Ocho

(Ney, Rye and Bobby of 6cyclemind at Taberna Ocho’s soft launch, along with Andrew and Datch Smith and their friends).

By the G-Meister
This is it, guys. We’ve finally soft launched the bar on February 7, 2007. We invited some friends over and the party was a blast.

Members of the band 6cyclemind also came over, namely Ney Dimaculangan (vocals), Rye Sarmiento (guitar) and Bobby Canamo (bass). Andrew and Datch Smith invited them over along with their friend Jeff Torga and his friends from the US.

Noel Nieva, one of the owners of Gweilo’s and executive of Perceptions came over with his team. So did the Strategic Edge group and Dominguez Marketing. Doy Roque and Paulo Yanga of Cris Cahilig were there as well.

Initial feedback from the guests indicate that the following four items on the menu were appreciated: Sashimi ni Leo (tuna in Leo’s secret sauce), Pigar-Pigar ni Alex (Alex’s beef in oyster sauce), Brian’s Angels (spicy chicken wings) and Ampait ni Jay (Jay’s own papaitan).

Thanks to Jerry Liao, Joey and Ellen Alarilla, Melvin Calimag, Jing Garcia, Pam Galisim, Rese Jamir-Carbonell, Rio Encarnado, Lawrence Casiraya and RJ Panis who also joined the celebration. Rio and Paolo even danced on Maginhawa Street at 2 a.m.! Good thing no tricycles were drag racing that night. And of course our sisters Bam Barrameda and Jen Alconis were always there to help. Bam even washed the dishes!

UPIS alumni Dino Cabrera of Brothers’ Bar and Patrick Aquino were also there. Thanks so much for everything, Dino.

I know I’m making a big mistake here by trying to list down the names of everyone who came over because I’m bound to forget to mention several of our good friends who came that night. Suffice it to say that your help and presence were very much appreciated and won’t be forgotten…by someone else among the Taberna Ocho staff because obviously my inebriated state last night gave me memory lapses.

Finally, I salute the Ocho staff for a job well done, namely GM Edil, Ronil and Francis. Kayo’y mga bayani, at nararapat lamang na ang hubog ng inyong mga mukha ay mailapat sa diyes sentimo na barya. Si Edil pwede na sa beinte singko sentimo.

I hope to see all of you again at Taberna Ocho.

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Joey Alarilla also featured Taberna Ocho’s soft launch on INQUIRER.net TV, which is hosted on YouTube. Featured in this video clip are interviews with three of the eight bar owners Edil, Bri, and Jay. Excerpt:

 

MANILA, Philippines–INQUIRER.net interviewed three of the eight co-owners of Taberna Ocho, a new bar and restaurant at 162 Maginhawa St. in Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, which had its soft launch on Feb. 7, 2007.

Taberna Ocho offers a unique ambience with its cool blue lighting, eight specialty dishes named after the co-owners, and a concoction known as GranMa Slam — two shotglasses of Gran Matador brandy followed by a shotglass of soda or a different chaser.

Customers with iPods or other MP3 players are encouraged to play their own tunes.

Video interviews conducted by INQUIRER.net editor Joey Alarilla.