When you cruise down the Boulevard, you can’t help but catch the red brick-laden path that stretches down the coast, the gentle sea that mirrors the palette of the sky, and the stalwart buildings that dot the stretch.
In between Why Not and Sans Rival Bistro–both established and reliable food businesses–construction workers steadily furnish the chassis of a mansion. Banisters are welded onto the staircase; acrylic is incised to layer a wall. Lacquer and paint thinner overlap the smell of the Tañon Strait. Lights are checked, paint is drying. The Paseo Perdices, by the end of October, will open its doors to the public.
Amid the popular names tossed for its opening–Yellow Cab, Nuat Thai Spa, Infinitea, Max’s– Gabby’s Bistro sticks out. Unlike its other relatively new tenants, the Gabby’s will open its third branch in Dumaguete.
Many may find the local establishment’s space in between the flashy conglomerates a jarring choice, but for Annamae Juan, vice president for leasing & marketing of the team responsible for the Paseo, the Lee Plaza group, it wasn’t a fluke. “For [the Paseo Perdices], we greatly considered the right tenant mix. We are excited to bring [Gabby’s, a well-loved brand in Dumaguete,] closer to the center of the dining district.” Annamae acknowledges Gabby’s ‘ample’ track record as a restauranteur in the local food industry. “We are honored to have him as a PP tenant,” she said.
For Gabby del Prado himself, being locally grown gives him the edge for outside competitors. Growing up in a tight family of seven, he was brought up in Tanjay, where he used to play cook with his parents and his siblings. When he grew older, he wanted to cook so much that it grew into his passion. He pursued a culinary arts degree in De La Salle College of Saint Benilde in Manila before coming back to Dumaguete in 2008, where he helped his parents open an apartment for rent with an adjacent café. The business flourished to what would be known as Gabby’s Bistro.
Today, Gabby’s Bistro receives citywide acclaim, but when it started, it hardly had any customers. “Starting from scratch was a challenge because you needed to know your market or what you can sell,” he said. With determination and a steady persistence to excel, Gabby built his quirky, homey niche in Dumaguete. “Some of my experience is limited locally–when I could have gone abroad to season myself more–but no regrets still.”
Food, service, and ambiance emanates from the restaurant; channels of which the restaurateur expresses his generosity. “I always liked to serve and make people happy, even at a young age while [I played],” he said. “This industry now makes me feel like a kid in my playground. That’s why I am enjoying what I do.” Gabby considers his drive to serve others and his vision for Dumaguete his strongest assets–but for him only one thing kept him gunning for success. “Love your work so that you may grow.” (Christian Renz Torres/SU Masscom Intern)
