President Aquino dines at his favorite Cebu restaurant on Wednesday night with Secretaries Rogelio Singson (Public Works), Joseph Abaya (Transportation) and Rene Almendras (Cabinet); Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas (not in photo) and Quezon City Rep. Joseph Banal. (PHOTO GRAB/Samsam Gullas FB page)
People don’t believe him when he says he has shared his lighter with the President of the Philippines. But Erwin Esconde, security guard of a little-known Japanese restaurant in Cebu, swears it is true.
In his eleven years of standing in front of Kanyoen Yakiniku Restaurant, he has seen and served President Benigno Simeon Aquino III at least 14 times.
Unknown to many, the small, private restaurant sharing space with Castle Peak Hotel along F. Cabahug Street in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City has been a regular haunt of Aquino whenever he is in the city.
His trip to Cebu is never complete without eating at the establishment, members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) reportedly told the restaurant staff.
His usual order: Jo Karubi, a special, boneless beef short rib; regular Coke; and a bottled water.
The meal is not too pricey, as an order of Jo Karubi costs less than P600, according to a restaurant staff.
“Dugay na na siya tig ari-an, katong senador pa siya (He has been coming here for a long time, ever since he was senator),” Esconde said.
He recalled the first time they saw Aquino’s service van stopped outside the establishment, about seven years ago.
“Nahibu’ng na lang mi nga kahibawo si Aquino namo (We were surprised that Mr. Aquino knew about our establishment),” he said.
Aquino, who was then a senator, wanted to eat at a yakiniku (grilled meat dishes) restaurant and went to Kanyoen on the recommendation of local businessman Jose Vincent “Jojo” Uy, who is said to be one of Aquino’s closest friends in Cebu.
Since then, the restaurant would receive reservation requests from Aquino’s staff, or from his friends in Cebu, two to three days before his arrival.
“Tungod sa kadaghan sa iyang pag-ari, kaila na siya sa among mga nawong (Because he has been here many times, he now knows us by face),” Esconde said.
Last year, he had dined at Kanyoen three times.
AIR PACKAGE
Aquino is also well-known among the staff for requesting deliveries of fresh Jo Karubi beef to Malacañang, said the restaurant’s head of staff, Liesle Bahilan.
They would pack the frozen meat and have it air packaged to Malacañang, she said.
“Manawag ra na siya para mag-take-out og Jo Karubi. Kausa gani ang among naka estorya sa telepono si Secretary Almendras (He would call to order a take out of Jo Karubi. Once, we even talked to Secretary Almendras over the phone),” she added, referring to Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras.
Last Tuesday evening (March 1) marked Mr. Aquino’s most recent visit to the establishment.
The President, after attending a Liberal Party (LP) rally in Bohol, quietly slipped into Cebu on Tuesday afternoon, a day ahead of his scheduled visit here to attend the LP rally and to grace the formal turnover of the newly reconstructed bell tower of the Basilica del Sto. Niño to the Augustinian fathers from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
Bahilan said the restaurant’s management was informed on Feb. 29 of the President’s March 2 visit. Earlier on Tuesday, PSG agents checked the premises before Mr. Aquino and his guests arrived at around 6 p.m.
The other diners, who were mostly Japanese, continued to eat and were unmindful of the presence of President Aquino who came with LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, some members of the Cabinet and Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, the local LP head. The President and his party wore trademark yellow campaign T-shirts of the LP except for Davide, who was in white shirt, according to the restaurant’s staff.
WORD OF MOUTH
Kanyoen owner and head chef Tadashi Ochiai said good reviews about his restaurant spread mostly through word of mouth.
“Commercial is not really my style. Guests introduce other guests,” he said.
In the 18 years he has been in business, since starting the establishment in 1998, Ochiai has gained a loyal following of diners, composed of not only Japanese tourists looking for a taste of home, but also several prominent local businessmen and politicians.
Asked whether he might want to put up a branch in Manila, Ochiai said he has no plan to expand.
“A lot of of people have come here — businessmen, politicians, regular customers, I do not know. This is a lucky place,” he said.