FILIPINOS love rice. Perhaps, you could even say that most Filipinos cannot end a day without eating at least one rice meal.
The Philippines is known as one of the biggest consumers of rice in Asia and one of the largest rice producer in the world years ago.
Naturally, Filipinos will look for food establishments that serve rice meals, some even prefer to dine in restaurants or fast food chains that offer unlimited rice.
However, others, mostly the foodies (persons who eat food not out of hunger but due to interest or hobby) and food adventurists, seek for something new, something that is not just plain, white rice.
Recently, I discovered that one of my favorite food establishments in SM CDO Downtown Premier, the Curry Curry Japanese Katsu Curry House, has launched new products and surprisingly they lean more on the concept of having different kinds of rice for customers to choose from.
The Curry Curry, owned by the Santillan siblings: Eric and Joan, is a Cagayan de Oro-based curry house that originally serves Japanese curry.
Last November 23, they incorporated some changes in their customer service and their menu.
They added four different kinds of fried rice which the rice lovers of Cagayan de Oro can try: Adobo Rice, Beef Chahan Fried Rice, Singapore's Famous Salted Egg Fried Rice and Java Nori Rice.
They also have new sauces, aside from their Japanese curry sauce: Teriyaki sauce and gravy, to go with your pork or chicken chops.
Their side dishes, on the other hand, includes: corn and carrots, mashed potato, crispy kangkong, cabbage and red pickles, buttered green beans and fried egg.
Another thing they changed, aside from the menu, is the way they serve their food.
Before, Curry Curry has this unique way of making the customers wait for their food. Common in fast food chains, customers line up for order and will have to wait for a few seconds or minutes before they get their food.
Curry Curry, prior to the changes, upon paying for your order, they will hand over a buzzer that let out beeps, signaling that your food is ready for pick up.
The buzzers are actually convenient as this will give the customers the time to look for seats, as it is common in food courts that almost all of the seats will be occupied, while their order is being prepared.
Looking at their latest survey from a group of customers dining at SM CDO Downtown Premier's food court, they found out that they prefer to look for food establishments with long lines.
"When they enter daw, psychologically, they look for a line kasi kung may linya, that's probably where the good food is. Which make sense, kahit ako naman eh, kung bago ako sa isang place, I will look for the long line," Eric, one of the owners of Curry Curry, said.
The concept of using buzzers also got them at a disadvantage as this resulted with most of the customers thinking that they are the slowest in terms of food service.
"Kasi they paid already tapos we make them wait. Yung time pala na yun is waiting time for them. The time for lining is not waiting time," Eric said.
Apart from stopping the usage of buzzers, they also reduced their serving size as according to their survey, the reason why people don't eat at Curry Curry everyday is because their serving size makes their stomach full.
"People felt they can't do Curry Curry everyday kasi busog na busog sila," Eric said, adding that the original serving size of Curry Curry is bigger than what the customers usually receive from other food establishments.
As such, Eric said that while they reduced the serving size of their food, they also lowered the price.
They may have new products in their menu, however, they also took out some like their potato balls and teriyaki barbeque.
With the various kinds of rice available, the new sauces and side dishes, Curry Curry now has 150 combinations that the customers can enjoy. They also have free chicken soup.
For only P125 customers can avail to their base combo meal.
Personally, as someone who frequent the food establishment, I like their adobo rice and beef chahan fried rice more than the others. But this does not mean that the Java Nori and Singapore's famous salted egg fried rice are not good.
Eric also shared their plan to open a branch in Cebu, particularly in IT Park where most of the BPO businesses can be found.
The Curry Curry branch in Cebu will be open 24 hours to cater to those who work the graveyard shift.