The food stalls at A Venue are gone - now back to being a parking lot

I visited the A venue at Makati Avenue yesterday to check whether we can have the food trip there being near the H de la Cost campus;  but lo and behold it is gone. What remains is the parking lot.

I found out that the tiangges are money maker both for the tiangge operators and tiangge lessors.  They lessors pay a minimum of P1t per day up to P7t depending on the size.  But of course, there are only days when you hold the tiangge and the bazaar like when its week end or during Christmas season

                                Other sights to behold near A venue

                                   An Audi sportscar -  a head turner

                                   A Moulin Rouge copy cat

A sight to behold in Makati City, while US, the greatest country (before) in world flounders!

Makati City, PHL   | October 14, 2013

 The Petron building, tall and imposing at Buendia

Yesterday, I tried to see the A venue at Makati Avenue, near Kalayaan , where we had the Food Trip early this year.  Unfortunately it is gone.  What used to be tiangge site is back to its original purpose - a parking lot.

However I had the opportunity to take pictures of the now imposing skyline of Makati (it is even more imposing).  I walked and I had my camera, and the lighting was perfect.

Oh how proud we should be of the 7.8% GDP growth  of the PHL, vs the 2+% of US of A.  And while our country coasts along to this growth, US is experiencing  1.  a shutdown for the 13th day 2.  and a possible default on its debt, a downgrade, increase in interest rate, destruction of the world financial system that may drag the rest of Asian economies to an abyss.

Let us enjoy the pictures of our progress. It is a karma.  If you watch "Amigo" at Cinema 1 (cable TV) you will feel terrible on how the Americans treated the Filipinos during the Filipino American war at the turn of century.  This is a vindication.  While there is hopelessness and poverty spreading in their country, in the PHL this what we see.

                                    Are we in the PHL or in HK? Nice buildings eh?

Food Trip OLO - Camille A. Dela Cruz Spentrep

ENTREP S20

Mr. Jorge Saguinsin

Food Trip - OLO

  

Camille A. Dela Cruz

Last March 5, 2013, the whole ENTREP S20 class went to three restaurants/establishments for the food trip – a food market, a Korean restaurant and Goldilocks. Below is the OLO report for the three establishments/venues.

I. What is the business concept; how is it different, unique and how it is delivered to the customers?

A. A-Venue Food Market

The business concept of A-venue Food Market is to provide the most authentic Filipino food to the consumers other than different available nation food. It is different and unique because the food market tried to provide diverse famous Filipino delicacies that come from different parts of the country. Some of the offers were the famous street foods one can find in the Philippines – isaw, fish ball, Betamax, kwek-kwek, etc.

It was a nationalist kind of experience because the market greatly demonstrated the excellent culinary craftsmanship and talent of our Filipino brothers. I also enjoyed the food because it was sumptuous and flavorful; two adjectives that prominently and consistently described Filipino cuisine. The venue was quite casual since it only provided a tent where customers can eat the food they bought. To increase the casual sense, customers were to eat their food on plastic chairs and tables using plastic utensils. The vibe and feel was fun since loud music was played and a stage was provided for a band to entertain the customers. Some stalls cooked the food in front of the eyes of the hungry consumers far much different to a restaurant setting. The foods were also displayed in each stall and no menu is provided to the consumers. Other than Filipino cuisine, the food market also provides famous different Filipino drinks like sago't gulaman, buko pandan, etc. The whole set-up was very similar to the current food market trend in the Philippines like Mercato and Soderno. However, what stood out from the A-Venue food market is the extremely colorful and out of the ordinary lighting in the tent which also added to the fun and exciting vibe of the place. The lighting was actually lamps that were made in the Philippines. The other reason that separates A-venue from the rest is that it not only offers different kinds of food but also a "tiangge" to the customers. The several tiangges sell shoes, clothes, bags, lamps and some were also made in the Philippines. Customers can now shop and relax before or after they eat the delicious food the market offers.

B. Korean Restaurant

The business concept of the Korean restaurant is to offer genuine and original Korean cuisine to those who want to experience it. A lot of Korean restaurants have opened over the past few years around the country but what makes the restaurant different and unique is because it used authentic and fresh ingredients to create the expected sumptuous Korean food. For example, the beef we ate is USDA grade/ type of beef to provide customers the highest quality beef.  The sauces and seasoning were also imported from S. Korea.

Eating in the restaurant actually felt we were in South Korea. The tables were specifically made to follow the manner or way how Korean food is cooked and eaten. There were built-in grills on all the tables so that customers can grill/cook their food like how it is done in South Korea. Korean letterings and pictures were posted on the walls. The menu was in Korean writing but provided English translation. The plates, utensils and cups were similar the things used in Korean restaurants. I was specifically surprised with the "tea water" because in all the Korean restaurants I've eaten this was the only restaurant that offered that product.  I also observed the friendliness the owner of the restaurant showed us. She made small conversations with the customers and cooked some of our food, one quality of owners I rarely see in a dining experience. I've been to many Korean restaurants but this was the only restaurant that really made me feel that I was actually in South Korea, and this I believed was the one thing that separates the restaurant apart from the other Korean restaurants.  The concept was definitely delivered to the customers through the place, things and food; it really felt like the best Korean food experience!

C. Goldilocks

Seeing the products being offered by Goldilocks, I believe its current business concept is to be a one-stop food store, wherein customers can buy food for their families to bring home. Goldilocks has existed for so long and has definitely evolved over the years. Before it used to be a cake/bakery shop but now it doesn't only offer cakes but also pastries and ready to eat meals in packs.

Since it's a one-stop food store, you don't expect the place to have tables and chairs to eat on. That's why when the group decided to have coffee and eat cake, the place could not provide a seating place for us to eat or plates where we can eat on. The dining experience felt awkward and forced hence I don't recommend anyone to bring to Goldilocks if they want have a total dining experience. However, since it's a one-stop food store and not a restaurant, I can say that the selling position of Goldilocks is very unique and different. Other than the usual cake offering, the establishment has changed and offered more on-the-go and take home foods or product lines like ready to eat meals and different kind of pastries.

II. What is the innovation/ new about the food stall or venue?

A. A-Venue Food Market

As mentioned above, the one thing that sets A-venue Food Market apart from other food markets in the Philippines is that the place provides live band entertainment and the lights were more lively and colorful.  They also had tiangges that sell clothes, shoes, lamps, etc. Other than that it had the same business concept as the other food markets.

B. Korean Restaurant

There was nothing really new about the Korean restaurant we went to comparing it to other Korean restaurants. What was new was new about it though was the total Korean experience which I believed could not find in any other Korean restaurants!

C. Goldilocks

What sets Goldilocks apart from it's used to be main competitor, Red Ribbon, is that it changed its position to one-stop food store but other than that the retsurant is the same with its other competitors.

III. Is the business/food stall success or failure? Why or why not.

A. A-venue Food Market

I do not see A-venure Food Market staying for a long time. I believe that it is one of those food establishments that are in trend now but will soon diminished in the future.

B. Korean Restaurant

I see the Korean restaurant to live longer because it's a place where you would want to always go back to experience the total Korean food experience! Moreover, it's a place you continuously look for or crave for because the food was extremely delicious and the whole package that the restaurant sold was really amazing.

C. Goldilocks

I believe Goldilocks is not a failure since its been in the market for so long. I think what sets it apart from its competitors is that it continuously evolves itself to support changing needs and wants of the Filipino consumer.

Food Trip report by Kevin Toledo

On Tuesday, March 19, 2013, Kevin Toledo <kev.toledo@gmail.com> wrote:
>  Kevin Toledo
> SENTREP S20
> Prof. Jorge Saguinsin
>
> Food Trip so far was the most enjoyable experience for me in Entrep Class. The class really looked forward for this activity wherein it even took us time to decide on where to hold this food trip activity. The class agreed to have it along Makati Avenue, particularly in the A. Venue area. At first I was hesitant to go there considering that  our working budget per person is limited to P500 only, and we had to try out 3 kinds of food/place. I did not know that there is actually  a food bazaar in the area as I was earlier suggesting that we should just go in in a place with food bazaar like Mercato. So, it made sense to me that the class had decided for a perfect venue where accessibility was not really hard for most of us. First stop was at A.Venue Food Tent. As I earlier said, I was surprised that there is actually a food bazaar in the area. A. Venue Food Tent's concept is a food bazaar where varieties of street food that are safe with proper sanitary preparations are sold. This concept is really good as this is where you can buy value-for-money food that guarantees safety, where enough tables & seats are provided as well. The street food idea can make us feel excited about the thrill that these food could bring to our taste buds considering that it is usually unsafe to buy real deal street food. As I entered the Food Tent, I managed to observe that people actually go there. It even got my attention that a lot of foreigners are actually buying food there as well. There were a lot of food to choose from ranging from the Filipino street food like isaw, kwek-kwek, and even the Vigan empanada to the other foreign cuisines such as Mediterranean (kebab), and Italian (pasta). We had Vigan empanada, Isaw, vegetable kebab, and gulaman for drink. All the food actually tasted good, I even had 2 orders of the Vigan empanada, which my taste buds really missed. Last time I ate those was 10 years ago, the first & last time I went to Vigan. There was also no question to the food preparation and presentation, as I have noticed as well that the food were being prepared with sanitary considerations such as wearing hair net and or  toque. Over-all the experience was great, and indeed it was value for money food experience where we just spent around P70 each for good and exciting food.

  For the main course, we walked along Makati Avenue and stumbled upon a Korean restaurant, called Dona-Dona Korean BBQ Restaurant. When we checked the menu, we realized they are actually serving authentic Korean food. The group decided to have the dinner there. The people/staff were very warm to welcome us and really provided enough attention to us from choosing the food we will order to serving it and attending us until we finished eating. The owner even assisted in serving the food to us. I actually liked the food. The set-up was very typical Korean restaurant where they provided a lot of appetizers, especially the unlimited Kimchi. Also, the experience of letting the customers grill their food was a plus factor. The only set-back I noticed was that it was really hot inside as they did not have exhaust equipment for each grill in the table. But overall, I could say that the restaurant was very good as they have a decent price, service was really good, the food tastes great and the grilling experience is superb.

 After eating at Dona-Dona, I was really surprised that the group still have cash left for dessert. We tried to look for a decent pastry shop where we could have dessert and find nothing, so and we ended up having dessert at Goldilocks. We ordered 2 small cakes and coffee for everyone, and even managed to buy some polvoron for everyone. I should say that Goldilocks was a good choice considering that we have little money left to spend for dessert and their food really tastes good. I noticed that its location was very strategic where no other pastry shop can be seen in the area. Generally, the Food Trip experience was really fun, exciting, educational and relevant. Hope that there should be more of activities like this in the MBA course.<It was our last day yesterday>

Entrep Food Trip Report by Arlo Cristobal

Entrep Food Trip

By Arlo Cristobal

A-Venue Tent

                I have always been a fan of Banchetto style food exhibits. It's a place where you can find a wide array of food choices that are relatively affordable compared to restaurants. It is also a good avenue to try out innovative food products for vendors since the capital is smaller compared to renting a space for a restaurant.

                For the food concept, there is a variety of offerings, ranging from isaw to different pasta dishes. Besides the food option, what makes this place unique is the experience itself. A lot of times, we find ourselves deciding which place to eat, often thinking of the food offered in the restaurant. In the A-Venue Tent, you can just opt to go there without planning and simply decide which food to buy without the need to break-up the group. For this reason, this had attracted a lot of young professionals who want to enjoy different types of food, while keeping the cost down. I also noticed a lot of foreigners in the area, which can be attributed to the location.

                To add to the variety of food, there was also a stage set-up for a band. This also gives the place a restaubar feel, where you can hang-out for an extended period of time. This set-up creates a lot of interest to passers-by and, in my opinion, is successful in pulling customers in.

                This venture is definitely a success if the product that you sell caters to the interest of the crowd. Also, since this isn't a high-end place, the price of your food should also be affordable. Another proof of its success can simply be traced to the volume of people in the area, which is quite significant given that we visited on a Tuesday.

Dona Dona BBQ

                Normally, I stay clear of Korean restaurants in Manila. The main reason being the cost. The concept of the Dona Dona BBQ restaurant is quite straight forward – bring the Korean food experience in the Philippines. Although the ambiance of the place doesn't feel very Korean, the food certainly did. Being served by the owner, Dona from Korea, also pushed the experience to the next level.

                The innovation part of this restaurant would have to be the price. For me, authentic Korean restaurants are relatively the same in terms of the food they offer. The main differentiator for Dona Dona BBQ would be how they managed to lower the cost, yet still offer authentic Korean food. Lower price in this case is relative to other Korean restaurants both in the Philippines and in Korea. I'm actually quite interested on how they source and make their ingredients. If it's imported, they are doing a really great job to keep the price down. If it's sourced locally, then they are doing a really good job transforming it to a Korean delicacy.

                Given that the restaurant had been there for 5 years, it's obviously a successful venture. However, success is really subjective, and it seems that the success that they are getting is quite limited to their view of success. They may be profitable, but their profitability may be limited. They are located in a good venue where traffic of people is high. But still, competition in the area is also very high. If they really intent to maximize profit, they should differentiate their restaurant from the competition by starting with the ambiance. They may offer authentic restaurant food, but I would not have known that from the outside. To add, the place looks a bit shabby and would greatly benefit from a good scrubbing.  

Goldilocks

                To cap the night off, the group ordered cake and coffee in Goldilocks. Goldilocks had already made a name for itself so we can't really argue with their success as a dessert chain. One thing that could be noted in the branch, however, is that it was the only dessert place I saw in the area. It's also quite convenient since it's along the street.

                Aside from location, the convenience of buying in the place is also quite genius. They were able to maximize the small place, placing a shelf in the middle, while still allowing customers to browse through their products. Their range of offering also doesn't compete with the surround restaurants, but instead complements it. They have cheap, but good coffee. They have snacks, desserts and even cakes that you can buy to surprise the birthday celebrant in the neighboring restaurant. They aren't renting a big space because they don't need to. It won't surprise me if they are generating better profit compared to some of the restaurants in the area.

Food Trip Paper by Evan Uy - Sentrep

Evan Uy
S100056

Eating and cooking have a very special place in my heart. Ever since I was a young kid I have been
interested in consuming and making food. My mother even enrolled me in summer cooking classes back
when I was in grade school. With those early experiences in the food world, I believe that my taste buds
have been honed well enough.

The Food Bazaar

Last meeting, we embarked on a food trip along Makati Avenue and A.Venue mall. I live in the northern
side of the Metro so going on a food trip in Makati is something I got excited about. Our first stop was
the food bazaar at the open parking space of A.Venue mall. There were lots of interesting eats there
however there were also some dull and unattractive choices. Typical mouth-watering “ihaw-ihaw” like
assorted BBQs were on display to be grilled upon order. The grilling process created appetizing fumes
which made everyone in the place crave for BBQs.

Fiesta-themed Food Bazaar at A.Venue Mall

Just like everyone, the class ordered assorted BBQs – Chicken Isaw, Pork Isaw and Vegetable BBQ. The
isaw tasted ok, nothing remarkable but the price is on the expensive side but still acceptable since
they are leasing out a stall in the mall’s premises. The vegetable BBQ, which consisted of 2 slices each
of bell peppers, red onions and carrots, was a good idea but the execution and actual product was
unsatisfactory. First, the serving was small. I know bell peppers are expensive but those little ones are
not expensive at all. I go to wet markets and our “suki” just gives out free bell peppers. Those BIG (and
branded) bell peppers like the one brought to class by sir Jorge are the expensive kind. Secondly, it

Assorted BBQs

wasn’t cooked very well or wasn't even cooked at all. Eating raw bell pepper and carrots is fine with me
but lightly cooking it is better. A generous slice of red onion, however, when eaten raw really gives a
sharp sting to the point of making one cry. Lastly, the roasted, grilled or BBQ flavor I was expecting was
not there; it was very plain.

I would like to recommend that they use white onion instead of red onion since white onion is not as
sharp when eaten raw. Another suggestion is to marinade or dip the vegetable BBQ in BBQ sauce first
before cooking to give it an extra kick. Grilling the vegetable BBQ well might also give it more flavor and
smoky taste, a perfect complement to the sweetness of the vegetables and the savory flavor of the BBQ
sauce.

Roasted Veggies and Roasted Garlic

Another appetizer we had was Ilocos enpanada which is a fried pastry with vegetable, longganisa
and egg mixture filling. The empanada was good - crispy and hot. The lady cooking and serving the
empanadas was also entertaining and always giving out smile to everyone.

The whole class also had Gulaman drink along with our appetizers. The drink was bland and only had
a few small bits of gulaman, very frustrating to drink. The vendors should regularly taste their items
especially the local refreshments since the ice dilutes the flavor when it melts.

Aside from the food we had in the food bazaar, I saw some interesting finds there. What really caught
my attention amongst all stalls were the healthy Falafel and Pinoy Peri-Peri. Some of my classmates
and I tried the Flafel, a middle-eastern fried vegetable balls. It was made from scratch right there so
you could really see that it’s fresh. It tasted great, a healthier alternative to other fried foods. For 55
pesos you get 5 small balls, a bit expensive but like the others it’s still acceptable for me since they’re

Ilocos Empanada cooked on the spot

leasing a mall space. The Pinoy Peri-Peri, on the other hand, was also cooked on the spot. Peri-Peri is
the Portuguese counterpart of Inasal, grilled Chicken or any other meat marinated in various spices and
herbs. It’s displayed in a chafing dish with the marinade. My only comment against it is that instead of
grilling the Peri-Peri BBQ, it was pan-fried. I wasn’t able to taste it as the cooking time is long. I will try to
drop by their stall next time to taste their unique offering.

Healthy and delicious Falafel also cooked on the spot

The food bazaar was aimed to appeal to young professionals, students and people living nearby who
want quick and affordable meals; the bazaar offered a wide range of food items with prices friendly to
students, yuppies and alike. It is a place where the mentioned target market can go to everyday since
choices are not limited unlike in restaurants. Since it is located in an open parking space surrounded by
high-rise buildings, ventilation can be an issue once summer starts.

Traditional Pinoy meals – Bagnet, Tokwa’t Baboy

Fresh from Korea

Our second stop is a Korean restaurant named Donna-Donna a few minutes walk from the A.venue mall.
It’s owned by a Korean family who immigrated in the Philippines 5 years ago. Upon arriving here in the
Philippines, the mother of the family establishes the restaurant while her son studies and tries to help
the new family business. What’s good is that the mother and son are really hands on in managing their
restaurant. The mother even served and cooked our food which really made us feel welcomed. The son
is the cashier of the restaurant.

Dona Dona Korean BBQ Restaurant

The food is tasty but the serving sizes are small. Prices of the food are also quite expensive considering
the serving size and the ambiance of the restaurant. The three biggest factors in the success of any
restaurant are food, ambiance and service.

Self-cook Korean BBQ (the owner cooked for us instead)

Food was not as spicy as other Korean restaurants, just right for us! Delicious!

I think Donna-Donna’s service is outstanding and the food is great although there’s still room for
improvement. Their current weakest point is the ambiance and atmosphere of their restaurant. The
lighting was not enough or the temperature of the lights is not ideal for restaurants. They could either
brighten up their restaurant or make the light temperature warmer to create a fine dining-like mood.

Not so attractive interior design

Their utensils were also not matching. I have nothing against old and mismatched spoon and fork but for
a restaurant charging a base price of 300 pesos for a meal, I expect more than that. The interior design
was also half-baked. There’s a nice accent wall showing a Korean inspired design but the other half of

Mismatched and old utensils

The target markets of the Donna-Donna are Korean tourists and immigrant and social classes A and B.
Dining here really costs a hefty sum of money so yuppies and students are rarely seen dining in Donna-
Donna.

Korean inspired design in one side of the restaurant

The Sweet Ending

We went back to A.venue mall for some after-meal coffee and sweets. We ordered two cakes from
Goldilocks– chocolate mousse and chocolate cherry torte. I ordered Milo since it is the only available

decaf hot beverage. The Goldilocks store we went to was only a take-out store without any dine-in
facility. Fortunately, the establishment beside it, Domino’s Pizza, was a sister company so they allowed
us to use their tables and chairs.

The cakes tasted just as what I had expected them to be– spongy and sweet. Since the cake was spongy,
it was light and easy to eat; it wasn’t overpowering. The sweet cream-based filling was artificially
flavored but was still delectable. The cakes were not really gourmet choices but for its price tag, it’s not
bad at all. It’s a comfort food you can eat any time of the day.

Sweet ending at Goldilocks take-out store in A.venue mall.

As the biggest bakery in the country, Goldilocks targets a very vast market – from classes A to D, kids to
the elders, professionals to home makers and so on. They have a wide range of food items, from cakes
to assorted Filipino pastries to instant Filipino meals like dinuguan and lechon paksiw. The interior of
the take-out store in A.venue is very refreshing to my eyes. The modern interior design is brightly lit
with accents of pastel blue and yellow colors. Quality of the food items are consistent with every other
branches I’ve visited so far.  <very critical and observant;  detailed>

Food Trip Report by Athens Cruz

Athens Cruz

SENTREP – S20

Prof. Jorge Saguinsin

Food Trip Paper

When the food trip was announced, I was ecstatic. It was good news for me because I really love food. I arrived early at the venue so I scouted the place before everyone arrived. Great people bonds over great food.

I.                   Appetizer. A-Venue Parking Lot Food Bazaar

Food bazaars are the most amazing place to have a food trip. It offers a wide variety of food you can choose from.

In general, this food bazaar was surprisingly good. There were foods I am not familiar or never heard of like the Peri Peri. What surprised me the most was foreigners lined up for this one.

There were Mongolian, Korean, Middle-Eastern foods available. I noticed that the foreigners who went to the food bazaar knew exactly what they want to eat. I could not resist trying the falafel although it was not in the list of foods we planned to try.

I was at my usual self whenever I’m at a bazaar, asking too many questions trying to establish rapport with the stall owners. I have tried joining bazaars before (but my goods are children clothes) and I often ask them about their income. The concept was good for the food bazaar. To me this is the most different food bazaar I have tried so far. The variety of food makes it unique.

In my opinion, this concept was a success judging by the number of people going to the area.

II.                Korean Restaurant – Dona Dona Korean BBQ Restaurant

Nowadays, there are many Koreans that comes here in the Philippines for too many reasons. The most common reason is education. Korean restaurants proliferate too. The experience was exciting especially the grilling part.

It is not as different as other Koreans restaurants, but they tamed the Korean flavors of the food they offer to suit the palate of other nationalities.

The experience of grilling adds value to the experience of customers, cooking their food. They also help the customers in grilling. For people who wanted to try Korean cuisine this can be the first restaurant they can try so that their palates can get used to the spices and flavors of a typical Korean food.

III.             Dessert. Goldilocks

After all the stops, I was so full and I couldn’t dare bite another. When I found out that we were headed to Goldilocks I was not happy. I’m not fond of their cakes, so I really don’t think it was the best choice for the group. Unfortunately, it was the only place where we could have dessert.

I already have a prejudice about what it would taste like but I was wrong. I did try both cakes and it exceeded my expectation. Goldilocks is really pushing the standard of their cakes. I might have to try buying cakes from them in the future.

We knew the business concept behind Goldilocks, but what is striking about this particular shop at this location was the many opportunities it caters. It is a very strategic location, since it is the only store that offer cakes, pastries and other sweet products Filipinos are fond of. Because of this, it made the store different.

This venture is a success because at this specific location they are the only one that offers cakes and other sweet products.

The overall experience of the food trip was great. The businesses that we visited offer a diverse food. I just realized that a food business never really goes out of fashion.