The new Spud Diner at the Columns in Buendia, Makati is where to go for all potato dishes.
Where To Go for Everything Potato Thanks to fast-food chains, everyone can readily access the potato and its many benefits, including its vitamins and nutrients. Children, in particular, love mashed potatoes and french fries, said Jose Magsaysay Jr., chief executive officer of Cinco Corporation, the company behind one of the country’s leading food cart businesses, Potato Corner. As a follow up to Potato Corner’s 18-year success in the market and to fuel Filipinos’ fondness for carbohydrate-rich food like potatoes, Cinco Corporation recently launched the Spud Diner, touted as the country’s first potato concept restaurant. As the expanded version of Potato Corner, Spud Diner offers an all-potato menu— from soups, to main dish and even dessert. “At the Spud Diner, potatoes are no longer served as sidings, but are incorporated as the main ingredient for all dishes,” remarked Cinco. “It is a new place in town where everyone can experience the many creative ways to enjoy the potato.” Through the help of chefs, Internet research, cookbooks and the US Potato Board, Cinco Corporation was able to cook up traditional and novel potato-based dishes for Spud Diner. These specialties include baked potato lasagna, prepared like a traditional lasagna but using potato sheets instead of pasta. Other
Bacon bits and scallions
Italian Job
Crazy Spudster Crinkle
must-try’s are Potato and Sausage Surprise, tuna sisig and chorizo and potato chowder. The common French fries is given a lift as Ice Cream Temptation, wherein the French fries are bathed in chocolate powder and served with a vanilla ice cream topping.
Chorizo and potato soup
Potato Carbonara
Magsaysay said they would soon try serving the french fries in off-beat flavors like bubblegum or strawberry. According to him, they have to import their potatoes all the way from the US because the Philippines’ local potato variety is of the kamote (sweet potato) type, not as flexible as the US variety especially when used to experiment on new dishes. The taste of US potatoes, too, is more appealing than other varieties, he explained. The Spud Diner’s first branch is now open at The Columns in Sen. Gil Puyat Street, Makati City, a good location as it is easily accessible to Makati’s students and yuppies, said Magsaysay. The restaurant has also recently opened its second branch in SM City Cebu, while the Potato Corner continues its expansion with new outlets in Jakarta, Indonesia and in Los Angeles, California. Magsaysay envisions to open ten more Spud Diner outlets in key locations all over the country. By that time, he wishes to expand the menu from all potatoes to chicken dishes. “I hope Spud Diner would become the next biggest Filipino fastfood chain after Jollibee,” he enthused.
Volume 6 Number 3, Aug-Oct 2010 EXPERIENCE Travel and Living |
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