For those Yuletide gatherings, make sure to set your tables and welcome your guests. Tell them some stories they’ll never forget. As for the food? Let this mother-and-daughter tandem from Nic’s do what they do best.
By Jose Paolo S. dela Cruz
Photography by Jar Concengco
The doom and gloom that has reigned supreme for most of the year has finally met its match: Christmastime in the Philippines. And while the season in itself is no cure for those dreaded COVID-19 symptoms, it most certainly carries a potent dose of love and joy that could soothe many a quarantined soul.
“The past months have been extremely challenging for everyone. Talks and predictions have caused endless tension. But Christmas always changes the mood, even for a while,” says Rina Go, owner of Nic’s, that chic restaurant at Park Terraces in Makati known for its sweet and savory comfort food, served in a setting reminiscent of those cafés you see in New York (or in the movies).
While foot traffic did significantly drop in the time of corona, Nic’s managed to pivot away from the crisis, thanks to the brilliant ideas of one Nicole Thorp, Rina’s daughter. “Nicole was quick to strengthen our online presence, which helped us capture our audience in time for special occasions such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, along with birthdays and other important dates that are celebrated with loved ones,” says Rina.
And so, Nic’s became the go-to supplier for celebrating milestones during lockdown. From online graduations, to birthday parties at home, to sending food care packages just to cheer up a friend — the possibilities grew and grew and grew. For one, don’t be surprised if you receive a Nic’s birthday cake and artisanal thin crust pizza from a friend (or more than a friend) on your birthday. It’s become all the rage these days. Sometimes, the Makati-based restaurant would even get inquiries from Cebu, or even as far as New York City — made by customers hoping to perk up the day of a loved one here in Metro Manila.
“The orders we receive are reflective of the increasing desire of people to connect. It’s quite touching to see our staff scribbling down customized and heartfelt notes, as dictated by our senders,” shares Nicole.
Aside from these, Nicole and Rina also enlisted Nic’s on digital food apps such as Grab Food, Lalafood, Food Panda and, soon, Pick.A.Roo. Their curated, frozen, ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals, as well as #nicstogo staples like salad dressings, are also available in Landers Superstore, select groceries and online concessionaires.
Family, friends & food
As community quarantine measures begin to ease, people become more and more open to interacting in the flesh once more, albeit in shorter, more limited settings. And all these are gearing towards the series of intimate feasts that we are all expecting come December.
“Families who have been observing good protocol will be confident enough to gather, while respecting social distancing. Hence, we prepared a lot of single-serving dishes to avoid too much interaction among guests in the same space,” shares Nicole.
Nic’s customers can start off their intimate feasts with some delicious appetizers. The traditional Caesar salad cups offer a healthy way of kicking off any meal with the tangy, must-have sauce that Nic’s is known for. The restaurant also offers jamon serrano wrapped parmesan sticks, and chistorra and gambas skewers to-go.
Rina also incorporates some of her and her daughters’ personal favorites into the holiday menu. One such dish is pasta with red clam sauce, which is Nic’s take on the recipe of Umbertos Clam House in Little Italy, Manhattan. The queso de bola mac and cheese, on the other hand, puts a twist on the popular American dish, which Rina says is her youngest daughter Madison’s favorite.
The meal then reaches a high point with the unveiling of the entrees.
For one, there is the slow-roast beef belly with garlic rosemary, whose fork-tender meat almost melts in the mouth with every bite. For those who would prefer poultry though, there’s the chicken relleno with queso de bola, which offers an equally flavorful source of protein.
Another sure winner is Maggie’s East Coast Turkey, which is served with a variety of sauces and stuffing that stay faithful to the recipe of no other than Rina’s late sister. “This has been a family staple for years, as my siblings and I used to celebrate Thanksgiving together when we were all living in the East Coast years ago. It is a tradition that has carried on,” says Rina.
So popular is this recipe that they have started receiving orders for it as early as in September.
As many would know by now, it’s a missed opportunity to feast on Nic’s items without trying their popular assortment of desserts—many of which were inspired by the recipes of Rina’s sister. “Aside from the holiday spread, Maggie would always have a dessert spread done separately,” Rina reminisces. Among the desserts Maggie inspired are the peach walnut torte, oatmeal fudge bar, lemon bar and the queso de bola apple pie.
Knowing that the happiest time of the year is also the season of sharing, Nicole and Rina’s dishes mostly serve four to eight persons, if not more. Aside from being tasty, they also come at very reasonable prices.
In as much as Nic’s offerings stand out for their high-quality ingredients and impeccable taste, they also exude the kind of warmth and familiarity that home cooking is known for. It is, perhaps, due to the close connection that the menu shares with Rina’s growing-up years.
“Since almost everything we used to have was homemade, it was the aroma of the kitchen that filled our memories when we were younger,” Rina says. She further adds that aside from Maggie, she also has three brothers who always critique the family dishes and stress upon the value of consistency in cooking.
Celebrating life
In the same way that Nic’s has adapted to the demands of the pandemic early on, Rina and Nicole have also started welcoming their guests back at Park Terraces. Whether for a short respite from — would you believe? — their homes, or a meal or cocktail to soothe their nerves, one by one, the customers have started to come out of their homes and into Nic’s. And for them, the staff prepares the things they’ve come to love about the place — good food, a chic setting, a friendly smile, a relaxing playlist in the background.
In time, Nic’s also began to offer intimate parties and celebrations that, of course, abide with the state-imposed guidelines.
“We are also open to curating intimate celebration packages especially if there are groups who want to close down Nic’s Park Terraces for a certain amount of people during the holiday season. This is something we can adjust to in terms of budget, depending on the kind of spread that the client is expecting,” says Nicole.
On top of these, Rina shares a secret ingredient that she believes could complete those Yuletide celebrations. And it’s not exactly something one would find on Nic’s menu. “Hopefully, all celebrations start with a Mass to keep in mind why we celebrate Christmas. This Christmas I personally would love for everyone to be blessed with the grace of hope,” she concludes.
For inquiries, call 0999-9933231 or visit Nic’s Facebook page
