Don became restless at one point and considered launching his own
restaurant—one that would serve as a playground for creative kitchen
experiments rather than a cash grab. After all, this duo has all of the
experience necessary to start from scratch and promote Abba Grill and Deli. To begin
with, the duo is naturally creative. Muscle memory, to put it bluntly.
He (Don) is, after all, a culinary graduate, now a chef, who has worked in
restaurants and hotels in Boracay and Manila. She (Ivery), a writer and
former English professor, who first came across several sorts of cheeses
and charcuterie at a delicatessen near the university where she had taught. It
was meant to be!
Moreover, Don and Ivery have
been longtime acquaintances of mine in the industry in which I am
presently engaged for decades now. Unknowingly, I contacted Abba Grill and Deli
without knowing who the owners were. Serendipity or fortuity? Whatever the
circumstances, nostalgia persuaded us to proceed. The timing was ideal.
Concept:
Indo-Mediterranean
The Abba Grill and Deli Menu…
Resto Format: online; will join bazaars next as they plan on
renting a physical space.
Specialties: Chicken Kebab, Beef
Kofta Kebab, and Grazing Platters
Quirk:
When they were deciding on a name, they looked for a word from any Mediterranean language. They decided on "Abba" since it is easy to pronounce and means "father" in Aramaic. In their family, the father (Don) cooks. He is also the chef or culinary soul of our meal concept.
Don finds the word "Abba" and its spiritual connotations crucial
because he grew up without a parent. He lost his father in a car accident while
he was only a toddler. He has since grown up with a sense of spiritual
guidance, as if from a physical father.
When he married Ivery and had two children, he felt fulfilled in his role.
"Abba" is a term of endearment, like "papa" or
"daddy," implying a strong bond between parent and child. Through his
cooking, he could provide for and nourish his family.
Location: Pickup or delivery from Santolan, Pasig
Typical Spend: Php 330-3,800.
Contact:
09275744249
09178996610
"If we became rich... I
would set up a restaurant with spices and a grill," says Don.
When he mentioned kebabs, kofta, and souvlaki, Ivery imagined a grazing spread
with hummus, curries, flatbreads, grapes, dates, chutneys, and goat and sheep
cheeses instead of cows.
"You know, I think I can make a Mediterranean grazing board to match your
kebabs," says Ivery. "That's certainly different from the typical
charcuterie boards."
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