Odes: A taste of my childhood revisited

Of the many things I've digested over the years, there's this taste from my childhood days that I have not quite forgotten. Now, years after I had my last dinner there with my family, it lingers as distinctly as a fond memory. The taste goes by the name of Dayrit's Mandarin Spareribs.

Dayrit's Restaurant  used to have a branch in Alabang Town Center. It was almost the default dinner place of choice (if we did have more than enough to spend, it being pricier than fast food). There was nothing too fancy about th place. I even remember it being a bit dark. They had these tables with fixed plastic high-backed benches which was the in-thing in restos then. It had the feel of those 24-hour diners you see in American movies (where conspirators meet in the middle of the night, LOL).

Until one day it was suddenly gone. The area it occupied on the second floor of the old Casa Filipina (tama ba?) building was vacated.

Then, still some years ago, I spotted another branch, the one at Paseo de Magallanes. We promised ourselves we would really go there for dinner one time. But for the next few years, we would only be getting a glimpse of it going to or coming from the flyover connecting C5 and SLEX, but never really go there.

Until my digicam, the first one I ever owned, broke down.

Now what the heck does my digicam have to do with Dayrit's? The nearest Canon Service Center was at Paseo de Magallanes. ^_^

So although I felt bad about my digicam getting broken (thankfully, it was still within warranty), I also felt happy. When mom, dad and I proceeded to the restaurant (which we did before even dropping off my digicam at Canon, as we were already starving--it was already what, 1:30 PM?), we had this guilty feeling that the digicam was just an excuse to go to Dayrit's. Hehehe! Mom commented na kailangan lang pala ako masiraan ng camera to finally get to eat at Dayrit's again.

This branch looked different from the ATC branch I recall. It wasn't anything grand still--just white walls with a frame of something on the wall (I can't recall what it was), rows of tables for two, which you can move together if you're a big group, and a counter at the far end behind which must be the kitchen. But there's a homey feel to the place. It was like going to your lola's house for lunch or your favorite coffee shop where you can unwind. That kind of feel.

Waiting for lunch to come. Dad had a beer, mom had
guyabano shake, which was good.

The only thing I can remember about Dayrit's was the aforementioned spareribs. Looking through the menu, we decided to order different things. Dad got the Roast Beef Platter, a generous serving of roast beef strips with gravy, with mashed potato and veggies on the side. Mom got the Chicken Galantina, so we know now what Chicken Galantina is. LOL

ROAST BEEF PLATE (P300). I don't recall us ordering this
when I was a kid, but this will now become my dad's
default meal. It's big enough for two. We always
have to help dad finish it.

CHICKEN GALANTINA WITH RICE (P225). I don't recall
ever having this when I was a kid either. It was a bit
on the bland side, but it was OK. And oh, this is how
galantina looks like!

Of course, I ordered the Mandarin Spareribs served with rice and coleslaw on the side. We all took a bite from each other's plates. We had to order a couple more servings of rice, everything so full of flavor.

MANDARIN PORK SPARERIBS (P205). Years after my last
meal at Dayrit's in ATC, I'm absolutely happy to report that
this dish hasn't changed. It's still the same beloved dish
I always recall.

Little bro, who was a fan of the spareribs as a child, was almost mad when he found out we went to Dayrit's. So we promised to bring him along when we pick up the camera, which happened about a couple of months after.

Little bro obviously missed the Mandarin Pork Spareribs.

I tried their Pork Binagoongan this time. It was served with rice and green mango slices. I'm not a bagoong person. I sometimes get mad at dad, who puts bagoong in virtually everything he eats and often contaminates the rest of the food on the table. Eeew... But this was delicious. As in, oh my gosh. This is my new favorite ehre at Dayrit's. And the bagoong? Long after the liempo was gone, I was picking at it like it was dessert. LOL

BINAGOONGANG LIEMPO (P225). Glad I tried it. Delicious!

Our second meal there (after all those years) started and ended just like the first:

BEFORE. The feast...

AFTER ...is gone with the wind.

We obviously missed Dayrit's, huh? =)

DAYRIT'S RESTAURANT
Branches (according to ClicktheCity.Com):
* Ground Level, Paseo de Magallanes, Pres. Sergio Osmeña Highway, Magallanes, Makati City
* Forum Fort Bonifacio Stop Over, 31st St. cor. 2nd Ave., Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (will hunt this branch)
* Unit 6, Mother Ignacia Place, 139 Mother Ignacia St., South Triangle, Quezon City, Metro Manila

*BB*