The lady in red is Jill Gerodias-Borja, President and CEO of Giabella Foods Corporation. Behind her (unseen in the photo) is her sister, Jen Gerodias-Slagle, COO and Comissary. The man in plaid shirt is Atty. Kelvin Lee; his family (including Chef Kenrich Lee and his in-laws) is the one bringing Manang's Chicken to Davao.
Before we talk about what took place during the lunch, here's what I wore:
Forme dress, Forever21 belt, Crocs shoes, and my ever-reliable Fossil bag
So much for that interruption hehe. The lunch took place last October 15 at Don Beppe in Gaisano Mall. I was looking forward to eating Manang's Chicken's chicken (hehe), but the branch wasn't ready yet. Anyway, here's what I saw on the way to Don Beppe:
And here are some photos inside Don Beppe (which is not actually the topic of this blog post, but still):
Menu
We were the only diners that time.
Vintage photos line the walls
The complimentary bread sticks are love!
I don't usually eat tomato (sorry), but I can't help but dig into this tomato dip. Yum!
Okay, let's proceed to the actual talk with Ms. Jen and Ms. Jill (below):
According to Ms. Jill, Manang's Chicken started out as her mom's recipe that she taught to their cook, whom they call Manang (I see your brains' wheels turning here). This chicken recipe became so popular among their friends and guests, until each time they visited their house, they would request for Manang's chicken.
Because of the recipe's popularity, they wondered if they could make a business out of it. So, on December 2010, they first offered Manang's Chicken to the public via a stall in Mercato Centrale. It gained even more popularity that they decided to create an actual restaurant to cater to the demand.
Thus, on June 2011, the first ever Manang's Chicken restaurant opened in Ortigas Center in Pasig City. The growth of the restaurant was really promising that in the same year, they were able to open four branches in total. Wow, right?
There are now 12 branches going on 14 (including Davao's) of Manang's Chicken. That's in less than three years! This proves that Manang's Chicken is, indeed, one of the fastest growing homegrown restaurants today. How do they branch out? Ms. Jill said that in branching out, "they wanted to find the right partner, one who was rooted to the particular place." Fortunately for us, Davaoenos, Atty. Kelvin Lee fit their description. Yay!
Now, Manang's Chicken might remind us of some competitors, such as BonChon Chicken. However, Ms. Jill and Ms. Jen assures us that their chicken is very Filipino and unique. She added that their chicken will provide us with a "new but familiar taste."
For us who are tired of the usual restaurants and fast-food chains, Manang's Chicken aims to be the "alternative choice."
I'm so excited to try out the different dishes in Manang's Chicken menu. How could you not when all the reviews tell you this?
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Gah, so tempting na, right? Well, we won't have to wait long because Manang's Chicken will be opening its doors to the Davaoenos soon (let's stay tuned). It's going to be in the 4th level - or The Peak - of Gaisano Mall. Will I see you on the opening? :-)
Meanwhile, here are the dishes we got to try in Don Beppe:
Not mine, but I think this is the Spaghetti Vongole? (P300)
Don Beppe Pizza - Mozzarella, garlic shrimps, topped with pesto sauce (P650)
My slice
Madesa Pizza - Mozzarella, tomato sauce, mango, topped with parma ham (P620)
My own Lasagna Di Carne (P280) which I didn't get to finish! :-(
Back to Manang's Chicken, aside from their famous double deep fried chicken glazed with original, mild spicy or extra spicy soy garlic sauce, we will also get to try the following: Fried Pancit, Cheesy Spaghetti, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Garlic Pork, Fish Fillet and Sesame Beef Stew rice meals. I also want to try their natural potato chips and the Velvet Sundae, which freshly baked chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream fudge and chocolate chips, a unique Manang’s creation. Ugh.
I can't wait to try what Manang's Chicken will be offering! I'm counting the days. Also, please stay tuned because I might announce in this blog when the opening will be. See you there!
PS: Do you know this is their first branch out of Luzon? Yes it is! We Davaoenos are so lucky!
Official Manang's Chicken photos were sent to me by Atty. Kelvin Lee.
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