Restaurants, inspired by the "claim to fame" trend, adopt the same lingua franca. Celebrity chefs abound. Unique menus are highlighted. Popular interiors and furnishings utilized. Prestigious culinary schools flourish. Dishes range from exotic to standard. A restaurant called Mr. Choi at Robinson’s Galleria started with killer rice topping dishes served in bowls large enough for families at heart-stopping affordable prices. These days, a majority of restaurant prices are steeper than they were last year.

Mr. Choi employs Cantonese chefs imported from China. No MSG signs are on the menu. Aside from the rice toppings, they serve authentic Cantonese dishes like Pork Asado, Beef with broccoli, Peking Duck, Hofan Noodles; things my family would love to have any time of the day. With rice toppings proven tasty and done without, we tried the ala carte menu. Our choices: Pork Asado, Kailan Leaves with Garlic, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Fried Chicken, Beef Hofan Noodles.

We waited for quite a while with all three of my daughters getting impatient and individually (at different times) demanded to go to the comfort room. Good thing we can just go up to the bathroom lobby of the adjacent hotel and have worry-free toilet times. The dishes arrived one after the other in five second intervals after three trips to the bathroom. Trying not to sound like I knew everything, I asked the wait for chili, calamansi, soy sauce, table napkins.

With a firm resolve to savor the meal, I went for the Yang Chow first. It was Yang Chow. No comments. The Pork Asado might not be a favorite but their Pork Asado was tender and not overpoweringly sweet. I tasted something extra aside from the soy sauce, sugar and water medley. Garlic, of course. Peppercorns too. Spices? Not herbs. Researching on possible "other" ingredients to Pork Asado, I found out that some use cashew nuts, sangue, bay leaves for added flavor. It was a flavorful balance to the simple and healthy Kailan Leaves. While writing about the asado, I thought of including the delicious Lechon Asado al Horno for our Christmas menu. Horno (baked) and asado (roast) sounds redundant when used together but that’s a Spanish dish for oven-baked instead of roasted pork.

Hofan never fails to make me feel bloated so I had a spoonful just for taste. A bit oily for my liking but it was sold out with the noodle-lovers! The shredded egg omelet was a nice décor to an otherwise brown dish. And why on earth will you eat Fried Chicken in a Chinese restaurant?! The answer is: kids! It was a request not a command. It was delicious and crunchy fried chicken. Better when dipped in the calamansi and chili.

By that time, I had no other thoughts except for our Christmas menu. Morcon, Ima’s Hamonado, Mama’s Halayang Ube, Steamed Lapu-Lapu, Lengua Estofado, Tocino del Cielo. Wow! My glutton of a mind cannot stop. Well, maybe add Pork Asado in the menu.

I believe that whatever it takes a restaurant should stick to its guns and offer food enthralling to the senses. No choosing. No mediocrity. One single thought in mind – customer satisfaction. However cliched it may sound.

My two cents worth on fame.