Savory

I've always enjoyed eating at restaurants that help bring back memories of childhood days when life seemed so much simpler. Today, I had lunch with the Clairvoyant at a newly opened Savory restaurant at the nearby mall. Having a light breakfast before an appointment with the dentist, we were quite starving and eager to have a hearty meal. We were not disappointed as we enjoyed the set meal consisting of fried chicken, pancti canton, fish fillet and turon (yup, that's right - turon). I just had to order the almond jelly and lychees to complete the experience.

I believe Savory us among the restaurants that had that signature taste - one that makes you recognize immediately that you were eating there. I consider it alongside Max's, Aristocrat and Ma Mon Luk; though I must admit I haven't yet eaten at Ma Mon Luk and don't have memories of eating at Aristocrat (I may have been too young to remember we ate there before.) If I were to extend this category of childhood dining I would definitely include Shakey's (tasted my first pizza at Ali Mall), the old Jollibee in New Frontier cinema, and perhaps that old resto near COD (I don't remember the name) where I enjoyed many toasted bread (my taste was that simple then). The taste of food in these restaurants were familiar and may I say haven't changed so much through the years (otherwise we wouldn't return to eat there).

Meals at restaurants like Savory bring back nice memories as evidenced by the many older people who ate there. One could overhear that they enjoyed their meals and engaged in conversation, exchanging tales about a past era, and I can imagine them picturing the old branch in Escolta just as what was illustrated in the restaurant. I look forward eating there again in the near future and that next time will be with Tatay and Mama, whose stories I look forward to hearing again and are sure to make the meals even more enjoyable.