Café Rizal revisited

THERE used to be a cinema where Shangri-la Makati now stands and it was called Rizal Theater. Next to it was Leila’s, which closed its doors in 1986 but reopened in the Greenbelt Mall as Café Rizal after two years.

I remember being a kid and catching a movie with my parents at the Rizal Theater in Makati and afterwards partaking of a delicious dinner at Leila's. Usually, we would have Beef Salpicado and Blueberry Cheesecake.

When I was all grown up and working for the airline across the street from Greenbelt, I was delighted to find that the old Leila's had metamorphosed into Café Rizal. Thankfully, my good old favorites were still on the menu and, even more delightful, the waiters were from the old Leila's.

Evolution

Ten years hence, I found myself one late morning in the vicinity of Greenbelt Mall, drawn to the old café to indulge in an old favorite. Upon entering its doors, I realized that much had changed interior-wise but the warmth and friendly service were unchanged.

Sitting by the window, I browsed the menu and couldn't help but smile at the memories that it brought to mind. The Salpicado Rizal (tenderloin cubes and button mushrooms flavored with a special sauce) of my childhood was there. Chicken Inasal (char-broiled chicken, the Ilonggo way served with fresh lumpia ubod), Japanese Medley (beef teriyaki and shrimp tempura), Crispy Calamares (crispy squid rings served with special tartar and honey-mustard) were favorites when I was still with the airlines.

"Majority of our diners are now third-generation." Baby Cuizon, a member of the family that owns Café Rizal explains. Thus, Café Rizal has also adjusted to the changing needs of its clientele. Where before it was mainly known for coffee shop food and homely service, Café Rizal has now evolved into both a family restaurant (on weekends) and a place to unwind (after 8 p.m. on weekdays).

Cuizon says that to capture the after-dinner crowd, Café Rizal has acoustic nights on Fridays and jazz fusion on Tuesday-Thursday. Special appetizers complement these special evenings.

On weekends, Café Rizal transforms into a family place when dads, moms and kids enjoy the sumptuous buffet, reasonable at P300 per head. A salad bar, appetizers, five-courses, soup, a wide array of desserts which includes gelato ice cream, bottomless iced tea and even coffee or tea are included in the buffet price. A clown and some popcorn for the kids add to the festive ambiance. Cuizon suggests advanced bookings as these family weekends at the Café can get pretty crowded.

Superb service

One thing to appreciate about Café Rizal is how they have been able to keep their staff happy throughout these years.

Cuizon talks about "empowering" their staff. Thus, waiters and supervisors are sent to customer service, personality/sales development as well leadership seminars on a regular basis. "They are like family to us," she says. "We also ask them to celebrate their special occasions with us - baptisms, weddings, birthdays so that their families can also get to see where they work." Most of the staff who used to wait tables at Leila's and are still at the Café now supervise the juniors.

Cuizon recalls an instance when they had to scour Greenbelt for a particular brand of bottled water because the patron (who was a regular) would not take anything else. "It's a good thing the waiter was able to get a few bottles from one of our neighbors," Baby chuckles. "Another time, a regular was also looking for some Peppermint tea. It's a good thing there was a Crabtree shop just a few doors down."

Details like these give you an idea about how well Café Rizal takes care of its customers and why these regulars have stayed loyal to them. Old habits, as they say, die hard.