The Past is Present

Larry J Cruz changed the Philippine dining scene into a blend of great food, tasteful ambiance and good company. Today, the new generation of chefs and restaurateurs are reaping the fruits of the foundation he laid

- By Thelma Sioson

It’s a pity that not that many people know of Larry J Cruz now, even as they dine in the restaurants he had founded, and which had blazed the trail in Philippine dining. It doesn’t help that today we are wellGoogled but not well read.

Lifestyle. Ambiance. These were the two elements that Larry introduced in the Philippine dining scene in the late Seventies and by doing so, helped redefine the way Filipinos dined. A turning point—very few people would disagree with me about Larry’s contribution to Philippine lifestyle of the Seventies onwards. Before his Café Adriatico, restaurants, in general, were mere eating places; for ambiance and style, the Filipino diners went to hotels. The newsman Larry Cruz and his father, E Aguilar Cruz—the newspaper editor, essayist, painter who became the diplomat and the Philippine representative to Unesco in Paris—changed all that.

Even as they were in media and walked the corridor of power, father and son were behind one of the leading art galleries in Manila. The art gallery became the precursor of a café inspired by the fine ilustrado (pertaining to high or noble status) home interiors of elegant wood, finely crafted furniture reminiscent of the traditional bahay na bato, paintings and Filipiniana art collectibles. In this setting, the friends and colleagues of Larry and Abe, as the ambassador was known in their uppercrust circle—actually, the cognoscenti—would enjoy their barako or tsokolate eh (strong coffee beans from Batangas or thick native chocolate drink derived from the word espresso) and home-cooked Pampango dishes.