Changing Landscapes: Discovering the Filipino Palate

Many years ago at our first restaurant, Cendrillon, a lone diner—a Filipina—sat facing a table that held a jumbled mess of appetizers and main courses. Seeing this, I turned to the woman’s waitress to scold her and ask why she had not waited until the diner had finished her appetizers before bringing out the main courses. The waitress, already flustered, explained that the customer wanted everything at once. The woman then gestured for me to come to the table. “I have a complaint,” she said sternly. (My heart started to beat faster—I hate complaints.) “I ordered my leche flan [milk custard in caramel sauce] a long time ago, and they have not brought it out yet.” “But,” I began, almost as flustered as the waitress, “we’ll bring your dessert once you’ve finished your main courses.” To this she replied, “Oh, no,” and pointed to a specific place on the table. “I want that flan right here. I want to look at it while I am eating all my other dishes.”