"Sarap Noon. Ngayon."
In this day and age of commercialization and quick-fading fads, it is refreshing to see that some institutions not only remain but also remain true to what they stand for.
For almost 40 years, Dayrit’s Burger and Roastbeef Restaurants have been known for their heart-warming, home cooked meals based on family recipes that have been passed on from generation to generation.
“This is what we are all about, serving heart-warming comfort food that brings back memories of meals with your families”, Cynthia Dayrit said in an interview with Choose Philippines about the restaurant chain her family owns.
Cozy and family-oriented, Dayrit’s caters to a wide variety of patrons from housewives, corporate executives, students, yuppies and business owners. Which boils down to anyone who loves having a hearty home cooked family meal.
Flashback: Dayrit’s Burger and Roastbeef House is the brainchild of Wilfredo “Freddie” Dayrit Sr., a casino owner in the 60s. But after President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law, the casino had to be closed. Wilfredo, a native of food-loving Pampanga (a province an hour’s drive north of Manila), diverted his attention to cooking and started making tapa (dried marinated beef) and chorizos (seasoned sausages) to give away to friends and neighbors. The reception for the processed meats was so good that this gave Freddie an idea for a restaurant. And thus Dayrit’s was born.
The first Dayrit’s was in a hole in the wall establishment along Taft Avenue near De La Salle University. Other branches that followed were in Buendia Ave., Shoppesville in Greenhills, Laong Laan near UST, Alabang, Timog and Katipunan Avenue. These eventually closed down due to building owners not renewing or closed down due to the locations’ lack of improvement.
At present if you want to enjoy a fine meal at Dayrit’s you will have to visit their deli-type branches in Fort Bonifacio or Magallanes, both south of the Pasig River.
Either way, Dayrit’s is well worth the trip! Cynthia highly recommends their line of Burgers (you MUST try the Big D!) and the Roastbeef. Customer favorites include specialties like the Pork Binagoongan, Crispy Beef Ribs, Fresh Corned Beef or the Mandarin Pork Spare Ribs. The meat-centric menu features American, Filipino and Spanish/Basque cuisine.
True to its roots, the restaurant also carries a frozen meat section that includes their wonderful Chorizo Macao and Bacon-wrapped meatloaf.
Filipinos are a naturally nostalgic bunch and Dayrit’s knows the value that memories carry, as Cynthia points out, “Nostalgia is very important to the Pinoy diner. Eating is a very big part of the Filipino culture. We make it a point to maintain the quality and the consistency of our food to be able to serve our customers with the same home cooked goodness that Dayrit's is known for. The Dayrit’s burger experience you can have now would be the same experience you had in the Dayrit’s you used to go to back in the day.”
In the face of new competition and foreign brand restaurants, Cynthia said that her family maintains a simple philosophy: “Dayrit’s has always been a family-run business. Our family loves food and we know good food. Our forte is cooking hearty meals from our family recipes. This is our main selling point. That we serve good food straight from our family’s heart to yours.”
And that’s how you become a classic household name.
*****
Dayrit’s Branches are located in the southern part of Metro Manila:
a) Maga Center Bldg, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City
b) 31st Street Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
(They are open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Contact: (02) 854 9943 / (02) 818 0168
Trivia: According to Cynthia, the most memorable feedback they receive would be when their customers tell them how they eat a Dayrit’s Burger. Most regulars have their own special way of eating burgers. Some say that the “proper” way to eat it is to put extra gravy, ketchup and seasoning. Others said that once you pick up a Big D, you should finish it “all the way” instead of putting it back on the plate and lose your momentum. Cynthia says they love the stories about customers who used to go to Dayrit’s with their parents and now it’s a family tradition of theirs to eat at Dayrit’s with their own kids.
