur shares her experiences through global culinary fare TEXT BEVERLY DALTON

“I grew up around food and restaurants,” Abba Napa says looking back at her life as a child in Kuala Lumpur with her family. “My mom had a bakery . . . and I would hang out with the expat guests and explain [to them] what ensaymada was.”

When they moved back to Manila, her dad bought a long-standing Italian restaurant that he frequently enjoyed. Soon, Napa was spending so much time at the restaurant—hours behind the bar and hanging out with the chefs. And as serendipitous as it would seem, she found herself working full time for this innate passion for food as the founding partner for creative development for The Moment Group, the company that knows how to show a good time by way of mouth. “I think my childhood cemented this fate for me a long time ago,” she says.

Where do you go for comfort food?

I realized that comfort food is food I eat when I am alone. It’s something meant to nourish me and not necessarily to entertain me. Manam and Phat Pho, our Filipino and Vietnamese joints do exactly that for me.

What’s your nightcap?

Depends on the night! I must admit that I do love negronis and martinis, though.

Best place to have coffee?

At home, in bed, or at the backyard.

Where do you find inspiration for new concepts?

Sometimes from a memory, sometimes from one of my business partner’s dreams, sometimes from a chef ’s style of cooking, sometimes from looking out the window of a car or walking down an alleyway in a foreign city, and sometimes just from flipping through a magazine.

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A MOVING EXHIBIT

A designer pays tribute to his love of art TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON

“I don’t like dressing up so much. If there’s an event [where I need to] wear a suit, I don’t go there,” reveals Rhett Eala, the fashion designer whose evening dresses and bridal gowns have consistently been gracing Manila’s elaborate occasions. Making a jump from casual wear to made-to-order pieces, Eala has been dressing personalities from icon Dawn Zulueta to rising celebrity Nadine Lustre. His simple style, however, has lately figured as the trademark of his menswear line: “very casual, more street,” as the down-to-earth designer likes to put it. Tying together these radically different designs are patterns hand painted on the garment, a mark, you could say, of Eala’s early and enduring exposure to classic art. Now, the designer’s artworks are constantly on exhibit—on the fashion runway and the wedding aisle.

I [also] love the way Tina Ocampo dresses. When you get older, you have to be more regal and more covered up.

What do you keep hidden in your bedroom?

I have a lot of sketchbooks. I drew on four pages but the rest are empty and there’s a ton of them.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Chocolate or ice cream. I’m diabetic but I eat them anyway. Also shopping. That’s one of the first things I do every morning: I open my favorite online stores to see if they’re on sale.

Where do you usually eat?

I eat out around Rockwell which is near. I usually eat in Apartment 1B. Or if I eat Japanese, I will eat in Kikufuji.

Do you go to galleries?

Yeah. That’s what I do, I collect art. I like Silverlens and Art Informal. Then there’s also J studio. I’d like to work with some artists like Jose John Santos, Ryan Villamael, and Pio Abad.

Whose styles do you admire?

If we raid your closet now, what brands would we see?

Sheikha Mozah. She only wears couture but since I buy a lot of Rick Owens. I buy a lot of Givenchy she’s Muslim, she can’t wear very revealing stuff. T-shirts, a lot of Valentino sneakers.

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A FARE TRADE

An Ilonggo chef is turning regional fare into a global sensation TEXT PRISTINE L. DE LEON

At the time Chef JP Anglo was recruited in Junior Master Chef Philippines, the show was gunning for a judge that would grab the crowd’s attention: someone young, interesting, and preferably from the province— of course, the charismatic Anglo had initially fit the bill.

“I’d screw up my lines,” he tells me jokingly, however. In secret, he felt like a minor character sharing the spotlight with legend Fernando Aracama. Past the show, Anglo’s legacy had gone beyond his youth and Ilonggo roots.

Upon establishing Sarsa, the chef is set on putting the country’s regional fare into the global culinary map. “It started always as both a frustration and a passion,” says the chef. Now, he’s out turning the country’s humble batchoy into the industry’s next ramen. “I guess my style is really just straight-up,” he says. “No matter what it is, I try to make it as namit as possible.”

Where would you go for a nice dinner?

I like Mien San Noodle House in Ortigas Extension. I love going to Yabu. I like the katsus there. Where else do I go? I like Chinese food!

What are your hobbies?

I love surfing. I want to just leave one day, not tell anyone, go to Siargao, and surf for a month!

Where do you go for a drink here in Manila?

Niner Ichi Nana in BGC, and I like going to Tambai. I also like going to the Curator.

Any preferred drinks?

I like San Miguel Beer, Red Horse, Pale Pielsen. But I’m not a heavy drinker. I’m pretty weak when it comes to alcohol. I easily get tipsy, which is kind of good so I won’t spend a lot of money! [When I’m tipsy], I’m very outspoken, I speak to everybody. But I’m fun.

Where do you go for brunch?

Wildflour and Kafé Batwan. It’s gonna be a Filipino café that would serve breakfast. I’m working there but I’ll also be [eating] there a lot.

“My goal is to put [the batchoy] on the map and make it the next ramen [of] the Philippines.”

Give me one secret you’re allowed to reveal.

I put garlic in everything! When I’m eating by myself or when I’m eating at home or at my restaurant, everything has garlic.

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ST YLE

POINT OF ORIGIN Reinterpreting the myth of creation in a contemporary Eden STYLING EDLENE CABRAL PHOTOGRAPHY SHAIRA LUNA

Button-down shirt, P9,598, and trousers, P24,998, both Carven, Shangri-la Plaza Mall.

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ST YLE

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ST YLE

Button-down shirt, P9,598, and trousers, P24,998, both Carven, Shangri-la Plaza Mall.

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ST YLE Blazer, P39,998, and trousers, P24,998, both Carven, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Button-down shirt, P11,998, Paul Smith, Greenbelt 5. Sneakers, P2,995, Bershka, Glorietta 2.

SHOT ON LOCATION DE LOS PICOS EN TERRAZAS DE PUNTA FUEGO, NASUGBU, BATANGAS. HAIR & MAKEUP BULLET REYES. MODELS SETH AND JANE OF ELITE MODELS MANILA.

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ST YLE Button-down shirt, P14,998, Paul Smith, Greenbelt 5. Skirt, P6,950, Armani Exchange, Alabang Town Center. Sandals, P2,595, Zara, SM Mall of Asia.

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Button-down shirt, P9,598, Carven, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

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EATS "Long live bacon" is quickly making the rounds on social media, almost waxing iconic as guests consistently post photos of the neon sign.

Follow @slivingph on Twitter and Instagram to know more.

NOT ANOTHER BURGER JOINT

An underground den of burgers and hotdogs gives a little taste of New York TEXT LEX CELERA PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

There’s a new burger joint that recently opened on a nondescript part of Jupiter Street in Bel-Air. Try to find it. There are no discernable signs outside, save for a board saying “Bacon & Burgers this way” and an arrow that lights up at night, pointing towards a flight of stairs leading to the entrance. Like a suspect in a lineup, it seems to blend with the background when observed.

The surprise of finding out a casual dining restaurant in what would otherwise be a basement is only a sliver of the allure of Lazy Bastard. Their menu is sprawled on a large chalkboard that spans the room. Below it sits a counter paired with simple stools. Across are more tables and chairs that snugly fit the intimate space. What you would immediately notice, however, is a neon red signboard the width of the average wingspan that says “long live bacon.” This is what would have probably made you know about Lazy Bastard in the first place— checking the hashtags #lazybastard and #lazybastardph on Instagram shows a significant number of photos of that particular sign.

For a restaurant that didn’t have marketing campaigns of any kind other than word-of-mouth, Lazy Bastard

has been getting quite the buzz ever since its opening, especially in social media. Owner Patrick Cuartero prefers to let the food speak for itself. “The focus of Lazy Bastard is down to the core: the patty, the hotdog, and spending as much hours in perfecting [that],” he says.

Patrick prefers to do away with the gimmicks, focusing on the quality of the dishes instead. “You can make it at home if you had the right ingredients. That’s what we want to focus on. We want to show people that it doesn’t take special sauces or anything like that to make a good burger.”

Despite the name, Lazy Bastard is anything but lazy. The menu is a well-curated selection of American comfort food that is inspired from similar joints in New York, where Cuartero stayed for several years. Every two weeks, they plan to release a ridiculous combination of bun and hotdog, and they are always on the lookout for fresher and better ingredients. Lazy Bastard is a concept born from due diligence, a distinct vision, and a hunger for perfection. A word of advice: enter this food joint with open eyes. Pleasant surprises may come in ways you wouldn’t expect.

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EATS With strong influences from New York comfort food, Lazy Bastard offers hotdogs wrapped in bacon (left). The Bacon Cheeseburger serves as an authentic introduction to an American taste (below).

Lazy Bastard. 22 Jupiter cor. Galaxy St., Bel-Air, Makati City.

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EATS Traditional Vietnamese coffee is individually brewed into a cup with condensed milk.

THE VIET COMEBACK

A hole-in-the-wall village coffee shop gives importance to slow living TEXT BEVERLY DALTON PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

DiCofi, a quaint contender amid coffee shops with bigger spaces, stands out with a certain je ne sais quoi. It could be because of its l’Indochine charm that gets people curious, but for regulars, they keep coming back for the disturbingly strong black Vietnamese coffee with a layer of sweetened condensed milk.

The Viet ca phe is not one to disappoint, especially for those looking to stay up and alert for long hours.

Because the coffee is strong, it is meant to be taken in small ounces. Made with a slow drip method using a metal contraption called a phin filter placed on top of the glass, the thin layer of condensed milk at the bottom balances the dark roasted Vietnamese coffee. Served in small portions, Vietnamese coffee becomes a reminder to slow down. Waiting for the coffee to fill the glass becomes a moment for conversation or an opportunity for some quiet time in the middle of busyness. The small space at DiCofi also helps in creating an intimate coffee experience for the customer—alone or with friends.

Its menu is as quaint as the place. Offering only 19 items on its list—five meals, five coffee drinks,

and nine fruit shakes—DiCofi focuses on quality, serving authentic Vietnamese fare. For early birds, the bahn mi, a Viet sandwich with fried eggs, ham, pork floss, and liver paté in between a sliced French baguette, is a good start alongside the coffee.

Another dish that has piqued much curiosity is the pizza. Unlike traditional Italian ones, DiCofi uses a grilled flat rice paper instead of dough, which is then topped with ground pork, chicken, and pork floss, and drizzled with some hot sauce; it’s crunchy and is perfect as a midday snack. The Savory Sticky Rice is also not one to miss. If the Thais have their sweet mango sticky rice and the Filipinos have their biko and suman, the Vietnamese also have their own version with a side of salty viands like pork floss and sausages. Instead of eating it to cap off a meal, in Vietnam, sticky rice is just the beginning.

The intimate ambiance of DiCofi brings to focus what is of the moment, which is yourself and the smell of the slow-drip ca phe. Watching the coffee drip slowly or taking the time out to enjoy a snack can become the respite everyone is looking for in between the noise of city life.

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EATS The Bahn Mi, a Vietnamese street sandwich with a French colonial past, gets a breakfast twist with ham and eggs (right). Pour the hot ca phe into a glass of ice to make a cool drink (below, right).

DiCofi. Valero Plaza, 124 Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City. 0915-7986788.

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SPECIAL FEAT URE

Tatang’s crunchy lechon is tender on the inside and is served with rice-true to Filipino practice (left).

ALL THE GOOD STUFF Backyard Grill at the Park goes to San Lorenzo Village PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

Already on its fifth installment, Backyard Grill At The Park’s draw is obvious: It’s a neighborhood arbiter of culinary trends and artisanal fare. Hosted by Southern Living, Northern Living, and Inquirer RED, this outdoor event brings the community together over good food and live music as it upholds a worthy cause supported by its vendors.

Twenty percent of the profit for that day goes to the charities of their choice.

Just last May, Backyard Grill At The Park opened its doors to the community of San Lorenzo Village, Makati. Held at the village park soccer field, it was a day-to-night revelry of gourmet offerings from different food stalls.

Tatang’s Boneless Lechon brought with it the goodness of Cebu while Skull and Bones,

Backyard Coffee, and Gourmet Garage treated friends and family to various comfort food like specialty-grade coffee, sandwiches with four kinds of cheese and honey, and big and juicy burgers. Stanford x Shaw’s freshly brewed ginger ale and Papa Diddi’s frozen treats capped off the meals. DIY kits and lawn games, like a giant Jenga, were set up to entertain kids and even kids at heart.

Backyard Grill At The Park has become more than a monthly excuse to eat good food.

It is a reason to commune, enjoy and gather.

This June 20, Backyard Grill At The Park goes further down south to Ayala Alabang Village’s Makiling Park. Check out the official hashtag on social media #HIPBackyardGrill to know more about this neighborhood feast.

This Hinge Inquirer Publications event is made possible by Robinsons Luxuria, Crate and Barrel Philippines, and Tattoo Platinum.

RECIPE

VERDANT FLAVORS

Setting up the palate for another green revolution TEXT AND STYLING CHARLIE CARBUNGCO PHOTOGRAPHY GABBY CANTERO

MIXED VEGETABLE STIR FRY INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 1/2 cup sweet potato shoot 1/2 tbsp. shrimp paste Chicharon 3 cloves of garlic (minced) 2 tbsp. sesame oil Onion (thinly sliced) for garnish Talinum for garnish Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION 1. Blanch the sweet potato shoots for 5 seconds. Set aside.

2. In a pan, sauté garlic, sweet potato shoot, and shrimp paste.

3. Add crushed chicharon and sesame oil.

4. Fry the thinly sliced onions until crispy.

5. Lastly, top with talinum leaves and fried onions, then plate.

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T HE GET

CACAO TALK

Native confidence tastes like this single-origin cocoa liquor: bold, sweet, and all Filipino TEXT CHRYSSA CELESTINO PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

910 Colbella Arcade, Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City. 843-5303.

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SHOT ON LOCATION RESTOCK

When Malagos Chocolate made clear that it’s Philippinemade, it meant two things: pride in coming from the Philippines and in putting local chocolate on the global cacao radar. Past its historical import from Mexico to Manila centuries ago, cacao beans eventually found home in fertile territory such as Davao City, where Malagos Agriventures took root.

Heading this agricultural enterprise that dabbled in the operations of water wells and a nature-themed resort are Roberto and Charita Puentespina who began their venture into cacao production in 2003, with the latter personally rehabilitating cacao trees and harvesting the cacao pods. From the harvest, she would make tablea (callets) the traditional way by open-roasting the beans in firewood, then grinding and molding them. In 2012, the brand’s perfected premium single-origin cocoa liquor greeted a discriminating market that snubbed powdered formulas in favor of unadulterated chocolate. A painstaking process of harvesting, fermentation, drying, roasting, and grinding maintains the quality of the cacao from tree to bar, and is run by local farmers who have adopted and learned the necessary practices to create a pack of pure, unsweetened, and all-natural Malagos chocolate.

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