MANILA – The late stockbroker Myron Papa loved entertaining people, from his family to colleagues to business associates.

According to his daughter, Monica Papa-Eugenio, Myron would serve food at their home generously. As head of the family, he made sure that everyone is bursting full of delicious food. There were also plenty of leftovers to take home.

“When it came to get-togethers at home, he was very conscious about the quality of food being served, and very generous with the servings. You go home happy and well fed after a date with Myron,” the chef-entrepreneur shared.

Monica, along with husband and fellow chef Ramon and business partner Melanio Resuma, opened Myron’s restaurant 11 years ago. They wanted to have a place where people can gather and enjoy good food.

The couple, who both have broad experience in the kitchen and worked here and abroad, started their food business at the Salcedo weekend market in Makati back in 2005. Their small stall sold homemade Angus roast beef, roast leg of lamb, and a variety of pasta dishes.

A year later, they had an opportunity to open a restaurant at Power Plant Mall, also in Makati. At that time, they were still choosing what to name their restaurant.

“Coming from the Salcedo Market, we were looking for a name of the restaurant,” Ramon explained.

“What we wanted to have was a good name for a steak place. Our study with steak places, they tend to be given masculine names. Myron, according to a friend of ours, seems like an upper class Jewish name that would deal meat in New York. The second reason was, if you knew Monique’s dad, he always used food as a way to get people together.”

Thus, Myron’s was born. Fast forward to 2017, the business has grown into a big group, operating several restaurants under its wing including Franco’s, Miguelito’s, and The Flying Pan.

NEW LOCATION

Last year, the group closed its Myron’s branch at Greenbelt 5 branch for a big opportunity – they were asked to run the food and beverage department of Ascott Residences at the Glorietta Complex.

Myron’s was moved to the sixth floor of the property and now serves as Ascott’s breakfast restaurant. They closed down the Greenbelt 5 branch because it was practical to just run one restaurant in the same area.

“Before operating this, we were operating The Flying Pan at Citadines, which is another Ascott property. The owner of Citadines is a big fan of Myron’s so he asked us if we can come up with a concept for them for their breakfast place. After our first week, we were offered to run this, I think they are quite happy the way we did it at Citadines.

He continued: “We handle the breakfast, their 362 rooms, the old coffee shop is now transformed into a ballroom, we do the executive lounge, we’re building a pool bar which will open within the next three months. We’re also building a sandwich shop at the ground floor called M To Go.”

FATHER’S DAY COCKTAIL

Ramon said the new Myron’s won’t be offering new dishes this Father’s Day. But since it’s a new home for them, they are celebrating it with a new cocktail.

On Sunday, Myron’s will be serving the new signature drink called the Marianito, a classic Spanish cocktail made of white vermouth, Campari, gin, and angostura bitters.

The regular menu will be available on Father’s Day including its bestselling steak, The President. The dish consists of a US ribeye served sliced topped with pink Himalayan salt and a side of French beans.

There are also old favorites like the Caesar salad freshly prepared table side, cappuccino of mushroom soup, fusilli with grilled chicken and blue cheese, and tiger prawn and US seas scallops with roasted pumpkin and scallion sauce.

“If you notice, the portions are bigger than usual but we cannot make it too big like how her dad wanted it.” Ramon said. “The food is really to get people together.”