Flutes Restaurant Bar
Flutes. This is that restaurant in a museum I was telling you about in my previous two stories.
All I could say was "Oh wow, a fine restaurant, set amid the tranquil atmosphere of a museum"..,
Aside from the peace and quiet of the surroundings, you can come 'as you are', or maybe I should say "come as you wore" entering the museum. Fine dining requires at least "smart casual", right? Not here!
I saw diners in their shorts. But, if you were Pinoy, I know you would feel a little awkward entering this place wearing shorts or flip-flops (tsinelas, kahit Havaianas pa yan). I'll say, it is better that way, if only to show respect to the 'dignity' of the restaurant! Though seldom does this become our issue anyway.
Pinoys are good (proper) dressers. Minsan sobra pa nga eh, di ba?! But here, their unwritten rule seem to be: if you were allowed into the museum in any kind of outfit, you will certainly be welcomed to this fine dining place - not necessarily eagerly, I suppose! Buti nag-pants ako - kasi malamig ang museum!
Anyway.., eto na.., important discovery.., me mga Pinoy in this sosyalin restobar!
Here's my experience:
I roamed the museum from 10AM until noon, in time for the lunch meeting at this restaurant. I did tell myself, "okay, I'll just continue my tour of the museum after the lunch meeting". I ate breakfast today (I usually don't), so I expected I won't be that easily hungry by noontime. But, I felt hungry when I entered this restaurant. Maybe my inner self noted what time it already was, and said "gutom ka na.., pramis"!
I was torn.., "mag-oorder na lang ba ako, o hihintayin ang ka-meeting ko"? Yun ang laila dilemma ko!
Now.., the (singkit-looking) young lady of a waitress attending to me didn't sound very 'Singlish'. There was a familiar cheerful sweet twang I could sense in her English. Duda ako, parang me lukso ng dugo!
So, while she amiably welcomed me, offering/describing menus (yes, plural), without glancing at her, I casually asked "ano ba ang masarap na bestseller dito". She froze a few seconds. But when I smilingly looked at her, she blurted "OMG sir, Pinoy ka"? Which I quickly replied with "oo eh, medyo matagal na"!
She giggled a bit, conscious not to let others know she was like aliw-na-aliw (pa-prim and proper ba)! Bungisngisan na ng pabulong! I told her I wasn't really sure Pinay sya until I heard her superb English!
And, thus, she pointed to me the best things I could have in this place. When she was done taking my order, she pointed to this bartender (in the blue circle) telling me he is 'Pinoy also'! This guy was all the while smiling looking at us. I gave a little wave which he acknowledged with a slight bow sabay ngisi!
I was both hungry and craving about the food here, plus my lunchmate was late, so I had reason to go ahead and eat something. The 'brunch menu' items looked inviting. I went for the salmon something (a sandwich), which I thought should not be that heavy as to ruin my appetite for the 'real' lunch hehe!
Ano ba ang fried, yung Hen o yung Egg? Now if it's a "Hen's Egg", bakit, meron bang Rooster's Egg?
While waiting for my food, I strolled to the bar, to say hi to the Pinoy bartender. I excitedly asked basic questions like how long he has been here etc. Here's a sample of our 'makabuluhang' conversation:
Of course we talked 'Yolanda' and all those things, but I veered towards happier topics!
My food (the starters that is) arrived, so I flew back into my table. Voila! The waiter who brought them was also Pinoy. My gash, ang saya-saya hehe! I asked where he was from, and I'm not sure now what his reply was. Was it Pangasinan or Pampanga? My social comprehension skills is deteriorating fast!
Anyway, I learned there are 6 Pinoys on this shift (various roles). Wow, primetime! That means they're the trusted ones, ibig sabihin magagaling sila! I felt really proud there are Pinoy staff in this luxe place. I also learned, this is a coveted assignment location dahil nga high-end, only the best crews are hired!
This was my Smoked Salmon Brioche Toastie (top view)
And this is still it, medyo side view, after I have already mangled it :)
Lunch-mate still nowhere - aba, Filipino time eh Singaporean naman sya! So I kept looking around this restaurant, asking about many things, anything and all I could just be curious about. Like I can smoke at the lovely terrace area facing a garden (which I imagine should be fantastic for an al fresco dinner).
That this place does a lot of public and private functions; that aside from this terrace, there are even 2 more special rooms upstairs for that. That the wilder, hippier or yuppier parties usually happen at this terrace area. And oh yes, I stumbled upon another Pinoy who was 'punong-abala' preparing this place!
Well, lunch-mate arrived, meeting ensued, and from hence on, the special guest was not me anymore hahaha. All the crews' attention were on who I was meeting with, where I learned, is a frequent guest of their facility. Okay okay, I will not say anything more :) Ayaw nyang banggitin ko sya, dahil late sya?
That is also the reason why I don't have pictures henceforth. Not even one pic of the lunch fare. Why? Well, I silenced my phone and kept it in my pocket. Why? Well, let us just say that I still keep my social demeanor in check. Call it too 'old Renaissance' or even 'Medieval', but nowadays, that is still what we consider as good manners or proper table etiquette - meaning no phones or phone calls on the table.
Especially that my lunch-mate was/is a society ek ek. These are the kinds of people who (when out in public view) are being photographed by many people and the paparazzi. They are not the ones taking pictures. So, behave ako! I would have looked like a fan if I started shooting selfies and all. This was a business meeting. My market value would have been affected if I opted to start shooting pics hahaha!
Therefore, I behaved! Haha, let's go to my next story, okay?!
All I could say was "Oh wow, a fine restaurant, set amid the tranquil atmosphere of a museum"..,
I saw diners in their shorts. But, if you were Pinoy, I know you would feel a little awkward entering this place wearing shorts or flip-flops (tsinelas, kahit Havaianas pa yan). I'll say, it is better that way, if only to show respect to the 'dignity' of the restaurant! Though seldom does this become our issue anyway.
Pinoys are good (proper) dressers. Minsan sobra pa nga eh, di ba?! But here, their unwritten rule seem to be: if you were allowed into the museum in any kind of outfit, you will certainly be welcomed to this fine dining place - not necessarily eagerly, I suppose! Buti nag-pants ako - kasi malamig ang museum!
Anyway.., eto na.., important discovery.., me mga Pinoy in this sosyalin restobar!
Here's my experience:
I roamed the museum from 10AM until noon, in time for the lunch meeting at this restaurant. I did tell myself, "okay, I'll just continue my tour of the museum after the lunch meeting". I ate breakfast today (I usually don't), so I expected I won't be that easily hungry by noontime. But, I felt hungry when I entered this restaurant. Maybe my inner self noted what time it already was, and said "gutom ka na.., pramis"!
I was torn.., "mag-oorder na lang ba ako, o hihintayin ang ka-meeting ko"? Yun ang laila dilemma ko!
Now.., the (singkit-looking) young lady of a waitress attending to me didn't sound very 'Singlish'. There was a familiar cheerful sweet twang I could sense in her English. Duda ako, parang me lukso ng dugo!
So, while she amiably welcomed me, offering/describing menus (yes, plural), without glancing at her, I casually asked "ano ba ang masarap na bestseller dito". She froze a few seconds. But when I smilingly looked at her, she blurted "OMG sir, Pinoy ka"? Which I quickly replied with "oo eh, medyo matagal na"!
She giggled a bit, conscious not to let others know she was like aliw-na-aliw (pa-prim and proper ba)! Bungisngisan na ng pabulong! I told her I wasn't really sure Pinay sya until I heard her superb English!
And, thus, she pointed to me the best things I could have in this place. When she was done taking my order, she pointed to this bartender (in the blue circle) telling me he is 'Pinoy also'! This guy was all the while smiling looking at us. I gave a little wave which he acknowledged with a slight bow sabay ngisi!
 |
| Yung kalbo sa loob nung blue circle! Sya yung Waray na bartender dito, matagal na! |
I was both hungry and craving about the food here, plus my lunchmate was late, so I had reason to go ahead and eat something. The 'brunch menu' items looked inviting. I went for the salmon something (a sandwich), which I thought should not be that heavy as to ruin my appetite for the 'real' lunch hehe!
 |
| Note that I made 3 red underlines on this pic. I know a friend will itch to react to the third one :) |
Ano ba ang fried, yung Hen o yung Egg? Now if it's a "Hen's Egg", bakit, meron bang Rooster's Egg?
While waiting for my food, I strolled to the bar, to say hi to the Pinoy bartender. I excitedly asked basic questions like how long he has been here etc. Here's a sample of our 'makabuluhang' conversation:
Ako: taga-saan ka sa Pilipinas?
Him: Samar po
Ako: saan doon?
Him: malapit sa Leyte
Ako: maaram ako hit Leyte, diin ka ngani didto ha Samar, nga birat ka?
Him: aw, agi hi sir kama-isog! taga-Basey ako, sir
Ako: aw ito, uupaya im mga baton kung ayaw mong masaktan, ha?And then tawanan halakhakan parang kami ang may-ari ng sosyalerang restaurant na ito hehehe!
Of course we talked 'Yolanda' and all those things, but I veered towards happier topics!
My food (the starters that is) arrived, so I flew back into my table. Voila! The waiter who brought them was also Pinoy. My gash, ang saya-saya hehe! I asked where he was from, and I'm not sure now what his reply was. Was it Pangasinan or Pampanga? My social comprehension skills is deteriorating fast!
Anyway, I learned there are 6 Pinoys on this shift (various roles). Wow, primetime! That means they're the trusted ones, ibig sabihin magagaling sila! I felt really proud there are Pinoy staff in this luxe place. I also learned, this is a coveted assignment location dahil nga high-end, only the best crews are hired!
This was my Smoked Salmon Brioche Toastie (top view)
And this is still it, medyo side view, after I have already mangled it :)
Lunch-mate still nowhere - aba, Filipino time eh Singaporean naman sya! So I kept looking around this restaurant, asking about many things, anything and all I could just be curious about. Like I can smoke at the lovely terrace area facing a garden (which I imagine should be fantastic for an al fresco dinner).
That this place does a lot of public and private functions; that aside from this terrace, there are even 2 more special rooms upstairs for that. That the wilder, hippier or yuppier parties usually happen at this terrace area. And oh yes, I stumbled upon another Pinoy who was 'punong-abala' preparing this place!
 |
| They were preparing this terrace area for their "New Year's Cocktail Party at the Terrace" |
Well, lunch-mate arrived, meeting ensued, and from hence on, the special guest was not me anymore hahaha. All the crews' attention were on who I was meeting with, where I learned, is a frequent guest of their facility. Okay okay, I will not say anything more :) Ayaw nyang banggitin ko sya, dahil late sya?
That is also the reason why I don't have pictures henceforth. Not even one pic of the lunch fare. Why? Well, I silenced my phone and kept it in my pocket. Why? Well, let us just say that I still keep my social demeanor in check. Call it too 'old Renaissance' or even 'Medieval', but nowadays, that is still what we consider as good manners or proper table etiquette - meaning no phones or phone calls on the table.
Especially that my lunch-mate was/is a society ek ek. These are the kinds of people who (when out in public view) are being photographed by many people and the paparazzi. They are not the ones taking pictures. So, behave ako! I would have looked like a fan if I started shooting selfies and all. This was a business meeting. My market value would have been affected if I opted to start shooting pics hahaha!
Therefore, I behaved! Haha, let's go to my next story, okay?!
Comments
Post a Comment