A lot of restaurants and food parks (that is a topic for another time) have come and gone in Quezon City, and one of the places that captured my interest was Adarna Food and Culture Restaurant. It’s not just that the food was amazing; I also really loved looking at relics of the past, including photos of Manila’s Carnival Queens, old bottles, and posters of events from decades ago.
Adarna was the creation of Chef Giney Villar and partner Beth Angsioco, and together, they established a restaurant that wasn’t just known for its heirloom Filipino recipes, but also for being an ardent supporter of Filipino culture, being the venue of choice for things like book and album launches and art and culinary workshops. Adarna was also known for hosting tertulias; each tertulia night had a theme, people would come in costume, and some would perform onstage. A 2013 Inquirer Lifestyle article features a conversation with Villar, who explained that
“A tertulia is a get-together common during the 1800-1900s. People congregate in someone’s house for food and to entertain themselves. There is singing, poetry, perhaps a little dancing. Mostly, convo revolves around art and culture. Adarna has been hosting tertulia since 2008. We set a theme and ask people to come over, no joining fee. People just pay for what they order. Then we ask them to volunteer to perform.”
Sadly, Adarna shut its doors after seven years on January 23, 2015, leaving the city with a culinary and cultural hole that I think has yet to be filled.
Here are just a few photos I took during our family dinners at Adarna on October 16, 2013.
Fortunately, other people’s old blog posts about Adarna are still up, and they’re a great way to relive the memory of the place. Check out what other writers have said about Adarna Food and Culture Restaurant on their blogs:
