The story of George and Onnie and Ana
This restaurant offers the best seats in the house. Even if they’re hanging from the ceiling.
Upon entering George and Onnie’s, a resto in BGC which is now on the lips of foodies, my friends and I saw wooden chairs interspersed with the lighting from the ceiling. These made us look up, literally—in awe, perhaps, at this installation art.
This made me think: This restaurant has character. It reminded me of the photo of Tadashi Kawamata’s maze of wooden chairs at the Liaigre architecture building in Paris during Art Basel early this year. And what about the props once designed for Shakespeare’s As You Like It, showing floating furniture as if to symbolize a forest?
Whatever the metaphor, the chairs, as well as other furniture inside George and Onnie’s, were decidedly native, giving us a comforting feeling that this was, indeed, a Pinoy resto—with a cerebral twist.
My friends—all picky gourmands, who research on good restos here or abroad before entering them—had a mouthful of good things to say.
Tetta Agustin liked the Binagoongang Baboy, something which her cook in Cannes can never make.“I also look forward to my takeout of corned beef and tuna pie,” she said between sips of wine.
Therese Coronel Santos, who has the finicky palate of a true Kapampangan gourmet, raved: “The Pako Salad was super good, it had danggit and the dressing had hints of dalandan… The Bibingka Cheesecake was very creative… And the service was very good.”
Fe Rodriguez, the woman behind iconic burgers from “machines” before the invasion of McDo, loved the kare-kare. “It didn’t need bagoong because it was already in the dish,” she noted. “The Chicharon Bulaklak was very tasty and crispy.
Maritel Nievera, herself a famous restaurateur, noted that this modern Pinoy resto with a bakery line was inspired by native pastries like cassava and bibingka, which were creatively tweaked.
And I, being a pescatarian, enjoyed the delicious Tofu Sisig, the Bangus Belly a la Pobre, and the Ginataang Sugpo topped with crispy, baby squid, among many other dishes.
After our visit to George and Onnie’s, I decided to interview Ana Lorenzana De Ocampo, she of the famous Wildflour chain which she founded.
“George and Onnie’s is a tribute to our parents who inspired us to put up Wildflour in the first place,” Ana explains. “ My sister (LA restaurateur Margie L. Manzke) and I were raised in a household that valued food as a language of love. Naming a resto after our parents felt like a perfect tribute to their inspiration of my love for food and the industry, and Filipino cuisine, especially.”
The concept behind George and Onnie’s, Ana adds, is rooted in her family’s generational heirloom recipes as she strived to recreate the comforting Filipino dishes she grew up with, like papaitan and dinengdeng. Think Lorins Patis, think Lorenzana family.
“We use only the best and freshest ingredients from local organic farms. Our hearty sinigang features locally farmed Kurobuta pork, fresh tamarinds and red radishes from community farms we closely work with in Benguet. Our Sarsiadong Isda features a special danggit sourced from Bais, Negros Occidental near Dumaguete,” explains Ana.
“I strongly recommend our export-quality bangus sourced from Dagupan, and dried pusit from Antique. Our pastries are inspired by my and my sisters’ childhood summers spent in the bakery of our grandmother Amelia (Gordon) in Olongapo, where I personally learned to make Bicho-bicho, Maja Blanca, and cassava cake—recipes handed down over generations to make their way to being offered at George and Onnie’s.”
As regards the character of George and Onnie’s, Ana says that she is working with a talented architectural firm to roll out a design that takes inspiration from Filipino design elements. “Our goal is to evoke the warmth of Filipino gatherings, making the resto feel like home,” Ana proudly notes.
Aside from George and Onnie’s, her Wildflour Group has seven powerhouse brand concepts, which are already on the radar of food lovers. George and Onnie’s has three branches (BGC, Salcedo, and SM Megamall) with two more (Ayala Triangle, SM North Edsa) opening soon.
I will be back at George and Onnie’s to take my seat. Not the one on the ceiling, of course.