Chef’s Garage: Your Cheap Time Machine


By: Bea Nadine Calachan

Metro Manila is undeniably the busiest city in the Philippines. Its fast-paced environment is experienced by everybody of all ages, sexes, or walks of life. Everyone knows how raging the metropolis environment can be and it’s not circumstantial, it’s just the way it is. Now and then, you might want to look for some place to stop, and breathe even just for a second. Metro Manila, geographically, consist of many elite motor places and we’ve always known which parts are the busiest. These parts are usually the places we go to fulfill our everyday tasks and we wish that we can find leisure here as well. Well guess what, a refreshing yet nostalgic place is located in the heart of the metro. You can’t help but to reminisce all the fun times you had while sipping a cold bottle of beer with your peers. 

Everyone probably has been to Cubao at least once in their life. People outside the metro knows that if they want to go to Manila, they’d find a bus with a red flashing placard that states ‘Cubao’. This smart location is the welcoming city for everybody. A place where you can find terminals for all modes of transportations, both going up north and down south. Some people may say that if you ever get lost in Cubao, rest assure that you’d find a ride home.

In line with this, the city meets a lot of new faces each day, everyone just passes by, a lay-over they would need to get to before hopping back on to another vehicle to go somewhere else. Everyone has another destination in mind. But what if Cubao is a destination itself? --- Think of it as a nice location to meet friends, it’s the ‘meet in the middle’ place. A place so accessible, it is convenient. It has a lot of hidden gems where you can linger. This place has become more of a wonder when it established a U-shaped road crammed and full of shops that represents the dynamic and diverse nature of the city. 

This place is called the Cubao Expo. A precinct of hole in the wall shops and restaus, cool bars, cheap eats, and chic boutiques. This place is consistent in painting a vintage scene. As the moon floats and glimmers its light on the dark night sky, a place as unique as this comes alive.

Amongst all the exceptional themes and gimmicks of the shops located there, one stands out not just because it’s different, but because venues come and go but a fifty’s themed diner named Chef’s Garage is one constant.

As you walk along the hundred-meter road, trying to find a nice place to chill, you’d notice this place right away. Chef’s Garage has a huge neon sign that says its name.\

From the outside, it looks like a cozy drive-in motel that we see in chic-flick movies. You’d notice that even though the theme of the area is vintage, it is the only establishment there that has a unique architectural design. It may have been the strength; given that it is located exactly in the middle of the street. It has a bar outside located right in front of the grill, it has three to four chairs that you and your barkada could take. A couple of chairs and tables are also placed right beside the door, reserved for smokers because the restaurant is very strict with their no-smoking policy. The windows of the grill station are open, and you can smell the tasty aroma of their own rib recipe that can inevitably lure you in.

As you push the door open, just like every cantina in the fifties, a bell will chime, announcing your presence. Now, you can have a better smell of their savory foods.
The diner has a dim-red light that gives off the retro vibes. It has counters and bars with tall steel chairs, where you can sit if you can come alone tonight. It hums with music whose genre ranges from old to the newest playlist that your favorite disc jockey loves to serenade you with.

Look around, and you’ll notice that the walls are packed with memorabilia that speaks how much fun you’ve missed if you weren’t born for four decades. Each element inside the diner tells a story. And I might not get to tell you each and one of them, because words would never be enough to describe it, you have to be there to experience it first-hand. 

The diner offers one of the cheapest drink promotions. It’s probably one of the reasons why they have established loyal patronage. They sell a bucket of your favorite beer, containing seven bottles for 370 pesos. If you’re not a heavy drinker, you can buy one for 80 pesos. But hey, don’t come to a special place without ordering their specialties. Their menu doesn’t just offer your favorite ‘pulutan’, you can also expect a full-course dinner there. They are very proud of their ribs. And indeed, they should be. Their ribs are flavorful and very soft but still has its tasty texture. They also have an unforgettable seafood platter that contains calamari, fried kani or crab sticks, fish fillet, and tempura. All will be dipped on their special sauce. They have a lot to offer. 

If you want to have a good time while experiencing retro, Chef’s Garage is the right place for you. 


Post a Comment

0 Comments