Monday, April 1, 2013

Letter from a Reader: My Pricey and Disapointing Experience

Image courtesy of www.zwani.com

Dear Fashion PULIS, 

I've been a regular reader of your bi's and I would like to share my own. This is about my experience in a popular celebrity's PC publicized restaurant - her new business venture . 

PC's close relative CR is the one manning it and she also does the cooking and serving herself. CR has a handful of helpers, too, but it is really she who approaches tables and will keep asking customers and offering other food selections in the menu. 

As we arrived in the restaurant, we were given free tea. To be fair, it tasted real good, it's lemon grass with honey, and CR said it is a house-concoction. As we were thinking of drinks to order, CR offered us their organic drinks. When when we ordered fruit drinks, we were disappointed they didn't have any available. What they only had was pomegranate which was tasteless and very pricey at P330 per glass! Then I said to myself this is like paying for the "free" tea already, what do you think? Clever!

While we were eating, we were also getting disappointed at the same time as all the food that we ordered in the menu were not anything special at all, even bad tasting to be honest about it - feeling like it was cooked by someone who was clueless in the kitchen. 

Then CR also offered us a crab dish, a small one and with hardly anything in it, deep-fried and priced at P450.  Then the soup - hot and sour - good for one at P350 and really bland with just water and nothing more. 

The restaurant's only saving grace is their specialty -  the noodle dish - a generic dish most popular among Pinoys. 

The place is pretty enough, although small in size but cozy. RE said she is very hands-on, even does the marketing herself, a full-time job for her. She said she's hardly in showbiz gatherings anymore.

Then when we finished eating, my adult child wanted a photo with CR, but she declined. She said she's shy, and not a celebrity. She said it's only PC who can indulge in photo op, but PC was nowhere. Then she just vanished while we're still not done. Talk about PR and customer relations.

My family's not-so-good experience with the restaurant was something that happens to everyone. But what made it different and the one that left a mark was the demeanor of the person behind it. It was an experience getting to know the character, the closest one to PC - it really speaks volumes. I told my friend who wanted to try it to be smart and be guided.

But wait, here's the bomb -  the receipt given to us was just a small piece of paper! Yes, no Official Receipt for such a huge bill we paid?!  

Thank you, FP!  It felt bad, yet I wanted to lighten it up and share with your readers. Cheers!

Truly yours,
Connie

~ Personal and business ethics go hand in hand. ~

Note: Letter edited for brevity.

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96 comments:

  1. Tsk tsk...bad PR for the business.

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  2. Miz Dee, iz dat chu?

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  3. Asawa ba ito ni idol *5*?

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  4. Karma can be a bi*ch. Hintay hintay lang.

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  5. why not name the resto ?

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  6. I think gets ko 'to. The celebrity owner has a movie showing today. Disgusting, esp the CR, the D.

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    Replies
    1. Maling mali... hehehe

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    2. Tamang tama siya

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    3. Actually tama siya ikaw yung mali!

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    4. Tama. May restaurant sila that capitalizes on organic food daw

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  7. baka naman walang alam nito si PC.. kasi nga walang official receipt na naibigay.

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  8. Naku. naku..
    -PACHENG

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  9. Why not name the restaurant para makatulong sa fellow readers ng fp sa pagpiki ng tamang makakainan?

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  10. dapat wag na i-BI ang mga ganitong gwain,I am sure di alam ni PC ito esp papel lang pala ang binigay..ibig sabihin ba nito ibinulsa ang bill? kawawang PC, nagtiwala sa isang ahas na relative o kapamilya.. hirap hulaan since daming artista na may food business eh..sana wag na BI,todo na dapat ang pag mention ng name para aware si PC at bgyan nya ng atensyon ang business nya at wag nyang ipagkatiwala s isang ahas na kafamilya.. baka si kapamilya pa ang unang yumaman nyan ...

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    Replies
    1. FP Guidelines should be followed on names.

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  11. Daymn, fine dining ba ito? Food ng hotel? Ang mahal naman. Well, at least alam niyo na, eh di wag na bumalik. Hindi ko kuha ang restaurant and yung celebrity but sana naman if they charge much, quality food and service din ibigay pinagtrabaho-an din yan ng kumain.

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  12. name the resto naman..

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    1. The resto's name has only 3 letters, located in QC. I've eaten there and food and service were really lousy. Mahal pa. Ang presyo ng food as if nasa fine dining ka in a high-end place like Greenbelt.

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    2. Nope. Its *mo..

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  13. mahirap hulaan kasi ang daming artista nasa food business

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    1. The said resto is just somewhere in a busy avenue in QC, near a subdivision. Hay, you'll never want me to go back. The Popular celebrity owner knows, pero wala siyang say. Because the CR is the family Boss. Gets?

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    2. Got it. Walng say si PC even sa sariling lovelife

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  14. Not all people have the same taste buds. What's the name of the resto so I can see for myself. Baka naman dakilang pintasera lang talaga yung nagsend ng letter.

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    1. even so, drinks that cost 350?!??! soup that costs the same?!?! di naman sila hotel. at yung resibo??!?! carinderia lang ang peg?

      sabihin nga name ng resto ng magkaalaman.

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    2. You are so right 1:12. Daig pa ang Resorts World, Solaire, sa presyo ng mga food nila. Tapos nakakagalit kasi wala resibo. Mukhang pera kasi talaga si CR.

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  15. Ms Connie,kindly mention the name if u are really a concerned customer..if u think u are the victim here, dapat matuto ng leksyon ang epal na kapamilya ni PC !!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Fp guidelines. Paulit ulit?!

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    2. Oo dapat i report yan sa BIR papel lang ang binigay sayo? asan ang 12% VAT na para sa gobyerno?

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    3. hahaha! winner tong si 6:52, tiyaga magreply ng FP guidelines. ang kulit noh? hahaha

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  16. ang peg papel lang teh..ano ba yan connie magsumbong ka na kay PC..para matigil na ang epal na relative niya!!!!

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  17. She will be in B teleserye...

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  18. Si Miss Deyyy.. not Mama Deyyy

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  19. Tomorrow's Love....ang bago niyang tele...

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  20. Ang hirap namang hulaan sa sobrang daming restaurants sa pilipinas. Bat di na lang kasi sabihin yung pangalan ng resto e malay ba namin kung gawa2x lang tong complaint na to.

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    1. korek..bakit may masama ba kung i-mention mo ang totoong pangalan ng resto? what's wrong if it is really true and then connie can testify that mismo...so bakit pa natin hulaan yan, kung mismong ayaw nyo kami pumunta dun at tangkilikin ang mga foods nila,better tell us the name of the resto so we will not so ever patronize them at wala na rin mabiktima at pra ma-stop na rin ang kababalaghang ginagawa nila..para maisumbong natin yan sa kinauukulan at hndi mging raket ng mga artista yan..sobrang abusado ang mga yan!!!!

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    2. ang mag ina ba ito? the mother who went to church in victory and claiming she's a Xtian..and the daughter married to a basketbolista????

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    3. Fp guidelines nga eh. Saway!

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  21. Walang resibo?
    -Commish Kim Henares

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  22. anak ba ito ni bossing?

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  23. Ambot sa *** that's the name of the resto :)

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    Replies
    1. Talaga? Wanted to try it sana...wag na!

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  24. In Ms Connie's case may expectation na siya dahil nakalink sa celebrity. Perception nya yun na masarap, sorry na lang nag-pa-uto siya. Hit or miss naman ang celebrity restaurant sa atin. Pero naman, Ms Connie ang lakas ng loob mo ngumawa kay FP. You could have taken pictures of the menu and food, and alleged receipt, to present as evidence of a bad restaurant. Nope, I don't need to know the name of the restaurant.

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  25. as in my opinion? napa google ako and ang lumabas ay in my opinion panciteria and specialty is pansit malabon?! eto na kaya?

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    1. panciteria with 350 na drinks? isang bilaong pancit na yan ah!

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    2. Oo nga.Panciteria siya. WTF.

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    3. sows naniwala pa nma ako s sinabi ni L s column nya na masasarap ang food sa ambot... sinungaling tlga tong si L

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    4. Asa ka pa kay L? Bayarin yun !

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  26. Wow celebrity price..no wonder.
    Porket artisa kailangan mahal din mga benta!!
    -palabok

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  27. neseye ne eng lehet

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  28. naku OO! nakakain na din kami dyan. pero dun pa sa una nilang place where the resto started, that's where my daughter had her singing lessons last year. dun sa place yung "resto" and yung "Music Center" nila. kasabay ng anak ko nag-singing lessons yung dalawang pamangkin ko (singing yung girl, guitar yung boy)... ang binigay din lang sa amin eh PAPEL. to follow daw ang receipt, pero hindi naman nagbigay... imagine, natapos na't lahat-lahat yung lessons, WALANG iniabot na resibo...

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  29. yung building na pinagagawa nya where the current "resto" is located, NAPAKARAMING problema nyan. last year pa ganun ang hitsura, up to now ganun pa din. i was there when CR was talking to a lawyer dahil naloko daw sya, etc. kasalukuyang nagle-lessons yung anak at mga pamangkin ko. as in sa harap ko sila nag-usap. di man lang lumayo eh may ibang room naman na pwede sila mag-usap. actually, if I will be given the opportunity to talk to POPular Celebrity, i will advise her to save

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  30. omg...you guys just have to stop bad mouthing. C'mon we just had Easter and now this. Attention seekers talaga kayo. SOBRA!

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  31. ayyy, paging BIR

    ayaw ni Comm. Henares ng ganyan..

    if i-report ni Connie sa BIR yan, may reward pa sya.....

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  32. eh FP, nagbabasa din ng blog ang mga taga BIR, hahanapin na yan

    magagaling na researchers nila ngayon

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  33. omg eh kaya pala na-BI ito eh, sikat pala ung may-ari,i suggest Connie & the other one who reported (voice lessons) about non-issuance of receipts to report to BIR, nigoogle ko ang resto eh pancitan lang pala, masyado nga mahal, if pancitan ito the least you expect is masarap ang food kc mukhang wala kang aasahan sa ambience

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  34. Naku ayaw ni kakanin nyan..bagong bff pa naman to ni babaeng kawayan ...tsk tsk tsk

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  35. Hmmmm....maraming business talaga na walang issuance of receipt para konti lang ang mababayaran nilang tax... Baka makasuhan pa si Popular celebrity ng tax evasion dahil dito. Kung hindi satisfied ang customer sa lasa ng kanilang menu dahil hindi na compensate ang halaga nito for sure palugi na ito and vice versa.

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  36. Si S ang may ari ng restaurant. SI D ang nagpapatakbo. Yung in-order namin dun may nasamang buhok. Kadiri!

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    1. For sure buhok ni D yon! Eeeww. I heard she does all the cooking. Very hands (and-hairs) on! Hahaha!

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    2. Ipa Imbestigador na yan!

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    3. Yucckkk that's so gross! Akala kasi ng mga celebrity na yan porket may pera at medyo may alam sa pagluluto eh pwede na kaagad mag resto. Kaloka. SInasakyan ang kahibangan ng mga fans sa celebrity. Marami nga naman kasing tards na kakain kahit di naman masarap. Naloka ako sa 330 na juice. Mahal pa kaysa juice sa hotel!

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  37. Ay! Nako ang mga ganitong trabajo ni re report yan sa BIR walang resibo? papel lang samantalang tayo pag kumain ka sa Jollibee me 12% VAT tapos yan di sinasabi ang name.

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  38. Pricey - Popular
    Disappointing - D

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  39. Pag aari pala ng pamilya ni p ang panciteria na ito.. Tsktsktsk

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  40. Restaurant starts with an E, owned by S and (her m) D.

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    1. wrong, starts with an I

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    2. Ambot talaga! Dun din, control freak si D*? Hay nacu :( Mag-su-suffer nanaman ang BB nyo!!

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  41. recently lang 'to na-feature sa entertainment portal Di ba? opening ng resto at doon nag pa-presscon. friend daw siya ni taray q.

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  42. P 330 for a tasteless drink and P350 for bland, single serve soup sa isang panceteria (???) tapos wala pang official receipt. ~ ano 'to April Fools Day joke? Hindi nga?

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  43. Para ka na rin palang hino-holdap pag kumakain ka sa sa resto na to.

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  44. Hay naku, alam ko na. Dito nag party siya noong nag end yung s**w niya. Hindi ito pipilahan. Gets nyo na?

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  45. Ummm... There are sites like clickthecity and munchpunch that the letter sender could have gone to. Doon na lang sana siya nag-iwan ng review. Kaloka.

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  46. WTF. Over pricing tapos walang resibo. Shameless ever.

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  47. Getching na! Ang resto ni Munti!

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  48. Ung me movie .. Ung mommy nia ang naghahandle ng resto kaya d na sia binabantayan ung daddy nlng nia ang lagi niang kasama as per direk!

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  49. Uhmm... Mom ni P na may palabas nitong BlackS. Sikat restaurant nila, Di masarap, kaya lang punta doon ang tao para makita si P, suplada si Mommy .

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  50. PC = May movie siya CR = sobrang higpit na stage mother, Nabasa ko yan about sa restaurant nila na kaya daw hindi na nakakasama sa mga shootings at shows ni PC si mother niya (CR) kasi busy sa pag manage ng resto nila at siya mismo nagluluto. Proud daw sila kasi puro organic food sineserve nila dun.

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  51. d sana pala nag J ka na lng noh?

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  52. Weh! baka nman isa na naman itong paninira! oo nga bakit hindi nya ilagay sa restaurant review yung experience nya?. hay! yung star na walang knowledge about dun, if totoo man yun tapos sya mapuputukan! you cannot please everybody talaga.

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  53. matry nga..malapit lang sa amin ito.

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  54. PC = Believing in something that isn't enough. CR= overprotective.

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  55. Make a review, libre lang yun! Mas maniniwala ang mas maraming tao. Takot mademanda? Halos walang nadedemanda sa food reviews, kasi may individual tastes: ang mapakla sa yo, masarap sa iba. Unless sasabihin mong may harmful FACT silang ginagawa sa food service nila, which kelangan nilang i-disprove. And as a paying customer, magsabi ka lang na hindi maganda service sa muka ng manager, e magkakandarapa yang lumuhod sa harap mo, takot machismis. Bakit hindi ka nagsalita?!

    By the way, maraming 'infamous' restaurants and bars kuno ang hindi nagbibigay ng O.R. unless hiningi mo talaga. Yung 'mental' restaurant na artistic daw e pad paper lang, pero maganda image nun. Almost same price. So dear, ang binayaran mo ay image na malink sa celebrity restaurant.

    According sa story mo, inasikaso ka ni CR. Manager ba sya? If so, then that is GOOD PR, nagdecline na sya sa foto - ikaw lang ang makulit. If I were you, tell the manager that the food is bland, quite expensive, and her demeanor makes a mark - kung ano man ibig mong sabihin. Tsaka MAGTANONG kung MAGKANO juskupo - kung walang budget, alis!

    Kaimbyerna mga social climbers! Panciteria na nga lang nabulol pa magsalita. E kung icharge ka ng P300 ng maming-gala, magsesend ka pa ng letter?!

    Paki silaban nga ang aliping ito! KAIMBYERNAAA!!!

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    1. Hahaha! mostly my thoughts.. Sa panahon po ngayon P500 for a dish is just a regular price. Kung madaming reklamo, wag na magrestaurant.. Sa isawan ka na lang kumain. Duh! Been at _ _ _ before wala naman akong reklamo. Hater siguro ang letter sender. Makapag-papansin lang!

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    2. Hiningi man ang O.R o hindi ay dapat pa ding ibigay. Tsaka isa pa religious sila di'ba? If so, then why they follow the style of others? Tsaka huwag mong masyadong idefend yong idol mo na may-ari ng restaurant, sa kakadefend mo kulang na lang halikan mo p*w*t niya eh? Haha!

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    3. Hahaha! mostly my thoughts.. Sa panahon po ngayon P500 for a dish is just a regular price. Kung madaming reklamo, wag na magrestaurant.. Sa isawan ka na lang kumain. Duh! Been at _ _ _ before wala naman akong reklamo. Hater siguro ang letter sender. Makapag-papansin lang!

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    4. Sorry 450AM hindi ako fantard. Bumulwak na lahat ng butas nila sa katawan for all I care. Eno ngayon kung religious sya, sumamba pa sya kay Baal for all I care too. What I care about is the lack of thinking ng mga spenders. Sa tingin mo sya lang nagmamalpractice na owner? Libo yan ineng. Ang tamang gawin ng mamayan is huwag bigyan ng profit. Kung di afford, huwag ipagpilitan. Tanong at isip muna bago lamon.

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    5. Grabe naman 1:30 naglahad lang ng opinion, nilait mo na agad ang pagkatao? The writer is not saying na wala syang pambayad, yun lang baka gusto nyo makuha ang value for money. Wala nga namang sense magbayad ng mahal for a dish that's not even good kahit gaano ka pa kayaman. I love FP and I read the comments to get more clues about the bi pero some people are just beyond hope. They ridicule, take everything personally, kahit typo masama. It's not bad to say your opinion but kapag personalan na eh iba na yan.

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  56. Abo ba yan S and D kahiya naman resto niyo. Bat di kayo gumaya sa Ramen nila Boy P.U at SB? Pinag-isipan ang menu at napaka-professional at accomodating ng crew nila. Sulit yung bayad dun sa quality at lasa ng food at sosy pa ang vibe. Nakakain kami ng officemates ko kasi medyo lapit samin hehe. ^_^ hay it takes a loving husband and his wife to have a successful business :

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  57. Hindi ako papasok sa resto nito ew. Pati iyong may ari, ew din actually. Madaming mga tangahangang fans! Pano, na reincernate ang superstar sa kanya, kaya daming mga longkatoots na mga fans.

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