Ask anybody for a Boracay restaurant recommendation and chances are, Nonie’s will be a top pick.

Globetrotting couple Patrick and Shria Florencio are the team behind Nonie's. The two met in Singapore and eventually found themselves in Boracay as Patrick’s parents bought a retirement home on the island. They had to learn the hard way as they knew nothing about business, but Nonie's group eventually grew thanks to their efforts.

The Florencios say that they are just one of the food entrepreneurs who managed to survive and thrive after the first closure to clean up the island, followed by the pandemic lockdowns.

Ever the image of the sun-bronzed island couple, they continue to take an active part in the restaurants' operations and Boracay’s business community. Come say hi if you catch them when they DJ at their restaurants.

NONIE’S

The first restaurant in the group is Nonie's, named after Patrick’s grandmother. The menu consists of Filipino comfort food from Patrick’s mom's recipes, and healthy options that support Shria's healthy lifestyle. Nonie's carved itself a little niche by offering vegan and gluten-free food, setting the stage for the rest of their restaurants.

Bistek with Kamote Mash and their BBQ Pork are recommended favorites. But do try out the healthy variations like the Arroz Caldo with Adlai or the Kare Kare with Tempeh, a block of fermented soybeans common in Indonesia. Great with coffee, cold pressed juices, smoothies with chia seeds, or their cocktails.

During the pandemic, Nonie’s remained open. The menu was downscaled, and they started offering more delivery-friendly food like samosas. They then expanded the Indian menu until it reached the point that the crowd started coming to Nonie’s just for it. The maintenance of two distinct menus proved to be impractical.

LITTLE TAJ

This became a happy problem as the Florencios spun this off to a separate restaurant, Little Taj. The only Indian restaurant on the island closed during the pandemic, and Little Taj filled that gap.

Little Taj, located at D'Mall, is an oddity. First, while many Indian restaurants hide the kitchen behind walls, Little Taj has an open cooking area where guests get to breathe in the exotic aromas. Second is the assortment of protein available with the Indian Curries. There's pork and beef, apart from chicken and lamb. This is due to Shria growing up in the southern Catholic part of India, where the use of these meats wasn't taboo.

On a more practical side, lamb was pretty hard to come by on the island, so they needed to find more accessible meats. But for those who've always been curious how beef would taste in a biryani, masala, or a vindaloo, this is a much welcome change.

The make-it-yourself ethos from Nonie's is carried over here as they make their own paneer (Indian cheese) and raw material for the bread and dosas. Finish these off with their selection of lassi and cocktails from the bar.

MUCHO’S

Spurred on by the couple's love for the vibe of Latin American concepts, the influence of their Brazilian sister-in-law, and Patrick's vacations down to Mexico when he was still living in Canada, the Florencios opened Mucho's. Named after the couple’s dog, Muchacho, the restaurant occupies a cozy beachfront space in front of Zuzuni Hotel on Station 1.

Though familiar Tex-Mex comfort food like soft tacos and burritos are on the menu, Mucho's is much more than that. Come for their Peruvian dishes which highlight the freshness of the ingredients. Recommended are their ceviche, the oysters, and the steak with chimichurri.

Besides food, the Florencios also wanted a true-blue tequila bar with more premium bottles. These are tequilas meant to be sipped and not chugged down as shots. A Margarita from the bar is a nice drink in hand to watch the sunset over the beach.

ISLAND IZAKAYA

Located on the Main Road in Station 3 is Island Izakaya, the newest restaurant in the group. The Florencios bring the Japanese bar experience to Boracay -- it was a happy coincidence that a friend was looking for someone to take over a more traditional Japanese restaurant, which there were a number of already.

Inspired by their visits to Japan, they were blessed to find Tokyo-based chef Kenji Morishima who educated them on what a classic izakaya was supposed to be like. For Morishima, it wasn't only supposed to be subtle, refined, and balanced, but also consistent. "The first bite and the last bite should be the same," he said. Not only that, but his menu of donburi, sushi, yakitori, and sushi complement Japanese beers, high balls, and sake at the izakaya.