The LJC Group opens new restaurant as tribute to the memory of Larry J. Cruz
“A good meal is one that satisfies all the senses. Meals are about good food. More than just looking good, it has to taste good. Whether I’m emptying my wallet in an expensive restaurant, slumming in a coolie joint, or out on a picnic, I could have a really good meal. The food must match the setting. More important for me, it should be enjoyed with someone.”
— Lorenzo J. Cruz, founder LJC Group of Restaurants
If you ask foodies who they think transformed the casual dining experience in the country, chances are the name of Lorenzo “Larry” J. Cruz will be mentioned a number of times. When he opened Café Adriatico at Remedios Circle, Malate in 1980, Larry set in motion the country’s burgeoning café society. Finally, Manila’s bright minds, celebrities, politicians and hangers-on had a place where they can meet and dine in stylish comfort.
Larry was a journalist and publisher first, and a restaurateur second. He acquired his love for food and the good life from his father, the esteemed writer, editor, painter and bon vivant Emilio “Abé” Aguilar Cruz. Indeed, at all LJC restaurants, diners are assured of experiencing his legacy of good food, great service and old-world charm.
From that initial venture, he pressed on, opening one restaurant after another that offered his vision of the good life. Bistro Burgos, Bistro Lorenzo and Bistro Remedios offered local foodies a chance to experience the bistro way of life. Ang Hang introduced Oriental cookery with an emphasis on the spicy hot. Larry’s Bar gave Makati and Ortigas yuppies a venue where they can unwind with a drink at the end of the busy day. Camp Gourmet brought memories of the Forties and World War II with its menu of comfort food and staff dressed in khakis and camouflage. There were also ventures, which were considered ahead of their time: Prego was an Art Deco Italian restaurant, while Paper Moon was revamped into In The Mood Dance Bar when the disco fad ended. Today, the LJC Group includes Café Adriatico, Bistro Remedios, Café Havana, Larry’s Bar & Café, Mojito Bay, Abé, and Fely J’s Kitchen.
Throughout the years, the LJC restaurants concocted numerous signature dishes that became popular. Café Adriatico became known for its chocolate eh, offering diners a chance to savor chocolate, a favorite of Spanish friars, as described in Rizal’s “Noli.” Bistro Burgos became known for its Kare-Kare Klab, oxtail and tripe stewed in a rich peanut sauce, as well as its Stewed Oxtails Akuw’a, a Yemeni-style dish of oxtails cooked with Middle Eastern spices.
A number of signature LJC dishes are the highlights at Lorenzo’s Way, the LJC Group’s newest restaurant, which pays tribute to LJC’s memories. All these dishes were conceived by LJC, challenging the restaurant’s expert chefs to create food that continues to be favorites.
Lorenzo’s Way also features Larry’s passion for Moroccan food, which he was planning to feature in a new restaurant he was conceiving shortly before his death last year. The restaurant would have specialized in couscous, the dish that is a staple in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, and is considered almost a national dish in France, where it was introduced by North African immigrants.
Lorenzo’s Way is at Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City.
