It’s
been a long while since I’ve written about a Cebu Secret Chow, what I like to call a restaurant that is not
located in a mall or better known as a “hole-in-the-wall.” Cebu Secret Chows
have been the focal point of this blog but thanks to the social media boom in
2013, hole-in-the-walls don’t stay hole-in-the-walls for long. The longest a
restaurant can stay under the radar is probably two months these days. Social
media has pushed “location” further down the “opening-a-restaurant” checklist
for restaurateurs. This might be good news for restaurants who want to get
their names around the soonest possible, but I personally think this often kills the charm and
essence of hole-in-the-walls.
Most
hole-in-the-walls are residential abodes converted into restaurants and it is
the unpretentious home cooking and homey ambiance that captivate our hearts.
These are where nostalgia is manufactured, where memories of food and
experience are imprinted in our food memory bank—memories that linger and
beguile us from time to time.
There’s one I’ve been
eyeing on since last year when it opened, but since it was always out of the
way from my usual route to and from school, it was a pretty elusive target. I
consider it a hole-in-the-wall because it does not belong to or is not located
within a commercial establishment. It is not your ordinary
home-turned-restaurant; it transcends the norm of comfort food, serving
heartfelt Spanish dishes that reflect the artistry and passion of the chef owner.
No. 9 is named after its address, #9 E. Benedicto St. It has a modern rustic interior with hints of Spanish tones that evokes just enough mystery to spark that excitement for what’s to come as you settle down in one of the tables. Perusing through the menu, you will find that it is brief yet just enough to extinguish any confusion or further delay in making your selections.